Homemade tarot bags/purses/boxes

[Niobium]

3 hours ago, AnomalyTempest said:

I didn't even know there was DA deck. 🤯I'll never get all the decks I want. 😂

So this is the deck which came in the Collector's Edition of Dragon Age: Inquisition. As a deck it;'s what I think of as a gaming or RP deck: great for use in tabletop games and in writing, not so good for much else. The card images don't match typically RWS/Marseille symbolism, though they're quite lovely, and there's no guidebook.

 

It typically runs $90-200, depending on the seller and timing. (There are, of course, numerous knockoffs of it running around as well; anything with gilded edging is NOT an original, these cards are relatively plainly made.) If you stalk eBay and some FB groups it can be had for a not-insane price, depending on your personal limits for rare deck spending.

[Runa]

Version 2 of this mini pouch is sooo much better than the black one I made previously. Way less awkward. And look how snug it fits!

 

[Runa]

On 9/15/2022 at 9:44 PM, Niobium said:

Rotary cutter achieved! Also decent paper, so I spent the last couple of days making my first box. It looks terrible but I learned a LOT and have a much better idea of what to do differently.

 

 

I did myself no favors by picking a complicated design that required fine precision to line up. I got close, but not quite. I also had trouble cutting the riser lining  corners, so they didn't fold smooth. Additionally, the black toner from the top is actually wearing onto the riser (despite the acrylic sealant) which was something that had occurred to me. I think overall I need to only have blank paper on the insides as much as possible, to keep it off the cards. My other thought was to use washitape along the edge of the box and the riser, thus giving a decorative and protective layer.

I'm going to do the Dragon Age box next, since I was planning on a much simpler style of panels which won't suffer for misalignments. Onward!!

 

 

This looks SO COOL!!! I love the designs you used, it's absolutely gorgeous and so clever.

[Saynte]

I have to get a good picture of it but mine is one I cut out of a pair of my dad's old jeans. I took some post office scissors, cut around the pocket leaving the flap going all the way to the hem of the pants. I stick the deck in there and just tuck the flap in a la Vincent Pitisci style. 


 

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[Saynte]

Whoops. Really thought that embed would work. That really shows everything I know about coding.
 

 

[Raggydoll]

5 hours ago, Runa said:

Version 2 of this mini pouch is sooo much better than the black one I made previously. Way less awkward. And look how snug it fits!

 

Adorable!! Love the colors as well!

[Raggydoll]

4 hours ago, Saynte said:

Whoops. Really thought that embed would work. That really shows everything I know about coding.
 

 

What a fun idea! Thanks for sharing 😀

[Niobium]

5 hours ago, Saynte said:

Whoops. Really thought that embed would work. That really shows everything I know about coding.
 

 

 

!! I love it! Great upcycle too 😄

 

6 hours ago, Runa said:

 

This looks SO COOL!!! I love the designs you used, it's absolutely gorgeous and so clever.

 

Thank you so much 🙂 I'm going to try a re-do of this one tomorrow or Wednesday, and see if that does the trick. No banding on the bottom but the motifs remain, and the top unchanged but hopefully it will actually wrap correct this time. 

[Runa]

18 hours ago, Raggydoll said:

Adorable!! Love the colors as well!

 

Thanks 😄 I hope to make another one to match my deck, but this one has such lovely fall colors.

[Raggydoll]

5 hours ago, Runa said:

 

Thanks 😄 I hope to make another one to match my deck, but this one has such lovely fall colors.

Yes it was the perfect color for fall!

[Niobium]

Third time's a charm!

 

The bottom row is still a struggle to line up, but this is close enough I'm happy to let it finish curing and call it good. I'm not embarrassed to put the deck in it, at least.

 

Sadly I've discovered the pale tones just don't hold up to handling, at all, hence all the black. I'm going to do Dragon Age and LotR as these kinds of wraps, but after those I'll be switching to craft paper. It's very difficult to get colors which will hold true with the laser printer, alas! On to the next box: Lord of the Rings.

 

[Aeona]

On 9/3/2022 at 4:00 AM, Chariot said:

—somebody mentioned that the foldover bags with the button closure aren't as sturdy as boxes—and the cards can get 'bent.'  I'm wondering if it would be possible to construct the same bags with a cardboard insert at the back, between the outer fabric and the liner fabric, to help keep them lying flat?  

The pouches I made were lined with leftover heavy duty insulating curtain liner fabric.  It's fairly stiff and somewhat water resistant too.  The bags had box corners and were pretty well fitted to the deck.  So there was no bending of the cards, no shifting around of the deck that could damage the corners, and the cards seem safe in there.  I like how the heavy duty curtain liner worked out as a stiffening and protective material for the liner.

