Ties That Bind Us
My father had passed away in 2010, and I could not bring myself to throw out his ties. My father wore suits and ties for work, and had a lovely collection. Dad had no sense of color due to colorblindness, and I was amused when I learned how he managed this handicap. My mother, unable to deal with his style disasters, organized his closet such that the ties and suits rotated to coordinate. A sophisticated version of “Granimals”!
I wanted to use the ties to make a gift for my mother, and settled on this kimono pattern. My parents had a great love for Asian art, and had taken many trips to the Far East, including a 1981 trip to China. Using my Dad’s ties, with only a slight amount of additional silks, I created this wall hanging.
I recently found a treasure trove of ties at the thrift shop. I often pick up ties as my husband wears them to work, and I suspect he has the most spectacular tie collection in town. While I look for those he can wear, I sometimes snag ties simply for the amazing silk fabrics! Today I ended up with 9, and boy are these stunning. I will sell some online, but others hubby will enjoy wearing. He’s a bit concerned the “boxers” (Italian Bugatti, far left) might be a tad risqué for his office, but he’s willing to see how they are received.
I confess I’m itching to make a quilt with these! Sewing with the silk from ties is not easy, but the lush fabric and patterns are enticing. Before you can use them, you need to wash, disassemble, and then iron them with interface or starch, which is a bit of a process. In addition, the silk used in tie construction is on the bias (a sewing term I’ll let you look up) and adds another challenge. If you find a tie from the 1970s or 80s you love, you’ll be in luck as those puppies can be WIDE, sometimes 6” wide, which can result in a lot of usable fabric. I have made a number of silk quilts besides the one for my mother.
When my grandfather “Pop-pop” Osborne died in 1997, I requested his ties. Pop-pop was actually my father’s stepdad, though he was always my grandfather, and was a lovely man. My paternal grandmother had died in 1987, and we continued to visit with Pop-pop and his two daughters whenever we were in Sarasota. Using Pop-pop’s ties, I made three quilts as gifts for these two aunts and my father. The photos are not great, but one was using red and yellow ties, one dark blues and the final one (not shown) all striped ties. The backgrounds are silk as well. I believe my Dad’s was gifted to a close “cousin” who resided next to my parents for years in Sarasota.
Making an art quilt wall hanging with ties is a labor of love - the process is complex, yes, but the work represents a loved one’s history and tastes. It is a special way to honor someone, and a joy to create.