French Market Junk Basket

I've started this new initiative to be de-cluttered and have a simpler method of maintaining my home. . .  I've been trying to keep up with my housewifery duties as much as possible on a daily basis, rather than letting my world and all of the junk in it pile up around me.  I've been reading a great book that my mom gave me, and talking to other homemaker moms around me for advice.  My friend Christi told me about how she manages the clutter that she might possibly bring into her house by having a large plastic tote in her garage that she dumps stuff into from trips out and about each time before going inside and clears once a week.  By having this tote she prevents all the "stuff" from cluttering her home, kitchen counter, desk, etc. 
I liked the idea but part of what I resolved to do this month along with simplifying and organizing was not bringing anything, ANYTHING else into my home unless it was a Christmas present, or a consumable.  This really sucks because I always love to shop and buy new things.  Since I had this bright idea and clever resolution (insert sarcasm) I was stuck when I decided I needed a tote. I have some of the same kind of totes that Christi mentioned but I had organized my stuff into them and I didn't have an empty one and my resolution prevented me from buying one.  So I did what any desparate housewife would do and went to my yarn stash and knitted one.  Here's my prefelted version of the French Market tote using this pattern as a template.

I used double stranded worsted light green for the base, my hand painted bulky for the varigated middle portion, then two worsted stands, one a muted rust, the other more a coraly pink for the rest of the sides and start of the handles, and strand each of the same light green as the base mixed with a darker loden green for the top of the handles.  Before felting it measured 19" x 24" and I used the two needle version of the base.  I only took the base 5 rows up the side vs. 10 in the pattern.  I made the sides 8" tall before I formed the handles.  As you can see it's big enough to hold lots of stuff that I might bring in with me from the car. . .   

Here's a picture of it after felting.  It measures 14"x14" for the base and 6" tall on the sides.  If I make another I might change the handles to one strand so that the fabric felts tighter and makes a thinner handle.  By having two strands the entire bag felted some, but remained sturdy and much larger dimensions than the pattern called for.  This was my goal because vs. yarn projects I wanted a basket to catch junk!