Thursday Updates From a Slow Week

The Headache

It’s been a quiet week here on the blog which is not like me. But when headaches hit and won’t split, the computer is the last place these eyes want to be. And yes, the head is better this morning, so I wanted to share another challenge that has my interest piqued.

My supervisor said she found a handbag at The Dressbarn and thought it could be something I could duplicate. OK. The challenge is on, and she hasn’t purchased it yet. So I looked on the Dressbarn website this morning and found two bags I would love to try at some point using suiting and leather fabrics. These are just too cute:

Dressbarn Handbag #1

Dressbarn Handbag #2

I thought first about going to Goodwill and finding a suitcoat, either men’s or women’s style, to upcycle for this project. But then I pulled out the Joann’s flyer for this week and they have their suitings on sale for HALF OFF! And with all the other coupons I have, I am hoping for a very successful trip to Joann’s after my meeting this morning.

As far as the Prairie Cable Bags, there are still 2 on the needles with no progress this week whatsoever. I guess that makes me a headache weenie, right? :) Hopefully this coming weekend there will be a lot of challenges and orders completed.

btw – I ordered a book in Japanese off of Etsy. I don’t read or speak Japanese. But there was some charting for knitting in this book that I know I CAN read. :) The book should be here this weekend, so hopefully some new inspiration will arrive with it. There are wool yarns that are begging to get made into something unique!

Oct 13 2011

Euonymus Alatus Sacculus (or) Burning Bush Handbag

This project has been SO much fun to work on and it’s just about to the point where the felting process can take place this coming weekend. It is named after one of my favorite shrubs that grow prolifically here in Nebraska and adorn many homes, acreages and farms.

Euonymus Alatus (Burning Bush) Sacculus (Handbag)

Even our own University of Nebraska Extension: Backyard Farmer has something to say about this beautiful bush – yes, it’s just THAT beautiful. Maybe you have one in your own landscaping you enjoy. We don’t have any of these at our duplex, but we sure enjoy looking at the homes around us that do!

Burning Bush Shrub

And hence, the inspiration for the fifth handbag in the Prairie Cable Handbag Series:

Burning Bush Cable Handbag - Pre-felting status

The bag is being done in Nebraska’s own Brown Sheep Company’s Lanaloft 100% wool bulky yarn on size 11US needles throughout. There will be some fun surprises that will help make this design even more fun than it already is. So please keep watching and hopefully by this Sunday there will be a newly completed TygerLily bag in the shop.

Thank you all checking in and just look around you! What is inspiring you today? Write it down, get it planned, and get it going!

Oct 9 2011

Season’s Royal Messenger Bag is Complete

What a day! Not much has been worked on except the Messenger Bag. And it’s done. Measured. Listed. Complete. And can now be put aside. Here it is, shown just like it is on Etsy. I hope you enjoy………..

Side View

Different Angle

Flap Open

Metallic Logo

Time for a celebratory ice water with fresh lemon and a good little sit on the deck – ahhhhh. Maybe some Aleve would be nice, too.

Blessings to your Sunday! And thank you for catching up with me here. Leave comments and suggestions if you’d like. Always up for new ideas!

Oct 5 2011

Watch out! It’s Barbed Wire Coming Your Way

A lot got done while Season’s Royal Messenger Bag was getting a good start at drying to shape this afternoon. There is a golden poppy wool that went into my hands first, and almost made it to the couch arm to work with. And then an idea came into my head. Barbed wire. My husband makes fun of the word and has from the day I met him. He likes to pronounce it Bob wire, just to irk me I’m sure. Plus, what type of fencing do you see the most out on the highways of the heartland? Yep, good old barbed wire. Keeps what needs to be safe, safe…. And keeps harm away. Perfect theory behind a handbag, don’t you think? So the gold poppy got put away and some gray 100% wool bulky Ironstone from Las Vegas, New Mexico, got pulled out. This will end up being a smaller bag, and there’s going to be some surprises at the top, I hope.

Extremely excited with this start. I have never used this brand of wool before, so the felting process is unfamiliar. But we are going to go with the flow here. Things happen for a reason and it’s good to try new elements.

Keep watching! Surprises may be in store.

Oct 3 2011

Monday Teaser

As I was taking a break from working on Season’s Royal Messenger Bag yesterday…. getting some ice water with lemon, taking the dog outside…….. sitting looking around at what’s out our back door….. something came to mind. Coming in, I told Bill the idea for the next bag had been born. And he proceeded to say, “Well, you’d better get on that right now before you forget exactly what it is!” No kidding, that’s what he said. So here’s a little teaser of what’s coming up next……….

Brown Sheep Company's 100% wool Lanaloft

Lanaloft wool

Isn’t he the best in making me sit and get this started? He’s my biggest motivator and supporter. It almost looks like a crown!

This will be the FIFTH in the Prairie Cable Series of handbags – and just a little bit smaller than the previous ones. Keep watching!

Oct 2 2011

Season’s Royal Messenger Bag – The Process One Week Later

I had something totally different on the schedule for this afternoon, but after finding the perfect element to THAT project on the internet (which means time out for order arrival) there was time to continue on with Season’s Royal Messenger Bag. This is going to be the 4th in the Prairie Cable Series of bags. My only hope is that I’ve started with it being big enough, before the felting process. The pictures turned out pink today. I’m bummed. Just remember this is a jewel tone royal purple wool yarn – using size 13 US needles throughout. Entire bag should use about three hanks of wool. Yeah, we can say $$$, but well worth it.

