Sew a Reversible Tote Bag

Here's a reversible tote bag made with a contrasting cuff. Use it for your crafts, the beach or groceries. Customize it to suit your needs.

Steps

Understand the design and technique. The picture here displays the "inside" of the bag. Use double-stitching to add good support.
Choose two contrasting fabrics. One piece will become the "outside" of the bag and the other will become the "lining".

Cut each piece of fabric into long matching rectangles. Cut to your desired length and width.
Fold each piece of fabric in half. The fold will form the bottom of the bag.

With the right sides facing together, stitch the side seams of each piece of fabric, leaving the top as an opening. This should create the shape of a pouch.
Miter the lower corners of each pouch to add support.
Turn "one" pouch right side out. This will become the "outside" of the bag. The other pouch will become the "lining".
Add pockets. Add these to the "outside" of the bag or the "right" side of the lining.

With the "wrong" sides facing together, place the lining into the bag. Align the openings together.
Fold the opening over twice to form a half-inch hemline and stitch it in place. Add an additional row of stitching around the "very edge" of the opening to add support. This will create a "contrasting" cuff on the "outside" of the bag.

Add straps.
- Cut two long, three-inch/{{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} wide strips of fabric.
- Iron a long strip of interfacing onto the wrong side of the fabric to add support.
- With the right sides facing together, stitch each strip along the open edge, to form a tube.
- Attach a safety pin to the end of a tube. Pass the pin through the tube, while pulling the fabric right side out.
- Tuck in a half-inch/{{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of fabric, at each end of a strap and stitch it together by hand.
- Iron each strap flat.
- Top-stitch along "both" outer edges of each strap to add support.
- Attach the straps to the "inner" opening of the bag.
Add a buttonhole and two buttons. Place them at the center of the cuff to secure the opening. Place a button on either side, at the same point on the cuff, to use when the bag is reversed.
Finished. Your reversible tote is now ready for use either way around.