Tag Archives: Handbag

Professional Duo Complete from Repurposed Ladies Jacket

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The recycling and redesigning the women’s tapestry jacket was rather difficult, if I were to tell the truth.  Even though things look one way in your head, accomplishing that goal can be a whole different chore.  :)   But the jacket has now been completely disassembled and reassembled into two useful items.  Here is the tapestry jacket’s photo history…….

Sleeves cut away from jacket and splayed for cutting (in previous post)

The completed iPad cover made completely from the sleeves of jacket (in previous post)

Jacket body formed into a tote - items to complete are only laying on body. Handles, magnetic closure, black belting....

Professional tote/iPad cover set - not sure how to set this up to photograph decent. :)

Complete tote from tapestry jacket showing off its true color outdoors.

I lined it with a gray embroidered satin lining and couldn’t resist to put a final little touch to its closure – a silver leaf.  As soon as that went on, it truly had my name on it.  Not sure what will happen with this yet as Bill thinks I should be the one to enjoy this one.  He’s one of my biggest supporters, but if this could sell and make a couple of bucks, then that’s what we have to do.   :)

Thank you for stopping by and giving this a final look over!  One day it may make it into the Etsy store, but until then I’ll enjoy looking at it and thinking of ways to improve on the upcycling and repurposing of the great thrift store finds we have in our possession.  Yep, there is a whole tote full of beautiful sweaters, jackets and suit coats to re-fashion.

Happy Monday and happy crafting everyone!

Just For Fun And I Didn’t Break the Bank!

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With a new year comes new challenges and projects – is there any other way?  Didn’t think so.  :)   Of course there’s always going to be the hand knitted handbags happening around here, but the sewing room needed something a little different going on.  I have had an idea or three rolling around my head for a long time and yesterday, out of the blue, came an opportunity to stock up on items that can be upcycled in to new, useful and fun things to offer.

Those of you who follow me on Facebook probably saw all my excitement over thrift store finds yesterday.  Yes, I purchased 7, yes SEVEN men’s suit coats.  Bill was honestly intrigued by the idea mulling around in my head, but had to try on each suit coat, just to make sure HE couldn’t use them!  Bill and I are both short people, and finding a coat that doesn’t have arms down to our knees is always a challenge.  Hence, none of them fit him, all were too long.  But for TygerLily and Journal Junction, it was a relief!  Suiting fabrics are beautiful and professional.  It is just a perfect fit for the organizational side of our creations.

We challenged ourselves to come up with a professional type combo item, such as a matched set of something.  I found a perfect women’s tapestry jacket to upcycle for this project.  So Bill could wrap his own mind around how it would work with only a small women’s jacket, I showed him how to get more bang for our buck and started cutting it apart – just to show how much fabric is really IN a jacket!  You’d be surprised!!!

So before I go off and start getting some stuff done (like laundry), I wanted to share the photo of all the goodies purchased at two of our local thrift stores yesterday.  For the price of a movie for two and a large popcorn, this is what we ended up with…..

Future Handbags, Totes, iPad covers and Journal covers.......

There are hundreds of key chain rings in that little bag and under that is a box of FIVE vintage broaches that I found, which got polished up last night.  The stores obviously wanted to clear their racks, and I was more than happy to help them out.  I did sneak one summer sweater out of the group and put it aside for myself to actually wear.  tee hee

It’s time to write up an application to a crafting throwdown and enjoy one more cup of joe.  May you all have a wickedly fantastic day, and please keep checking in now that we’re back up and in the swing.

Blessings, my friends.

Organizing and Upcoming Projects

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I’ve enjoyed having the extra hour this morning before clocking in.  It is still my long day at my real job, but getting a little bit organized this morning was FANTASTIC!  Take a look at the peg board room divider that was special built by a friend’s husband.  No more scrounging around drawers or dark closets for us!!  YEAH!

Supplies TOTALLY Organized

Yes, it looks like a store display, but having everything at my fingertips will save money in the long run by knowing exactly what we already have.  FANTASTIC!  Thanks, Marci and Vern – you two are terrific!

After organizing, up popped the two unlined original handbags.  Hmmm, better put these in the immediate to-do list.  Here is “Cherry Blossoms” and “Pretzel Logic”…..

Cherry Blossoms and Pretzel Logic - ready to line with fun fabrics

Want to accomplish one ‘old school’ iPad portfolio this week, so went through the fabrics that had coordinates and decided on the olive green and hot pink/rose cottons.  The black silicone skin is still packaged up on the left.