So here is the big guy, bag portions and strap handle completely knitted. And this is all the teaser you will get until the FUN FLAP gets completely finished.

What a BIG boy he is!!! He's cable-icious!

Thick Burly Spun Brown Sheep 100% wool in Amethyst

Time to get flap-crazy!!! Let’s all keep our fingers crossed – it has to be deeply textured and full of fun. Maybe next weekend there will be some felting going on around here.

Oct 1 2011

“Steeples on the Plains” Handbag – It’s Journey

Progress, progress, progress! Not making much of a dent in my list for the weekend, but it really is okay. THIS handbag is complete and ready for someone to nab up. Here’s it’s little Saturday journey……

Have to have TYGERLILY embroidered ya know.

Everyone should have some backbone, don't you think? (awful photo color though)

Yes, my messy sewing area when the embroidery needs to get done.

... all the way to it's enjoying some fresh air on abandoned farmland.

The ‘team’ gave a big thumbs up on this one, which makes this base design something to consider doing again – just a different cable theme. We couldn’t have asked for it to work up any better than it did.

Thank you all again for traveling along this highway we have ourselves on – and there’s always surprises around the corner. GET CREATIVE and ENJOY! :)

Sep 30 2011

Shop Etsy for These Originals!

A hugely busy and productive day, both at work and here in the TygerLily “lab”. A photo shoot for the first two Prairie Bags was first to get done after work, and there is a beautiful little spot on my way home where there used to be a farmhouse, but the trees still stand. Plus it’s right across the street from our back porch. Had it on our minds for days that it could honestly work, and it did. The colors in the photos really do speak of who we are…..

Prairie Land Cable Handbag (click pic to go directly to Etsy)

Moonlit Prairie Trails Handbag (click pic to go directly to Etsy)

Wanted to share that now we are real. We are recognized by someone other than ourselves. TygerLily’s first piece of REAL mail!

LOOK MA!! REAL MAIL!

And as I posted on Facebook last night, I really thought I could get the knitted shawl completed. Little did I know that the bind off is very VERY lacy and…. did I mention VERY? Oh, yeah. It got worked on for only an hour and only about 16″ of the edge was completely off the needles.

Lacy Bind Off on Shawl

This is a LONG edged shawl! I’m looking at many hours yet to complete it, but it’s a good start, right? Once this baby is blocked it should be fantastic – well, we can hope right?

Thank you for looking and get ready for a wildly fun and FULL time working in the TygerLily Lab.

Sep 25 2011

Good Ending to A Productive Weekend

Sorry for posting yet again, but it may be a week before you see anything from me again. It is going to be a packed week at work, and when I get home after work, the game is pretty much over. Crafting is last on my list on ‘school’ nights. :) So this is the finale’ to a pretty productive weekend. There were many things that didn’t get touched, but there’s been progress. Commissioned orders (two at this point) will wait until next weekend. Another possible commissioned job awaits my design – praise the Lord! But Team TygerLily has discussed it and we think it’s possible. So keep your eyes out on the Journal Junction side also – there may be some nice surprises coming your way. The male half of the team has also requested a specialty item – one he has pictured in his head – I will certainly do my best. I NEED A MAID!!!! Any offers out there in blog land??? Seriously!!! I can’t keep up with all his cooking around here – and he uses most EVERY kitchen device known to man when he cooks. I sure don’t complain about WHAT he cooks though. :)

Wanted to give you one last peek at the Steeples bag. It’s at a total halt now until the leather handles get shipped in. But it’s wearing a pretty nice piece of ‘shine’ on the flap and the fabric lining is waiting it’s turn at the end.

Steeples on the Plains - awaiting special handles to arrive

Again, thank you for taking time to look at what’s happening around here. There’s always something going on it seems, but that’s a good thing! It keeps me out of lots and lots of trouble. :)

Get a little creative – give yourself a chance!

Sep 25 2011

Season’s Royal Messenger Bag – A New Design

After looking at all the beautiful colors of bulky wool yarn sitting in my computer room and trying to decide exactly which one to design next, the amethyst color was speaking to me. Amethyst is the birthstone of our firstborn, a daughter, who we gave a unique name to: Season. She has and always will be a source of pride and joy for us. Season has turned into a strong woman, in her faith and in her life. Her own adult life has seen much tragedy, but her message of strength and love for life is abundantly clear. She is royalty not only in our hearts, but in God’s kingdom. Hence, the creation of a bag in her honor: Season’s Royal Messenger Bag.

Season's Royal Messenger Bag - A Beginning

This is only the beginning, and it is terribly boring looking right now. But the flap of a messenger bag is where the action is anyway, so the base will only have a single cable on each side and along the handle. I was so impressed at how the flap on the Steeple bag felted that having the same effect on the messenger bag strap will be perfect and strong. Here is it’s basic beginning, and the end of using up one hank of Brown Sheep Company’s Burly Spun Amethyst wool yarn. Appropriate to use a Nebraska yarn in honor of a Nebraska born and bred woman.

Side Panel View Showing Single Cable Twist

There is no lining picked yet for this, but it will probably be another type of corduroy so that items toted won’t get scratched or harmed. The size should be able to accommodate a laptop or even important binders or folders.

Hang with me during this boring part, and know that the flap is going to be chuck full of textures.

Today is also Season’s wedding anniversary to her high school sweetheart, and also the Walk to End Alzheimer’s here in Lincoln. ALZ’s signature color is purple. It’s all just very appropriate.