Cute and Easy-to-Sew Tote Bag

I purchased this Trendy Tote pattern by Ellafaith Designs and couldn't wait to make it.  I found some great funky colored fabrics and made this in about a half day.  It was also a learning experience.  If I make another one, I will remember what I should have done differently.

If you would like to try this pattern, check it out here.

So, what would I do differently?

• First of all, the pattern clearly states that the ribbon needs to match up before you sew the sides together.  Well, I used this red ric rak that I found because I thought it would give the already bold colors a bit more jazz, but when I sewed it up, the sides don't line up.  So, I won't use ric rak again on this pattern.
• The magnetic snap was too close to the top of the bag, so I had to skip over that small section when I top stitched the bag on the top.

Helpful Hints

• When you make this pattern, I would suggest a clear quilting ruler.  It came in handy when I was folding down the top sections.  I used it to check that the bag height was uniform all the way around.