Olive and hot pink cottons ready for some 'old school' styling

And finally, the baby that I haven’t let you peek at yet, is ready to start showing off.  This design is very intense with texture – and I LOVE IT!  This will hopefully end up very VERY large and have a satchel or old time doctor bag type hinged closure.  We just received the incredibly strong 12″ tubular snap hinge purse closures from China yesterday and it should work perfectly.  After waiting a month for them to come in, they will be perfect!!!  Can we say Mary Poppins with a yarnie leafy kind of flair?  :)

Just a sneek peek for y'all - and it's turning into my fave

Thanks for checking in!  With internet working now, hopefully we can keep you updated on some of the things happening in the creative room.

And organization is a good thing – along with the right tools.  We’re covered!  Happy crafting and we’ll see you soon.

Personalized Photo Tote Bag Project

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So I have six of these to produce, and all the pieces and parts have been ready to sew together for a while now.  This morning I just HAD to get one to completion just so I had a good idea how much time they would all actually take to sew.  I was quite happy with the way this turned out and really am excited to get the other five of them complete.

The front of this dark blue denim bag has been ‘clouded’ out so you cannot see the actual photograph that was positioned on the front.  After scanning the original photos, I printed the photos requested onto computer fabric and then adhered a vinyl top to each piece, to keep the photo from getting ruined by weather or dirt.  I then put a black grossgrain ribbon trim as a frame and sewed the entire picture to the front of the bag, then proceeded to complete the bag to what you see here……

Photo Embelished Tote Bag

The finished product is something I can honestly say was exactly how I pictured the turnout to be.  The muted denim blue cotton fabric for lining came out perfect.  Imagine a full color photo of your loved ones or pets on the front of this bag – pretty fun idea, huh?  No sliding in or out of real photos that can get messed up and bent, as I’ve seen those kinds of totes (I even owned one myself at one time).  This photo is on fabric and sealed.  Figured that would be the best way for this particular order.  And I want it right, ya know?

So only five more to go to finish order, but my real job needs to come next in line.

Thanks for stopping by to see what’s happening and have a WONDERFUL day!

Sneak Peek at Blue Skies

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Since the Double Diamond came off the needles this last weekend, another had to go on the needles to take its place.  There were many colors to pick from in inventory, and decided on the blue.  It reminds me of the beautiful Nebraska sky that we love.  Just a little sneak peek on its progress.

Light Blue - will be a larger felted wool bag upon completion

I am learning some new techniques from the Japanese book I ordered.  Some are a bit different, especially in how to make bobbles.  But I went back to my own way of doing them to make the little flowering buds you see.  The design is the same on the back of bag also.  There is always room to learn more technique and give new things a try.

We were happy to see that the creative blog received 979 hits in October which is a new record for TygerLily.  We are most thankful for each and every one of you that stop by.

Enjoy your day and get a little creative – it’s good for the soul.  :)

Double Diamond Prairie Cable Bag – SIXTH in Series

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The gray cable ‘wine koozie’ is now completed.  It came out somewhat smaller than anticipated, but it’s a good size and I’m happy with how it came out.  It is listed over on Etsy (which I did first for a change).  Check it out, leave me some feedback.  I love to hear from each and every one of you!

Front of Double Diamond showing black shadow felting

Inside of bag - showing off its argyle innards

Cherry Blossom bag is all that’s left to line – but I feel the need to knit something horrible.  Do I pick up the ice blue, the orange, or WHAT???  It’ll be a surprise.

Thanks for checking in over here – we love having you.  :)

Houndstooth Professional (with some bling)

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In every effort to get things that have been started, completed, this was the first on my list this morning.  Ms. Houndstooth is complete and ready to photo at some point for the shop.  These are pics of the handle process, of which you all need to remind me NEVER TO DO AGAIN!  I think I have bruising on my ribs from turning those doggone things.  :)  Anyhow, here ya go…..

The WORST job I ever had to do.....

Securing handles with German glue and casing.

To this gem that sparkled on the deck for us this morning……

Business Glam!

The sequin rosette was the absolute perfect accent after struggling trying to decide if it should be a bow, a knot, or even detachable.  The bow looked hideous, but that’s just my opinion.  It went in the trash and I salvaged part of it and added the rosette.  And yes, these babies are drying with that awesome German glue that never gives up.

Let me know what ya think, and thanks for stopping by!  And remember to ‘like’ TygerLily over on Facebook.  We are striving for those 100 fans and really want to reward someone with a gift.

Happy Saturday and onward we go to the next project that’s incomplete, and git-r-dun.  :)

3-1/2 Hr Vacation And Pretzel Logic

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Sam's Club

OK, so I am taking 3-1/2 hours of my vacation time this morning to regroup and get back on track.

1.  October is about over – forgot to get tags for the car, so THAT line will be uber pleasant this morning.  But that’s my own fault.

2.  Funny how basic items DON’T make it on the shopping list until they’re gone!  Yep, Sam’s Club here I come.  Blechhh

3.  DID get the fabrics ordered for two commissioned orders for kids art books this morning.  Should be super cute.  And while I was on Fabric.com I found this FANTASTIC corduroy fabric which is going to line one of the Prairie Bags coming up….

