Retro Ruffle Tote Bag

I needed a big bag, and I'd had an idea cooking for some time about these curtains that I'd found in the Lumberton Goodwill. The sight of them had taken me back to my early childhood in the mid-1970's and I'd snatched them up. The other day I took them out of my "vintage" box and made up this fabulously large carryall.

What about the ruffle part? That comes in with the lining, which I made from a second pair of curtains, a nicely coordinating calico where I used the ruffled hem to fancy up the pockets a little bit. It's hard to see in the picture below, but the ruffles are there!

The fun part about making this bag was the ease and speed of the ready-made hems and finished edges in the curtains. I had it done, even with adding pockets and reinforcing the handles, in just about an hour and a half. (Hand-stitching the lining into place took some time, but I was sorry I did that and ended up top-stitching it by machine anyway for durability.)

I have two valances and some remnants of the doll-patterned fabric left, so if anyone can think of another use for it or wants a smaller tote bag made from it, let me know.