As they say on Monty Python, “And now, for something completely different…”
I’ve been posting like mad about Quilt Market and International Quilt Festival (and there is lots more to come) but I thought I’d take a break for a moment, because this is my 500th post! Wow.
You can use either old ties or regular fabric. I made the one pictured above last night, and the directions are very clear and easy to follow. They were fast and fun to make.
I’m going to make some flower brooches to give as gifts, and some for embellishing wearables, and some for pretty pins for holiday gifts. And don’t you think this would be darling to do for men’s boutonierres at a wedding, instead of traditional flower ones?
If you don’t have a huge bag of old ties in your attic like I do, they are very easy (and cheap!) to find at thrift stores.
GIVEAWAY! Leave a comment on this post before noon EST on Saturday, November 13. Tell me if you have old ties hanging around your house. If so, what you were planning to do with them? Or maybe you have already made a cool project with them; if that’s the case, tell me about it!
There’s still a bit more Quilt Market loot to give away in my next few posts, so please come back for a chance to win!
WE HAVE A WINNER: Melinda wins the Turn-a-Tie pattern!
Posts
I have lots of ties hanging around my sewing room. Have no idea what I am going to do but I love this idea of making flowers. Wouldn't they be cute on the lapel of your jackets?
ReplyDeleteDot in Beautiful NE Georgia
I have Tons of ties, I used to purchase them at garage sales and thought I'd use them to weave a seat for a chair, well, that never happened...this is just adorable!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! I do have bags of my Grand fathers(both) and Dads ties. I have a mishapened little quilt I guess my grandma made it. It is just two layers of ties pieced the way they were cut open. I throw it over the back of a chair because I like the ties patterns.
ReplyDeleteThat is such a neat idea! I've been wanting to make a flower pin and using the MANY ties my DH has would be great. He never wears a tie anymore and they are collecting dust.
ReplyDeleteI have a bunch of silk ties,many never worn, from a deceased friend. I was always going to take them apart to harvest the silk, but it's a lot of work, so they sit there. I like this flower book. Pick me, please!
ReplyDeleteI love this idea..I used old ties to make a Christmas tree skirt way back when!
ReplyDeleteThis is very intriguing. I wonder if my son would part with one of his ties from his collection.
ReplyDeleteI have no ties but this might be an inspiration to start.
ReplyDeleteI have lots of old ties, this would be a great quick way to use them. Would make great embellishments for purses, etc.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your 500th post!!
Ed has a lot of ties hanging in the closet that he isn't using. This is such a cute idea I might have to have him pick some out to try it. Thanks for the idea.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute way to use all those ties in my stash!!! Adorable and ingenious pattern!
ReplyDeleteI made a purse out of ties by weaving them thru each other, and a skirt, and a flower.
ReplyDeleteI have old ties and have noticed how cheap they are at thrift stores. I have been making zipper flowers but would really like to try these.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your 500th post! I saw a lovely quilt, 3D bowtie blocks using old ties, it was so pretty and so I started collecting them, I don't have enough to make a quilt though ;)
ReplyDeleteMy hubby had the winning bid on a huge box full of ties at an auction. I've been slowly taking them apart while watching tv at night. When done, I'll use the fabrics to make a quilt similar to one that I loved at a local quilt show. I may use a paper piecing pattern....what do you think?
ReplyDeletePat, That sounds neat! I still don't know what I'll do with all of mine.
ReplyDeleteI have collected ties from the guys at work for years now with the intent of making a tie quilt and have never gotten around to doing it. I'm thinking these tie flowers will make great homes for all those loverly ties I've been collecting!
ReplyDeleteOh, doggone! I had a lot of ties, but I gave them to my daughter.
ReplyDeleteWhat is old is now new again. I made some of these using ribbon back in the '80s. I guess that dates me, doesn't it? Please: Do not enter me in the giveaway as I don't want to revisit this.
ReplyDeleteI had made some of my Dad's ties into a dimensional bow tie wall hanging for my Dad's 80th birthday He wore bow ties as well. I just got some more ties given to me. Flowers would be fun.
