Good Morning to you! It is Scrap Happy time again:). I always look forward to linking up with Kate over at Tall Tales from Chiconia each month.
This month’s project is one that I actually feel guilty about. My sister-in-law’s father passed away back in 2015. She gave me his ties and asked if I could make a quilt from them for her.
I carefully deconstructed them, lightly pressed them and placed them in a box to work on after Christmas presents and wedding preparations, and then more quilts, and then they just kind of got forgotten. I feel so bad!
I was cleaning through things and looked in the box, and uh oh! I knew that now was the time. No more waiting for this one!
- I took the piles of deconstructed ties and cut them into 1.5″ to 2.5″ strips. I didn’t care how many. I just cut until I had cut the whole tie.
- I cut 30 – 8.5″ Scrap fabric from some of my sub quality fabrics. They really do make great stabilizers!
- I started sewing strips from the center corner out on both sides. I didn’t care at all about what width of strip I was using.
- When I was finished sewing strips to a block, the whole base was covered as in the top left photo.
- I turned the block over and trimmed the block nice and square.
- I then sewed around the edges to keep the ties from shifting.
Here is a picture of my neatly stacked blocks. Aren’t they pretty?
- Next I cut 36- 2.5″x8.5″ strips from a complimentary brown fabric (manly of course!)
- Then I laid out my blocks going in opposite directions. A beautiful diamond design magically appeared!
- I labeled each row with tape to make sewing the rows easier. I could easily take them all piled together by row to my sewing machine and not get mixed up as I sewed along:)
- I measured the length of the strips and cut 7 more 2.5″ strips that length and sewed the quilt together.
Here it is all pieced and ready for quilting.
While it looks nice before quilting, it looks especially fantastic after quilting!
The added texture and binding really help to “tie” it all together. Lol:)!
I backed this quilt with an olive green plaid flannel. I was surprised with how much I liked it:)
Now it is time to fold it up and get it to my sister-in-law, FINALLY! I know she is going to be overjoyed❤️
Thank you for dropping by today. I hope you have SWEET, Scrap Happy day!
What a lovely memorial, and what a clever use of something that might otherwise have been thrown away. A real ScrapHappy result 🙂
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Thank you Kate! It was a long time coming, but I’m sure she will very much love it❤️❤️
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I love the way u made this quilt! I have made tons of string quilts but not with ties and sashing‼️ This quilt truly rocks‼️ A job well done‼️
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OMG- I have a bag of ties from my Dad that I have been hanging on to. Now I know what to do with them. Thanks Tracy!
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Wonderful Lori! I hope to see a tie quilt from your neck of the woods in the future:)!
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I’m now wondering if my husband would notice if his ties disappeared lol . . . or maybe I’ll have to keep my eyes open for second hand ties.
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So funny Claire! Thrift stores sell ties for cheap:)
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Hey. I enjoyed this tutorial. However, I have a question. When you sewed tie strips to 8 1/2 each fabric square, did you turn edges of ties under? It appears that you did. I was afraid they would ravel.
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Ever since I made a tie quilt for a friend, I have loved the non-traditional tie quilts. This one is great!
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Thank you Cathy! I agree:). Tie quilts are a wonderful way to remember a loved one. Thank you for your comment❤️
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Wow — this is beautiful! I am overflowing with ties that I have been saving to do a quilt. Is the fabric for the dashing also silky or is it a nice cotton? Thank you.
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Hello! Thank you so much:). The sashing is cotton. Silk would be nice too though.😊
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Thank you for sharing with me. You have inspired me to gather all my ties together and start my search for the perfect sashing.
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Yea! I’m excited to see your tie masterpiece ❤️❤️
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How wonderful the recycle ties like that – i love the pattern!
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Thank you! It is a really fun one!:)
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Tracy, The quilt turned out amazing! What an awesome way to turn a father’s ties into a cherished memory quilt. I am convinced your family member would totally forget about the delay the minute she sees the quilt. Simply amazing! 🙂
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I’m sure she will be able too. Maybe even the bit of time will make the quilt even sweeter❤️❤️. I am excited for tomorrow:)!
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What a gorgeous quilt! The ties certainly give it a masculine look and they add an element of interest that I don’t think could be replicated with any other fabric. I’m sure your sister-in-law will be thrilled. It might be like getting a hug from her father.
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Thank you Nancy! I do think it will be a “comforter” for her❤️❤️. Thank you for your kind comment:)
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It is so beautiful! I think the pattern you chose really shows up the ties and what a lovely keepsake quilt!
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Thank you AJ! I definitely think this is a great idea to do with the ties of a deceased love. ❤️❤️
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What a super idea, and I love how it looks.
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Thank you Cathy! It is a great think to do with extra ties :)❤️
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What a wonderful memory quilt that will be for her! It turned out beautiful.
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Thank you Kate! I think she is going to love it❤️
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I have been wanting to do this with my father-in-law’s ties. You have inspired me!! I will have to get started on it. Your quilt is so amazing and beautiful!
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Thank you Connie! Preparing the ties is the hardest part of this quilt. The actual sewing is a breeze:)!
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That’s an awesome tie quilt! Very masculine, but cozy, too. Looks like it would be at home on a well worn in leather sofa. Thanks for showing how to stabilize the ties, I’ve wondered how that’s done. It certainly makes a wonderful keepsake. 🙂
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Thank you Stacey!! I’m so glad you stopped by:). Who knew toes could make such a nice quilt?!😊
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It looks great, and so masculine. I know she will love having it.
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Oh thank you Susan! I agree with the masculine look of this quilt. The ties are a perfect momento if her dad❤️
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This is so wonderful Tracy, you are just so creative and this will be a quilt that is cherished for a long time ❤️
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Thank you! Who knew that a bunch of ties could all join together to make one beautiful quilt?! I’m sure my sister in law will love it:)❤️❤️
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That is a stunning quilt, absolutely beautiful!