[Niobium]

First try at the Lord of the Rings deck box:

 

Need to do some color correction work on the card back image, plus refine the layout a bit. Overall very happy with the basic concept though!

[Raggydoll]

2 hours ago, Niobium said:

First try at the Lord of the Rings deck box:

 

Need to do some color correction work on the card back image, plus refine the layout a bit. Overall very happy with the basic concept though!

It looks amazing!!

[Niobium]

6 hours ago, Raggydoll said:

It looks amazing!!

 

Thank you! Going to work on craft paper boxes today for a break from the wraps, well see how those work. 🙂

[Runa]

I finally made this bag in a version big enough to fit full sized cards! (I also sell them on etsy now... 😉 ) I think they look pretty neat.

[Niobium]

@Runa Those look great, Runa! Perfect size 🙂

 

Craft paper boxes are so...so. So much easier. I've done a couple now:

 

[FindYourSovereignty]

3 hours ago, Runa said:

I finally made this bag in a version big enough to fit full sized cards! (I also sell them on etsy now... 😉 ) I think they look pretty neat.

I agree - they are pretty neat! I like the accordion sides to hold the thicker decks. Happy selling and sewing!

 

1 hour ago, Niobium said:

@Runa Those look great, Runa! Perfect size 🙂

 

Craft paper boxes are so...so. So much easier. I've done a couple now:

 

 

The boxes look great. I’ve not considered making this style box. May need to try this.

[Runa]

1 hour ago, Niobium said:

@Runa Those look great, Runa! Perfect size 🙂

 

Craft paper boxes are so...so. So much easier. I've done a couple now:

 

What I love about the boxes is that they look so satisfying and clean, and they're stackable! They would be right at home on a book shelf. All of the boxes you make look fabulous!

[Misterei]

On 1/17/2018 at 3:17 AM, Raggydoll said:

Thank you. I have seen her video, that is actually what made me inspired to try this in the first place!

OMG. I respect it ... but it looks like waaaay too much work. Sewing seems easier to me!

I like to sew ... but I don't care for the draw-top pouches. They don't seem form-fitting enough and I'm afraid cards would get damaged.

The little card "wallets" look more secure.

I have the idea to make a "card box" from fabric ... but it's been ages since I've set-up my sewing machine ... so just a fantasy at this point.

But i have saved some scrap fabric to try };>

[Niobium]

@Runa @FindYourSovereignty Thank you both! I find this style is much easier to handle because they can sit horizontal or vertical without the deck falling out/rocking around, and as Runa says they stay well too. I keep giving though to a fully horizontal style, but these are a lot simpler to work with long term. 

 

I'm to the point where my next upgrade is to line the interior of the lid. You don't need to do the bottom due to the riser, but the lid might be a nice touch. I have to think about how to approach it. I just finished Mara Lunne, so I'm going to re-do Atlantis next, now that I have a better idea of tolerances for the paper. 

[Runa]

On 10/29/2022 at 7:42 PM, Niobium said:

@Runa @FindYourSovereignty Thank you both! I find this style is much easier to handle because they can sit horizontal or vertical without the deck falling out/rocking around, and as Runa says they stay well too. I keep giving though to a fully horizontal style, but these are a lot simpler to work with long term. 

 

I'm to the point where my next upgrade is to line the interior of the lid. You don't need to do the bottom due to the riser, but the lid might be a nice touch. I have to think about how to approach it. I just finished Mara Lunne, so I'm going to re-do Atlantis next, now that I have a better idea of tolerances for the paper. 

I thought about making a vertical style myself, the horizontal bags I've made so far are nice but can only really sit one way. Plus I like the look of a vertical container!

[Guest]

I've started crocheting my own tarot bags and it is a lot of fun picking out the colors for each deck! Store-bought decks are nice but there's just something special about making your own bags

[Mi-Shell]

Hi folks!♥

I am utterly amazed at all the artistry and cleverness displayed in all your diverse creations💖

Never would I have attempted to make one of your magnificent boxes!

 

Today I thought I post the little simple bag I made for my Alchemical Tarot.

The cards are all in soft, muted browns, beiges and pastels, depicting herbs and healing Plants. 

I wanted to match the bag to these colours and added a few simple brown beads to simulate seeds and seed pods in the center of the flowers.

 

 

[FindYourSovereignty]

1 hour ago, Mi-Shell said:Today I thought I post the little simple bag I made for my Alchemical Tarot.

The cards are all in soft, muted browns, beiges and pastels, depicting herbs and healing Plants. 

I wanted to match the bag to these colours and added a few simple brown beads to simulate seeds and seed pods in the center of the flowers.

 

 

Thank you for sharing your tarot bag. It is a lovely pairing with that deck and the touched of details really bring it together so nicely. I am feeling motivated… might have to get out the seeing machine today.