ReplyDeleteHi- my husband has hundreds of ties. And many of them are old-style so I get to trim them widthwise and lengthwise so I also have lots of tie scraps. No idea what to do with them yet!
ReplyDeleteI am loving this idea and as I have some ties of my own,you've got me to thinking...what else can I do with them? This bloom is lovely and filled with possibilities!
ReplyDeleteWe just cleaned out my husband's ties but instead of getting rid of them, I put them in my craft room...the place where everything goes that we "get rid of"! No real plans for them, but I'm thinking these flowers would be great!
ReplyDeleteI do have lots of ties & I don't know what I am going to use them for. Several yrs. ago I made a stripped blanket with some. It was pretty, but very heavy.
ReplyDeleteDon't have tons of ties but recently bought one at good will just for the label. The tie is beautiful. The label says Papillon.......and that is what my wee dog is.
ReplyDeleteWe have tons of ties both from the men in my family and from collecting them for a past charity project. I want to replace the old plastic flowers in my house and am on a tight budget so making them would be great! Thanks for your posts.
ReplyDeleteHave a large collection of ties and have used some as fabric in wall-hangings; wove some for chair seeat and have fussy-cut some for crazy quilt-like pillow tops. This pattern looks like fun.
ReplyDeleteSince I've retired, I have no need for ties. Hurray! So I'm giving the box of ties to my church's craft group to make a Sharon Stone paper-pieced quilt to be auctioned off next spring at our church's annual auction. It should be a real winner.
ReplyDeleteDean in sunny St. Petersburg, FL.
I have a bag of old ties from a friend's brother and dad. This would be a great way to make a couple of them into pins her sister and nieces could wear. Thanks for all of your posts about festival - it has been great fun to see.
ReplyDeleteI only have a couple but these flowers would be a great way to embellish a memory quilt or to make keepsake pins. You could also wire them and make a bouquet.
ReplyDeletecongrats on #500 and for sharing all these great Houston pics.
Don't have many old ties, but they are easy enough to find. The flowers would be an excellent use for a tie with a stain on it; just work around the stain!
ReplyDeleteMy stash includes hundreds of ties given me by work colleagues. I use them to make Sherlock Holmes pillows since crazy quilting was popular when the stories were written. You've now given me another use. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteMy stash includes hundreds of ties given me by work colleagues. I use them to make crazy quilted pillows with Sherlock Holmes story themes. You've given me another use now so I'll make flowers as well. Thank you. Alice
ReplyDeleteWell, I have hundreds of ties here, and several books on working with ties, but I haven't done anything with them. Love the idea of the flower pins and might have to try some of those.
ReplyDeleteI saved all of my deceased husband's beautiful silk ties, begged a few from my brother, bought some from Goodwill, and snagged some from friends who were tired of collecting. I am currently making yo-yo's from them, hoping to replace a beautiful yo yo vest found in a St. Louis boutique, made of antique silks. Everywhere I wore it, I had tons of compliments. Unfortunately, the silk is deteriorating. Every time I put it on, another yo yo shreds.
ReplyDeleteMadeline in Athens, GA
This would also be a nice way for a mother or grandmother to celebrate her male family members.
ReplyDeleteNice idea.
:-D eirdre
Flowers from old ties! That's clever. A great way to re-purpose ties that have lost their primary use. A great way to use ties from a family member who may have passed on as well.
ReplyDeleteI have a box of ties, all made of silk. I originally planned to do something quilty with them. I love the fabs but have never made anything with them.
ReplyDeleteGosh, how wonderful to read through all the comments here - and to realize, I'm not alone! I have two boxes of silk ties ... and I even bought (!!!) a box full of tie fabric samples years ago. I always wanted to make two summer quilts out of them, one for DH, one for me. Similar, but different - so they would match on our bed. That's the plan ... but making flowers sounds like a great idea, too!
ReplyDeleteI have a small bag of ties that I intended to use in a wall hanging. Somehow they seem to have been pushed down to the bottom of a very big stash. I think it's time to pull them out. I've loved all of the Quilt Festival/Market photos. I hope I didn't step out of line when I put your name (and Sarah Ann Smith's) down as teachers I would like to see in Houston next time I'm there
ReplyDelete