Expandable Market Tote (not a fabric basket)

I had originally meant to make a fabric basket.  I found a few tutorials online and measured where I wanted it to go, and settled on this tutorial from the Stitchin' Chicken. It took a while to make the pattern the right size (for an 8" by 16" basket) and settle into making it before I realized I didn't have thick enough interfacing to make it stand up tall.  I had thought a few runs with the iron would suffice, but was wrong.

So I decided to make my basket into an expandable tote bag.

Since I had already closed the top, I made straps and attached them to the exterior of the fabric with a box stitch (had I intended to do this project, I would have hidden them inside the seam from the start).  I also added a snap to the center.

I added a cell phone/ credit card pocket on the outside with a snap.  Had I intended to do this project from the start, I would have added a zipper pocket into the lining, and put the cell pocket on the interior or exterior, and added a key fob.  But I didn't want the stitching all over the place, so went simpler with the pockets on this bag.

It is expandable because of a snap on each side.  The snaps are placed an inch in from the side seams and an inch down from the top seam.  Having these snaps also give the bag a bit more form when closed.

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