Tie Pillow Tutorial

Oble's Tie Pillows (2006)

I've been asked several times how I made these memory pillows,

so it is high time I put together this tutorial.

* * *

A co-worker's father passed away in early 2006 and the 

children/grandchildren wanted to preserve his ties.

The woman for whom I made these purchased the pillow forms.  

I do not remember if they were 12" or 14" ~ 

but the method is the same no matter the size of the insertable pillow form.

* * *

The first step is to purchase pillow forms so you have a size to work with.

For the pillows above, I cut muslin foundation squares large enough 

to cover the top with 1/2" seam allowances added on all four sides.

I did not take the ties apart nor did I launder them.

(at the request of the family)

The ties were cut into lengths long enough to cover the muslin squares.  

The remaining shorter pieces were saved,

including the pointy ends.

I laid two tie segments on top of the muslin, side by side.

Using the 'fancy' stitches on my Bernina at their widest settings,
and stitching along the line formed by the two ties' edges,

the resulting 'seam' formed a join between the two adjacent ties 

and secured them to the foundation fabric.

I worked my way across the foundation fabric, one join at a time.
(If there were any raw edges involved, 
I made sure the next piece had a finished edge
and layered it over the raw edge before stitching.)

I've put photos of the finished pillow tops in a Picasa photo album 

so that you can see how the layouts varied from one pillow to another.  

* * *

Once the foundation squares had been covered, 

they were squared up and ready to be made into insertable covers.

* * *

In 2009, I shared a tutorial on making pillow shams here.  

You can add coordinating or contrasting flange borders to the tie pieces or not, 

depending on how you want to use/display them.  

Otherwise, the tutorial for making the back and binding 

follow the same process.

For those who want to incorporate other clothing into their memory pillows,
the back panels and/or binding could be pieced together
from taken apart shirts or pants ("made" fabric).

* * * 

Click here to see photos of what others have done with ties.

(Some people take the ties apart ~ others do not.

Some stitch with the silk alone.

Others prepare the ties with fusible tricot interfacing before cutting their pieces.)

* * *

At one point, I had grand plans to make a tie quilt ~

but the ties I gathered were given to another quilter

once I realized I was more in love with the idea than the actual process.

To those who are considering tie-related projects,

there's truly a world of possibilities out there!

Quiltdivajulie

Selvages and Sharing

And, for more inspiration and information on selvages, be sure to check out Karen Griska's book and blog. Playing with these is SO much fun!!!

Quiltdivajulie

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“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” (Mary Lou Cook)

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P.S. As many of you know, I've been wrestling with my scrappy silk tie project since December. After several failed approaches, I have come to the conclusion that a tie quilt is NOT in my future.

There are so many projects that I WANT to work on, I just cannot see spending any more time on a project that has caused so much frustration.

So ~ if you or someone you know would be interested in 48 silk ties (washed and taken apart) plus another 28 (washed but not taken apart) plus a small box of pressed ties and tie silks; please let me know. Others were so generous to swap with me, sharing with others is the least I can do.

[Edit added later ~ the ties have a new home ~ how wonderful!]

Another one joins the list

I've just discovered Morning Glory Design's block of the month quilt through a post on Sunnie's blog ~ I'm three months behind before ever beginning, but I'm hoping to get caught up while continuing on with what is already underway.

I'm guessing that I can pull most, if not all, of the fabric I need from my stash. . . but wait; I wonder if there's a way to incorporate this wonderful new direction with my sadly side-tracked silk tie BOM? Oh, the possibilities . . .

Time to contemplate and ponder ~ stay tuned!

Quiltdivajulie
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May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day.
May songbirds serenade you every step along the way.
May a rainbow run beside you in a sky that's always blue.
And may happiness fill your heart each day your whole life through.
(Irish blessing)

Tie Project ~ Change of Plans

I’ve finally come to a decision ~ I’m going to turn the satin from the skirt of my wedding dress into a whole cloth table runner/dresser scarf instead of piecing it with the silk ties. With her free-motion skills, I’m sure Chris can work some wonderful white-on-white magic...

