A tote bag by any name

I have a thing for tote bags. I don't need anymore tote bags, BUT if you give them a new name, there is reason to make a new one!

Has anyone noticed that with the emphasis on being "green", many tote bags are now being called "market bags"? I do remember to take cloth bags with me when I shop at Aldi's , but I confess that I don't remember to have them with me for other shopping trips.

Back in June, while on on a quilt shop hop, my friend and I each bought printed interfacing to make market bags that we had seen on display in one of the stores. Part of the appeal was that no fabric went to waste. The areas between the handles would become pockets. I found the directions on the panel to be very confusing, and I am not a novice stitcher. I prefer a wider pocket so I won't be making this tote again.

What I did like about this tote was the adaptation that the store in Richmond, Michigan (Sew Together) displayed. Take a good look at the handles. Do you know what those clear rings are?

They are shower curtain rings! The store owner assured us that the rings on her totes have never popped open and so far, neither have mine. In fact, I really had to use quite a bit of force to squeeze them closed. A package of 12 rings was $1.19 at Target.

I thought the rings made a fun difference in the tote's appearance and they may show up in other projects now. After all, I have eight more to use!