A Mile Away

Remember that old saying, "You could see her coming from a mile away?" It might apply to the bag I finished today. 
 
Bright. Cheerful. LOUD. 
 
I fell in love with these bright, red poppies on last year's Central Coast Quilt Run, so I bought enough fabric to make this bag.
  
But when I started cutting the pieces last night, I kept thinking of changes I wanted to make . . . . like using muslin instead of batting so it wouldn't be so thick; 

doing French seams (!!) so the inside would look more finished; 
 
and top-stitching the seams down (vertical lines are quilting, horizontal are top-stitching).
 
I ditched the binding around the handles and bag top - I turned and top-stitched the handles, and gave the bag top a rolled hem edge. I kept the box corners, which I love.  
 
The only part I'm not happy with is how the straps are attached. 
 
Pretty sure I'm Definitely going to rip these off and try again. I thought about fussy-cutting one of the large flowers, then appliqueing it over the handle, but I think it would just look weird. But that's just a little thing. Overall, not a bad job for a beginning-ish sewist. 

P.S. This is my project for Sew Crazy Monthly Challenge for March, and my UFO Twelve in Fourteen challenge for 52 Quilts in 52 Weeks. Whoohoo!!  @CrazyLittleProjects  #SewCrazyChallenge