Easy Tote Tute

Or (Hopefully) The End to my Library Fines
First off, a disclaimer.  Sewing is not necessary the frugal business it used to be.  There are few things you can make that you can't find cheaper in a big box store.  However, as my husband likes to remind me whenever I go on this rant, sewing is, at the very least, a life skill that everyone should know ... and not just in case of the collapse of the industrial complexes we know and love.  It's great to be able to look at something and turn it around a few times to figure out the construction of it.  You can make modifications as you need.
Not to mention that sewing is also a hobby that can transcend mere utility.  There is such a rush pulling the finished product off the sewing machine.
So, having said that, here is a simple reversible tote that you can make in under 30 minutes.  If you can sew a straight line, you can sew this.  I've included LOTS of pictures, so please be patient if it takes time uploading.  You can click on any picture to enlarge it.

The players:

2 rectangles of each fabric (any size, but if you want specifics, go for: 14 X 16).  You should have 4 rectangles all of the same size

2 long strips, 4 X however long you like your straps, I had to piece two pieces together because I like LONG straps)

Take one of the long strips and fold it over on itself.  Sew along the edge of the wrong side

Put a safety pin on one edge (single layer) and stuff it through the center till it comes out the other end

Do the same with the other strap and iron them flat.  For a clean finish, top stitch* along both sides of the straps

Now for the body.  The pictures I took for this step disappeared!  Fortunately, this is the easy part.  Put each rectangle of the same fabric face to face and sew down the side, bottom, and up the other side.  You will have two inside-out bags with a very rough edge along the top

You will also have two side seams and one seam across the bottom.  At the bottom corners, line the side seam flat against the bottom seam forming a triangle 

Sew across the bottom of the triangle, about 2 inches down the seam

 

 Trim the triangle close to the line; preferably with pinking shears if you have them

You should now have two bags, inside out, that look like this

Leave one bag inside out (here the plaid one) and turn the other one right side out (the flowered one).  Put the right side out bag inside the other one.  The right faces of the fabric should be against each other with the seams lined up. See the layers below.

 

Pin the edges of the straps along the top of the bags in between the right sides of the fabric, stuff the strap itself down into the bag so it's not in the way when you sew 

Put your hand in the center of the bag to make sure you don't sew it shut, now sew around the top edge of the bag.  You are attaching the bag to the lining as well as the straps.  Leave about 3 inches UNSEWN to be able to turn everything right side out.  Or else you will end up...

Seam Ripping

Now for the best part.  Stuff the whole shabang through that 3 inch hole you left

"What? This can't be right!"

Now pick a fabric, any fabric to be the outside (it doesn't matter, it's reversible) and stuff the other one inside

A bag emerges! 

But soft!  That gaping hole!

You'll need to close that puppy up, so iron the top edge to get it nice and crisp and top stitch along that edge, enclosing that gaping hole.  I like to do a double row of top stitching to give it a finished look (The picture thief stole this picture too!)
But here's the finished bag

In the library books basket so that it can be quickly scooped up on the way out and put an end to the accruing fines

And just because it's breathtaking (the picture does it NO justice) ... the view from my window. 

*Top stitching just means sewing on top of the finished item as opposed to the regular hidden stitching that disappears when you turn the item right side out.  It's usually just decorative, but can also be used to enclose holes after turning an item.