Over-The-Top Orange Corduroy

…….and this beauty – embroidered corduroy!  Think I’m in love with this one.

Brown Embroidered Corduroy

And there’s still a color of Brown Sheep Company’s Burly Spun yarn that’s not worked up into a bag yet, but THIS was the perfect find for the lining to the future handbag….

Prairie Handbag #? corduroy lining CAN WE ALL SAY WOW!!!!

Aren’t those fabrics absolutely wonderful?  They are all ordered and I even was able to use a little coupon on my cord fabrics – YIPEEEEE!!  I’ll take it!

After my mini-vacation this morning (ha) I hope to get the Barbed Wire Cable Handbag completely off the needles, get the fun little adornments attached that I found yesterday in my “Inspiration In A Bag” and get that baby in the machine to be felted – YET TODAY!  :)  There is a closure treatment that I want to test on this bag, hopefully to include a little bling, a little leather, some surprises.  Have to keep testing to find the absolute best way.

And look what I found when I was digging through some things – the Pretzel Logic Handbag that I never lined.  It was done back in 2008, but then things started falling apart and we had to move.  So this baby needs to get lined and in the shop soon.  It’s rather a bizarre looking kind of thing, isn’t it.

Pretzel Logic Handbag

And I realized I didn’t actually save the Cherry Blossom Handbag photo yesterday to the computer.  That explains a lot.  But here it is in a messy heap.  This needs to get completed today also if possible.  Well, maybe this weekend.  :)

Cherry Blossom Handbag

OK, my mini vaca starts in a half hour.  So here we go!  Let’s tackle the day and have a little fun while we do it, okay?

Love to see you all stopping by – you make my day.  :)

Houndstooth To Japanese

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The duldrums (sp) hit this week quite unexpectedly.  Not a lot of enthusiasm about coming home after work and doing much if anything creative.  So this blog is for ME as much as it is for anyone reading.  It’s time to recharge – just like my camera.

The houndstooth suiting fabric purchased last week is meandering its way into a handbag.  I’ve started out using a basic pattern, but I wanted to switch up the top/handles a little, so now I’m rather stuck until I can figure how to actually DO what’s in my head.  It’s at a stop until that’s figured out…..

Feminine Houndstooth - Waiting for Handle Treatment

Then as I went to take a couple extra photos this morning, I see the Cherry Blossom handbag still waiting to be sewn up into a bag – it’s knitted – just needs seams, lining and pink handles……..  (now I can’t find where I put the photo)

Then on to a great grab bag of vintage fabrics a friend at work brought in!  This puppy weighs a ton and the fabrics inside are incredibly fun and will make great hobo bags, linings and whatnot….

Gift Bag of Vintage Fabrics

And here is an update on the two bags on the needles:

Barbed Wire Prairie Bag #6

Reynolds Lopi "Brick Streets" Prairie Bag #7

More on the Reynolds Lopi yarn later – becoming not such a big fan.  But felting may change my mind, so I’ll try to keep that (my mind) open.  :)

And my Japanese inspiration book came this week with MUCH taunting from my husband!  He didn’t understand why I’d buy a book written in a foreign language.  I told him that it’s the ‘study’ of the graphing done – not the words!  And the pictures speak millions of words to me…..

A TREASURY of INSPIRATION!

I need to fly – meetings and work are calling………..

Drop me a line – let me know your thoughts.  We can ALL use inspiration and some days a good kick in the keester.  :)  Happy crafting!

 

Billy’s Sweater Re-Do is COMPLETE!

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Sweaters.

Men's Sweaters

This was sooooo much fun to do.  And I should have really been doing a ton of other things, but I really needed to just have a little fun.  Remember the sweater of Bill’s I scored earlier today?  Well, it has now been totally reworked into a snap-shut handbag.  There’s nothing special about it, no embroidered TygerLily on the inside, no pockets, no nothing.  Just a plain jane upcycled sweater purse.  Plain and simple.  Here’s how the process went…..

Laying on the ironing board - just waiting for that first cut...

Sweater cut, interfaced, zigzagged around and inside fabric picked....

Tubing around top, and nice belly at the bottom.....

Fall type 'tree' cotton for the lining that's now sewn in.....

One side of 'snap' closure pulled through fabric tube....

Opening done and chain handle clamped on....

All finished and ready for a nice fall trip somewhere..... hmmmm

Now that it’s done, I’m not sure what to do with it.  It’s different.  It’s something that’s been recycled.  I like it, but not sure I want to keep it…….  Best thing is to sleep on it.  But it sure is a different kind of bag.  There’s a Budweiser sweater still sitting in the recycle pile… wonder how that would look in this style?  hmmmmmm

Nightie Night Everyone!  Thanks for stopping by.  zzzzzzzzz