Why have I made this decision? The satin does not play nicely with other fabrics. It does not add anything to the tie project (no life, no ‘glow’). It is hard to work with. It does not like water or steam ~ meaning whatever I make with it will be formal and not user-friendly. It gives me a massive headache.

Quilting is not supposed to make us hurt. It is not supposed to make us feel miserable or guilty.

Quilting is supposed to engage and challenge us, encouraging our creative natures.

And so, I have made a choice.

I have a number of ideas for the silk tie fabrics ~ once I get them all taken apart and interfaced (still working on this, a little at a time). So, I am not abandoning the project, just changing course and heading off in a different direction.

Warning: It may be a while before you see anything come of this (but that’s okay).


Quiltdivajulie
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As for me, all I know is that I know nothing. (Socrates)

They're Here!

Late last year, Clare and I agreed to a swap. I sent a package of batiks off to her and she shipped this parcel from France on January 12 ~ she and I have both been wondering where the package could have gone. . . but now it has finally arrived at my house, roughly 35 days and 4,500 miles later. You can see that Angel just had to sniff test it.

Then, when I emptied the silk ties out onto the floor, Angel proceeded to perform an even more in-depth inspection. She seems determined to maintain her status as my official kitty-tester!

Once I get these beautiful ties taken apart, I'll get serious about piecing the first few blocks for my quilt ~ and, with such a glorious array of colors thanks to Belinda and Diane and Clare and others, there may be two different tie projects in my future . . .

Once again ~ here's to collaboration, blogging friends, and the generosity of our fellow quilters!

Quiltdivajulie
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"The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult.”

(Madame Marie du Deffand)

Why a test block is a good thing...

Home from work today to give the antibiotics one more day to work ~ so I made one test block using the satin and portions of two ties.  

Learned a lot:  (1) this satin does not like water (use a dry-not steam-iron; will be a formal, dry clean only piece ~ not my usual style), (2) the stretch in the ties does pose a problem (to be solved using fusible tricot interfacing), (3) the satin and silk ties like to slip and slide (duh!), (4) despite my best efforts to detect before stitching, there is a subtle but definite color difference and light refraction between the right side and the wrong side of the satin, (5) too much heat from the iron causes the satin to shrink and harden; and (6) the resulting block did not even come close to setting me on fire (meaning I've been off on a pondering the rest of the day).  

Good news:  when the mail arrived, I was SO excited to find a squishy package from Diane at Persnickety... I had sent her the yarns from my studio clean up and she sent me some gorgeous tie silks ~ I LOVE THEM!!!!!

After dinner, I asked DH to come and take a look in my studio ~ he had the same hesitant, generally negative reaction to the test block that I felt (too much white in one place/no sense of movement).

I showed him the three alternate design ideas I had pulled out today ~ and, happily, he chose the same one I liked best (although I had not let him know my preference) ~ the pattern is called Pinwheels, Porcelain & Broken Dishes by Aardvark Quilts (pattern shown on HOP's website). 

The satin will replace the "lights" throughout the quilt and the eclectic, scrappy ties (some of which are shown above) will serve as "darks" ~ far less formal (despite the care required) and lots of movement.  My version will certainly look quite different than the pattern cover's quilt, but I see far more possibilities now than I did this morning.  I'm glad this was a year-long project!

And, so, like our lives, the direction for this quilt has changed ~ yet again.

Quiltdivajulie

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"Time is a dressmaker specializing in alterations." (Faith Baldwin)

New Beginnings . . .

Not enough energy this weekend to do any serious stitching (or much of anything else) ~ but, somehow, the time was absolutely right to begin a project that has been gestating, in one form or another, for several years: the deconstruction my wedding dress for use in a quilt.

Separate the skirt from the bodice (being saved for a future project).

Next, the also-creamy lining was cut free and laid aside for possible use as backing.

