Crystalyn Kae Accessories has long been inspired by vintage textiles and the art of making things. Today, I'm channeling my creative spirit into designing handcrafted handbags out of one-of-a-kind vintage and upcycled textiles.
What can you do with vintage upholstery fabric?
Sometimes I get excited about vintage upholstery fabric swatches that are destined for a couch. True story I ended up finding a way to include these into an entire floral vintage bag collection! Here are some photos of my progress:
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Take a look at how these swatches transform into purses!
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Read the entire story from finding the swatches to creation here!
What tools do you need to make a bag?
Every artist has their personal favorite tools. One of my passions is to use vintage industrial sewing machines! Where to find reliable vintage industrial sewing machines? Glad you asked, because I put together an entire blog post focusing just on that! I'll start by explaining what are the benefits of using vintage industrial sewing machines and even the benefits of restoring them. I'll show you how I find vintage sewing machines and how I repurpose them. Here's me and one of my new machines!
Looking for inspiration to start creating?
I stumbled across this ethereal thread-stitched bowl and couldn't believe its intricacy and otherworldly nature. If you're looking for ideas to start creating your own projects, there might be an idea for you.
From her site:
From her site:
"An impression of a country cottage garden, full of flowers and foliage, this little bowl nestles perfectly in the palm of your hand to view from all angles.
Although amazingly delicate in appearance, and very lightweight, the bowl is not as fragile as it looks – it will survive a fall much better than glass or ceramics! It's not rigid and is intended to be decorative rather than functional, but a small trinket or pebble could be placed inside. As it’s round, without a flat base, it won’t always sit up straight – but that just gives you different views of both the outside and inside.
It’s made by free machine embroidering on soluble fabric, which dissolves away to leave just the stitching. This ‘soluble lace’ is then moulded into shape while damp; the stitching is specially designed so that it will form a round bowl without tucks or pleats".
Run don't walk to her Etsy page: https://www.etsy.com/shop/chocolatefrog
How sustainable are these projects?
It goes so well with our sustainability mission to show that it’s possible to create beautiful, useful things that don’t cause harm. Each of Crystalyn Kae's unique bag designs are driven by our creative spirit and dedication to thoughtful manufacturing. Here are some of our handcrafted, eco-friendly handbags that we have designed:
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We handcraft expressive accessories designed to last. Our limited-edition bags are ethically made in the USA from upcycled and sustainable materials with the highest quality craftsmanship so they can be passed down as future heirlooms.
Write in the comments what is important for you, when expressing your creativity?
Sewing has been a passion of mine since I was a child so I love finding inspiration for new vintage fabrics! Vintage is something that is very important to me throughout my creative process, which is why I LOVE Crystalyn Kae handbags as well!
The thread stitch bowl is absolutely adorable, definitely will be checking out the etsy page! Such a cute idea for spring!
I love that this blog emphasizes sustainability so much because that is something I focus on when I express my own creativity through diy projects around the house! I try to reuse and up-cycle old furniture and home appliances instead of buying brand new ones! I love seeing the creative process of one of a kind creations!
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