Silk neckties may be most commonly worn around the necks of sharply dressed men, but that is certainly not the extent of their usefulness. With a little bit of creative thinking, one can turn salvaged neckties into a wide variety of fashion and home accessories. Their ease of accessibility and the variety available makes them excellent candidates for upcycling.
In recent years, upcycling has become a popular form of at home recycling. Silk ties are exceptionally good candidates for this kind of project because they are an inexpensive source of high end, luxury fabric. They can also be used to make very sentimental items if the ties used have been collected from friends and loved ones.
Since projects differ so greatly in their detail and complexity, the number of ties required will vary from one to dozens. Small projects can often be completed with materials salvaged from the closet of a friend or family member, but larger undertakings will require a bit of shopping. In the nature of upcycling, ties should be purchased from second hand sources whenever possible. Charity shops and yard sales are excellent sources, but should be shopped with caution. Only ties that are free of snags or discolorations are ideal for crafting.
There are a few basic preparations that will need to take place before an upcycling project can start. If the ties to be used are already in good shape, the most that needs to be done will be airing the fabric for freshness and planning the project. Ties with stains will need to be professionally cleaned. Any snags or lingering discolorations will have to worked around when planning the project.
The first few stitches into silk can be nerve wracking for many. A few things to remember when starting a silk project is simply to work slowly and have the proper sewing notions. Sharp pins, silk needles, and polyester thread are all a must. To maintain the integrity of the delicate material, pin only in the seam allowance and never back stitch. Simply sew the seam or hem and hand tie the loose thread ends.
A soft silk pouch is an excellent first project to create from neckties. Since a tie is created as a hollow tube of lined fabric, it lends itself well to the creation of small bags. Eye glass cases, cell phone pouches, and Ipod cozies can all be made by cutting the desired tie off at an appropriate length before turning it inside out and stitching together the cut ends. If desired, the finished end can then be folded over to create a flap secured with a button.
Creating a throw pillow is another fun option. Although it requires a few more neckties and some additional materials, it is still an easy project. Use a seam ripper to open the ties along the center back seam, then use a dry iron to flatten out the previous fold lines. Lay the opened up ties in the desired pattern and stitch together to create a piece of custom fabric. Use a template to cut a square pillow top, then use a coordinating backing square and some fiber fill to complete the pillow.
With their ready availability and their natural versatility, it is no wonder that many people enjoy crafting with silk neckties. The creation of pouches and pillows only scratches the surface of the many projects one can dream up using these often discarded fashion accessories. A visit to the internet should provide the creative mind with a life time of fresh upcycling inspiration.
In recent years, upcycling has become a popular form of at home recycling. Silk ties are exceptionally good candidates for this kind of project because they are an inexpensive source of high end, luxury fabric. They can also be used to make very sentimental items if the ties used have been collected from friends and loved ones.
Since projects differ so greatly in their detail and complexity, the number of ties required will vary from one to dozens. Small projects can often be completed with materials salvaged from the closet of a friend or family member, but larger undertakings will require a bit of shopping. In the nature of upcycling, ties should be purchased from second hand sources whenever possible. Charity shops and yard sales are excellent sources, but should be shopped with caution. Only ties that are free of snags or discolorations are ideal for crafting.
There are a few basic preparations that will need to take place before an upcycling project can start. If the ties to be used are already in good shape, the most that needs to be done will be airing the fabric for freshness and planning the project. Ties with stains will need to be professionally cleaned. Any snags or lingering discolorations will have to worked around when planning the project.
The first few stitches into silk can be nerve wracking for many. A few things to remember when starting a silk project is simply to work slowly and have the proper sewing notions. Sharp pins, silk needles, and polyester thread are all a must. To maintain the integrity of the delicate material, pin only in the seam allowance and never back stitch. Simply sew the seam or hem and hand tie the loose thread ends.
A soft silk pouch is an excellent first project to create from neckties. Since a tie is created as a hollow tube of lined fabric, it lends itself well to the creation of small bags. Eye glass cases, cell phone pouches, and Ipod cozies can all be made by cutting the desired tie off at an appropriate length before turning it inside out and stitching together the cut ends. If desired, the finished end can then be folded over to create a flap secured with a button.
Creating a throw pillow is another fun option. Although it requires a few more neckties and some additional materials, it is still an easy project. Use a seam ripper to open the ties along the center back seam, then use a dry iron to flatten out the previous fold lines. Lay the opened up ties in the desired pattern and stitch together to create a piece of custom fabric. Use a template to cut a square pillow top, then use a coordinating backing square and some fiber fill to complete the pillow.
With their ready availability and their natural versatility, it is no wonder that many people enjoy crafting with silk neckties. The creation of pouches and pillows only scratches the surface of the many projects one can dream up using these often discarded fashion accessories. A visit to the internet should provide the creative mind with a life time of fresh upcycling inspiration.
About the Author:
If you are looking for affordable silk neckties check out doublevalue.com. You will find a variety of reasonably priced products when you shop at http://doublevalue.com today.
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