The seams holding the inner layer of stiff, scratchy, almost-brittle tulle were cut apart.

And now I'm gently picking out the stitches that have held the 6-inch skirt-encircling lace in place for nearly 34 years.

And, as the lace falls away from the satin ~ possibilities and doubts and memories swirl.

For now, it is more than enough to finally begin.

Quiltdivajulie

Rainy Days and Tuesdays...

Last Friday it was 66 gloriously sunny degrees here. The weekend was moderate then cold. Now we have very dark skies and rain ~ temps in the low 30s with freezing rain predicted overnight.

The parking lot at the grocery store has been full to overflowing since the first prediction of freezing rain ~ unlike those who grew up with or live with snow and ice for months on end, the folks here are terrified of it because it happens so rarely. . .

But, in the midst of all that dreariness, one of our attorneys stopped by my desk earlier today with three ties for my tie quilt! One tie (blue) is English silk and the other two are Italian silk ~ they "feel" wonderful!

I haven't started deconstructing the wedding dress . . . guess I need to get busy. The block a month plan is obviously not going to be a "hard and fast" condition since January is almost over and there's no background fabric to work with yet.

Batiks? Satin and silks? Batiks? Satin and silks? Sooo many choices!

[...and, if we really do get enough freezing rain, there may be some morning hours in the studio, at least until the ice melts enough to get down the driveway safely!]

Quiltdivajulie

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"Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter. Who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom, but we hope it, we know it.” (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)

More Mental Meandering ~

So what came of the process and effort described in my Evolution post ??

clean out - dust bunnies are vanquished, at least for now; space between drawers has been cleared and most of the clutter has been dealt with.

tidy - stacks of magazines culled, notebooks organized, threads returned to the thread boxes, drawers sorted and re-arranged (updated labels are still in the works); tops without boxes tossed; books straightened and semi-organized; another stack of books ready to list on PBS.

donate - a 10 pound box of 1"-2" strips shipped to a Chicago area Heartstrings volunteer who makes quilts for the homeless (including the remaining reproduction fabrics from my stash and some yardage that can be used to back donated quilt tops), plus a full trunk load of "stuff" to Goodwill (one man's trash can be another's treasure)

edit - old notes/handouts reviewed, most of them scanned, then tossed and/or shredded; early online printouts that are no longer needed or will not be used - gone; ongoing follow through on reconsider and re-evaluate thoughts (tools, fabrics, patterns, etc.); replaced broken picture frames; removed bric a brac that served only to collect dust...

All the while, these other activities were lurking in the background (sometimes taking priority, sometimes hiding in the shadows):

Re-arrange - things put where they belong, storage containers stacked neatly with their lids, new fabric from stash chosen to recover ironing table (2 person job to lift/flip and then replace - DH will help this coming weekend); and I can see the entire top of my cutting surface now!

Re-consider - what quilts bring me the most happiness and pleasure? what fabrics excite me? what designs and processes tickle my fancy?

Re-evaluate - who am I quilting for? what is most important to me when I'm quilting? do I really "need" this piece of clutter? why am I keeping this? [and Karen ~ believe me, I'm really not as totally fearless as it might appear; there is plenty of uncertainty before the always surprising 'eureka' moment when it all comes together...]

Re-purpose - see photo of new ruler holder; see recycled containers for colored pencils and markers (for doodling and playing with layout ideas); see paragraphs below re tie quilt project;

Going through this process has left my studio cleaner (for certain) but also so full of room to breathe ~ I have let go of so much (mentally and emotionally, as well as physically) . . . and the space makes me feel happy now instead of overwhelmed. Now the only problem is not having enough hours in my day or energy left after work to work on all the marvelous ideas that are making themselves felt after a long dry spell.

This year, I hope to realize in late October/early November that my body is just following the same cycle as the seasons ~ the fields need time to lay dormant and apparently, so does my spirit. Instead of worrying and fighting with it, I will try to do a better job of letting it be and travel more gently through that slower, quieter part of my creative cycle. But I will also store up plenty of hand work projects to play with while I sit under the "happy" overhead sunlight bulbs rather than moping about in the darkness (think about the ant and the grasshopper ).

