I already made a second Everything Tote from the book Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross. Again, I used old stash fabric. The lining is light cotton and the exterior is heavy upholstery fabric. It was so heavy in fact that I couldn't manage any gathers and made pleats instead.
For both bags, I pinned the binding over the gathers (or pleats) and then cut away the excess (about 2-3"). This pattern is pretty simple and one does not need to be very exact to find success. I was able to make this bag in a matter of hours. Next up is the town bag in a mustard gold velveteen. I need to buy the hardware and choose a lining fabric but I expect it to be a quick sew as well.
