SewMuchStyle

Messenger bags, Purses, Kids Accessories, Backpacks

Kewaunee, Wisconsin
| 6,087 Sales | 5 out of 5 stars 5 out of 5 stars

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Announcement    Men's messenger bags, Women's messenger bags, Purses, Kids accessories, Backpacks, Upcycled/ recycled suit coat bags.

WHOLESALE PRICING AVAILABLE TO RETAIL BUYERS, PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR PRICING.

Repurposing materials runs in my family, and creating fashionable, functional and meaningful bags and purses has provided me with an exceptional outlet for my creativity and a great small business.
My grandmother lived through the Great Depression. She believed that you wasted nothing. She told me stories about collecting tin foil and rolling them into big balls to be recycled much like we do with tin cans today. My grandma sewed out of need when she had young children. She would make clothing for her kids and trim them with the recycled lace she removed from her worn out dresses. I remember they would be rolled in balls that she saved in her sewing basket. Buttons were removed from all clothing before it was recycled into rags and stored in big Mason jars. I still have one of her jars of recycled buttons.
My mother sewed more for fun than necessity, and mostly to use her creativity and to make unique items. I loved the things she created for me that no one else had, like bell-bottoms made out of leftover paisley upholstery fabric. No one knew that I matched the chair in the living room! They thought I was cool and so in style, and I was happy to let them think it.
When I grew up and had daughters, I would sew all their holiday dresses. I would spend hours walking around the fabric stores looking for the perfect fabric and pattern. The pattern was always changed to make my daughters’ dresses unique. When they got older, my daughters would watch red carpet events before award shows and pick out a movie star’s dress that we would copy for a one-of-a-kind high school prom dress. They were so proud to know that no one else at the dance would have a dress like theirs.
This creative life is what inspired me to start my Etsy shop, Sew Much Style, creating bags and purses out of recycled materials. I had spent my life making unique items and I knew I couldn't just take a pattern and fabric and make the same thing over and over again.
I love all the colors and different textures to be found in wools. The challenge of hunting for suit coats, skirts and other clothing at thrift stores for my fabric collection, bringing it home to deconstruct it and recreate it into whatever I see as its’ new life is a process that can keep me up at night. Sometimes I can use the fabrics right away because they fit into my current designs, some need to be put aside until their design becomes evident. All will eventually find a new purpose in my shop.
When I find the mix of fabrics with which I want to work, I determine the style and size I want my finished purse to be. I cut out an interfacing sized for the finished purse, and the fabrics are arranged in the design I desire and then sewn in place. I want my bags to have a sophisticated look that preserves the main part of the suit coat--the pocket, collar and sleeve. I want people to have to take a second look to realize the bag is made from recycled materials. I add accessories like buttons, pockets, and adjustable straps to make the bag functional and fashionable.
Some of my proudest creations have been for a family member who sends me clothing from a deceased loved one that I make into a memory bag. Recently, a daughter sent me clothing from her father that had passed away and I made a purse that she gave to her mother on the one-year anniversary of his passing. I received a phone call from her mother on the day she opened it. She was crying but said they were happy tears--she recognized the wool and label from inside her late husband’s coat. She said now she could carry a part of her husband with her wherever she went. How can you not love doing something like that?
I feel very lucky to have developed my hobby, about which I am very passionate, into a business that can provide a livelihood. Anecdotes like the one above just prove that I am on the right path. Creating something from discarded items can provide functionality, meaning and joy.

Ready to Ship messenger bags,
https://www.etsy.com/shop/SewMuchStyle?section_id=15823915&ref=shopsection_leftnav_1

Ready to Ship Purses,
https://www.etsy.com/shop/SewMuchStyle?section_id=16454588&ref=shopsection_leftnav_8

I

Announcement

Last updated on May 10, 2017

Men's messenger bags, Women's messenger bags, Purses, Kids accessories, Backpacks, Upcycled/ recycled suit coat bags.

WHOLESALE PRICING AVAILABLE TO RETAIL BUYERS, PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR PRICING.

Repurposing materials runs in my family, and creating fashionable, functional and meaningful bags and purses has provided me with an exceptional outlet for my creativity and a great small business.
My grandmother lived through the Great Depression. She believed that you wasted nothing. She told me stories about collecting tin foil and rolling them into big balls to be recycled much like we do with tin cans today. My grandma sewed out of need when she had young children. She would make clothing for her kids and trim them with the recycled lace she removed from her worn out dresses. I remember they would be rolled in balls that she saved in her sewing basket. Buttons were removed from all clothing before it was recycled into rags and stored in big Mason jars. I still have one of her jars of recycled buttons.
My mother sewed more for fun than necessity, and mostly to use her creativity and to make unique items. I loved the things she created for me that no one else had, like bell-bottoms made out of leftover paisley upholstery fabric. No one knew that I matched the chair in the living room! They thought I was cool and so in style, and I was happy to let them think it.
When I grew up and had daughters, I would sew all their holiday dresses. I would spend hours walking around the fabric stores looking for the perfect fabric and pattern. The pattern was always changed to make my daughters’ dresses unique. When they got older, my daughters would watch red carpet events before award shows and pick out a movie star’s dress that we would copy for a one-of-a-kind high school prom dress. They were so proud to know that no one else at the dance would have a dress like theirs.
This creative life is what inspired me to start my Etsy shop, Sew Much Style, creating bags and purses out of recycled materials. I had spent my life making unique items and I knew I couldn't just take a pattern and fabric and make the same thing over and over again.
I love all the colors and different textures to be found in wools. The challenge of hunting for suit coats, skirts and other clothing at thrift stores for my fabric collection, bringing it home to deconstruct it and recreate it into whatever I see as its’ new life is a process that can keep me up at night. Sometimes I can use the fabrics right away because they fit into my current designs, some need to be put aside until their design becomes evident. All will eventually find a new purpose in my shop.
When I find the mix of fabrics with which I want to work, I determine the style and size I want my finished purse to be. I cut out an interfacing sized for the finished purse, and the fabrics are arranged in the design I desire and then sewn in place. I want my bags to have a sophisticated look that preserves the main part of the suit coat--the pocket, collar and sleeve. I want people to have to take a second look to realize the bag is made from recycled materials. I add accessories like buttons, pockets, and adjustable straps to make the bag functional and fashionable.
Some of my proudest creations have been for a family member who sends me clothing from a deceased loved one that I make into a memory bag. Recently, a daughter sent me clothing from her father that had passed away and I made a purse that she gave to her mother on the one-year anniversary of his passing. I received a phone call from her mother on the day she opened it. She was crying but said they were happy tears--she recognized the wool and label from inside her late husband’s coat. She said now she could carry a part of her husband with her wherever she went. How can you not love doing something like that?
I feel very lucky to have developed my hobby, about which I am very passionate, into a business that can provide a livelihood. Anecdotes like the one above just prove that I am on the right path. Creating something from discarded items can provide functionality, meaning and joy.

Ready to Ship messenger bags,
https://www.etsy.com/shop/SewMuchStyle?section_id=15823915&ref=shopsection_leftnav_1

Ready to Ship Purses,
https://www.etsy.com/shop/SewMuchStyle?section_id=16454588&ref=shopsection_leftnav_8

I

6087 Sales

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Terry Lischka

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Terry Lischka

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About SewMuchStyle

Sales 6,087
On Etsy since 2009

My Repurposed life

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  • Terry Lischka

    Owner

  • Tom Lischka

    Shipper

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Last updated on Mar 22, 2016

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