Shifting Gears (warning: sharp left turn ahead) ~

In the photo above, you may have noticed a wedding dress with pressed ties draped over the shoulders ~ this is the result of my brainstorms yesterday.

I have decided to use a single block for my tie quilt ~ happily, sometimes fussy cut, and scrappy with a uniform background and borders yet to be designed - this plan will provide variety, color, and movement with wonderful spaces for Chris to fill with quilting. The phrase "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" has kept running through my head ~ with ties from so many different times, people and places (from France to Texas to Michigan to Indiana and who knows where else) in our lives, that phrase truly fits.

But what to use for the background? What do I have in my stash that would even come close to working? Why not use the now-creamy satin from my wedding dress? I will certainly not be wearing it again ~ the dress has been moved and moved and moved and moved in its lifetime. When we renewed our vows for our 30th anniversary, it and the veil were displayed on a mannequin but they were then returned to yet another closet. It is time to get the dress out of the closet forever and give it new life...

Quiltdivajulie
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"Doubt is the father of invention." (Galileo Galilei)

[...which means uncertainty must be the mother...]

Pushing Through ~

Spent this four-day weekend taking down and putting away all the holiday decor plus major house cleaning (our annual after-the-holidays ritual)... so much gets out of balance this time of year. Between the should's and the need-to's plus my own struggles with SAD, I haven't spent much time in the quilt studio (there's been a major creative crisis of confidence).

Finally, this afternoon, I was able to spend some time tidying up the studio and cut coins for Kitty Chaos, a scrappy cat-themed Chinese Coins quilt for my MIL (photo above shows an assembled 20" uncut strip set that will be used on the pieced back). I really need this kind of project to ease myself back into the groove...

I also managed to trim up and prepare binding strips/fast finish triangles for four collaborative Priority Quilts for AAQI. (shown above). Chris finished quilting these in early December. Wanda and Karen, do you recognize your orphan blocks?

These are the three ties that will be used in my January block of the month. I haven't chosen a pattern yet. The ties were pressed and lightly starched (Mary Ellen's Best Press) just after I took this slightly blurry photo so I could see just how much fabric I'll have to work with. This will be one of my first piecing with silk efforts...

It's back to the office tomorrow ~

Quiltdivajulie

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"It is not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not." (Author Unknown)

Project for 2009

What is this? It's a plastic storage box filled with twelve 1-gallon plastic bags, each containing three ties.

I've been gathering ties for a while now ~ they're taken apart but not pressed ~ and because of their so-very-unrelated natures, I've been hesitant to commit them to a quilt. Thanksgiving afternoon, our younger son helped me sort the motley assortment into batches of three (it helped having two sets of eyes as we considered texture, color, value, and overall relationship).

Why? My goal is to randomly pull a bag on the first day of each month and make a 12" quilt block using the fabric from those three ties. I haven't decided if I'll make the same block twelve times with different "looks" or whether I'll make "six and six" or twelve unique blocks. I'm considering whether using the same block will offer a sense of unity to the quilt or if I need to just let each threesome sing their own song. (I'm leaning towards individuality and diversity. . . the fact that all blocks will be made from ties may be unity enough).

During 2007 I created a journal quilt each month ~ you can see them here.

I chose not to make my small quilt-each-month during 2008 and I have missed the process. So, this time around, I'll make a block each month and decide later whether to assemble them into a wall hanging, make them into a lap quilt, or quilt and bind each one individually.

For now I'm content to have a gameplan ~ loosely organized and subject to change ~ but a plan nonetheless. Time will tell where this leads. . .

Quiltdivajulie
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"In the measurement world, we set a goal and strive to achieve it. In the universe of possibility, we set the context and let life unfold. " (B. Zander in The Art of Possibility)