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Thank you Nikki! Who knew a bunch of men’s ties could make such a beautiful quilt?! I’m so glad you dropped by today❤️❤️
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Indeed, it’s really lovely, I hope that your sister-in-law likes it.
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LOVE the quilt! Do you wash the ties first? I’m about to start a tie quilt, and I find differing opinions on pre washing.
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Thank you Juanita! I did not wash my ties first, but if you are worried about bleeding, a quick soak would be a great idea:)❤️
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Hi Tracy. I’m considering a tie quilt for my brother in law. Do you have an idea of how many ties you had for a quilt that size?
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Hi Lynn! There weren’t as many ties as you might think—. Around 20ish if I remember. Taking them apartand pressing them took the longest
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Just beautiful! Can I ask how many ties you were working with? What did this quilt measure once it was done?
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Hi Deb! I’m so glad you like this memory Tie Quilt:). I think I only had like 20 ties and my quilt finished to 52×60. You can definitely add more squares for a larger quilt. You could even add filler scraps of Dads old shirts if you need more fabric:)❤️
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This is beautiful, I have been collecting ties for some time now and quilt idea will be added to my list of things to do with them. I have made wreaths, covered lamp shades, that was fun and they look great, I have also woven the ties together to make chair seat covers and table centerpieces, they all turned out fine but I have never made a quilt out of them. Love this idea! Thank you so much. I just finished a T Shirt quilt out of my granddaughters soccer jerseys for her high school graduation, I hope she will love and enjoy it.
Sharon
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Way to go Sharon! You are the tie queen:). I bet the chair set covers were especially beautiful. And for sure it is time for a Tie Quilt! This method is really easy and quite impressive. I hope you will give it a try. If you do, please send me a note and a picture or two. I would love to see it. ❤️❤️
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How long did it take you. I ‘ve been collecting toes from all around the world as well as from friends and thrift shops. I still doing it as I can visualize it but doing it is another. You have inspired me to get busy
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Hi Brenda! I’m so glad you are inspired to start. Really, the deconstruction of the ties is the hardest part. Once you get them apart and cut into strips, it’s a breeze😊❤️
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Hi Brenda! I’m so glad I found your quilt on pinterest. I love it. I have a question for you: Have you any idea how many ties you used to make this stunning quilt? I’m asking, because I have quite a pile of old ties from my late brother and I have promised my niece to turn them into a quilt. I want to be sure that I’ve got enough so that I’m not standing there lacking a couple of ties, which even when I’ve sewn them together into blocks will not match the other blocks. I hop you understand, what I’m saying. I’m from Denmark and know some English, but sometimes I can’t quite express what I’m meaning. I hope very much to hear from you.
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Hello Liz! It is so very nice to meet you:)! I had 22 ties. That was enough to make this lap quilt with a bit left over. This quilt is very forgiving. You can make it bigger by adding more blocks or widening the sashing . I think 25-30 ties and a bit smaller sashing would look spectacular as well. Good luck with your quilt! I would love to hear how it goes:) —Tracy❤️❤️
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What a wonderful idea. I have a lot of ties from my husband .did you use the whole tie?.
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Hi Eileen! Yes I used as much of the tie as I could;)
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What did you mean about deconstructing the ties? Did you pull everything apart and take out the stiffing in the inside?
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Hi Joanne! Yes, I would sit with a seam ripper and pull out the stitches in back. They are very easy to get apart. Then I took a light iron and took out any creases. Then they were ready to cut into strips. Good luck with your tie quilt!
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Hi Tracy! The quilt is beautiful! Can you tell me how you sewed the ties to the stabilizer? From the back (stabilizer side) it looks like you just stitched them right to the fabric, but from the front (tie side) I don’t see any stitching. Did you see the inner (folded) side of the tie to the stabilizer? Sorry if I’m missing the obvious but I just can’t figure it out. I’ve been collecting silk ties from estate sales and have so many projects in mind, I’d love to try this one!
Thanks!
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Hello Linda! Start with one tie strip face up diagonal on the stabilizer fabric. Place your next strip face down right on top of the first piece. Right sides together matching the edge you are going to sew. Sew 1/4 inch from the edge of one side. Flip open and press. Add another strip on top of this strip right sides together matching the edge . Stitch and flip. Repeat until one side is covered and then repeat on the other half of the diagonal. —. I hope this helps. Good luck. I’m sure you will find this very quick and easy ❤️❤️
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I wish you were for hire! I’m so not a crafty lady. Beautiful work…
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Lol! Hi Cindy:). I’m so glad you like this quilt. It really isn’t hard. I bet you could sew one up in no time😊❤️
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I did one of these this year but I used silk in everything except the backing.
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Wonderful! I bet it turned out beautiful:). Merry Christmas:)
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What a beautiful quilt! I’ve got a box full of old ties and was looking for the perfect project and this is it. Now that my husband is retired I want to use the ties from his working days as a gift to him. My questions are about your beautiful quilting. What kind of thread did you use? Did you use the same color thread or switch it around? Is this an all over pattern or did you quilt the squares and the sashing differently? Sorry to bombard you but I can’t tell from the pictures. Final question – given the backing on the ties and the flannel back, what kind of batting did you use? Thanks so much for sharing this and for the inspiration!
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Hi Barbara! Thank you for stopping by:). This is going to be a great quilt for your husband’s ties. I used the same color thread for Quilting the all over meander quilt pattern. It matched the sashing. I always use a cotton batting because I like the weight it gives to the quilt. Once again, thank you for your comment. I love questions and am always happy to help. I hope you have a SWEET day! —Tracy❤️❤️
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