Tips for a Tie Quilt...Made from Ties?
 

I have "inherited" about 125 silk ties. All have been washed, picked apart and pressed and are flat in boxes.

I know I will have to interface...I'm thinking SF101...a lightweight fusible?

I am going to use part of the tie as the main body of a paper piecing pattern called Colorburst by Sassafras Lane quilts, then finish the edges with the rest of the paper piecing. Clear as mud?

Any hints or tips appreciated.

Watson

When I worked with ties, I had better luck using starch to stiffen the ties. Then applied the interfering after the block was sewn. Some of them were too thick to work with when I put the interfacing on first.

I made an Ugly Tie quilt from big Poly ties of mostly the 1970s... it was fun but not for everyone. I did crazy blocks and had to use the ties I picked out blindly.

I also did a lap sized log cabin with silk ties, they were from a friend's grandfather. It was much more subdued and I foundation pieced on wool. It was a memorial project.

The biggest thing I learned is how dirty ties are, even if they don't look it. The gutting and prepping is the big thing. While there can be a lot of fabric in a tie, there is a lot that was simply unusable by me so I got a lot faster in the prep and what I was willing to work with.

There is a lightweight woven made especially to use on silk. I haven't bought any in a long time so I've forgotten the name. I would use a lightweight woven, but I've never been a Pellon fan since my garment sewing days when I had Pellon interfacing start to shred after washing.

I suggest tricot knit fusible interfacing. It's almost gossamer thin and light yet stabilizes wiggly fabrics beautifully. I've used it a lot for silks and damasks.

Yes. That's what I use. I remembered the name. There is one called Touch of Gold. As I remember it bonds with low heat for use with delicate silks that you can't use high heat on

I made a Grandma's Fan quilt using my brother's ties. I took the ties apart and stabilized them with a fusible Pellon interfacing. Then, I cut the wedges and didn't worry about grain line because they were stabilized. It turned out pretty. My niece treasures it.

What a thoughtful thing to do