All tied up ! Quilts made from neckties

We're wrapping up our tie quilt series (and tying up the loose ends). Here are the fantastic quilts we've shown over the last two weeks, along with some invaluable resources: books, patterns, websites, blogs, and tutorials (whew !)

Row 1, L-R: Ira's Quilt, and Key Quilt, by Bet Ison at Home for Wayward Babydolls; Silk Orange Peel and Carnival, by Stacey Sharman at Peppermint Pinwheels.  Row 2: Tie Quilt by Bette Haddon at Studio Art Quilts; TieBurst by Matthew Spong at mspong.org; Corporate Attire, by Dale Fleming at dalefleming.com; Unwinding the MBA, by Caryl Bryer Fallert at Bryerpatch Studio.  Row 3:  Power Ties in Bloom, by Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood, at Craft Sanity; Movement, by Louise Silk, at Silk Quilt; Tie Quilt by Renay Martin, at Purse Strings Patterns; Wedding Quilt, by Matthew Spong, at mspong.org. Row 4: Power Ties in Bloom, by Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood at Craft Sanity;  Tie Repeat, by Louise Silk at Silk Quilt; Silk Tie Quilt, by Nancy Goodman, at nwgoodman.com; Tie Quilt, by Nancy Sturgeon, at Threads Through Time.  Row 5:  Catch, by Nancy Gamon, at nancygamon; Small tie quilt, by Nancy Sturgeon, at Threads Through Time; Silk Tie Quilt, by Nancy Goodman, at nwgoodman.com; Necktie hanging, by Nancy Gamon, at nancygamon.

Patterns for Tie Quilts

Row 1: Pieced Silk Tie Quilt from 1865, Shelburne Museum collection, pattern at Hoopla Patterns; "Untitled" and "Enticement", by Karen K. Stone (these out-of-print patterns can be found at Embroidery Etcetera).  Row 2: Making Memories, by Deb Rowden; Quilts for Guys, by Cyndy Rymer; Daddy's Ties, by Shirley Botsford.  Row 3:  Indian Orange Peel quilt, in Karen K. Stone Quilts; and Bella Bella Quilts by Norah McMeeking.

Memory Quilts: see Alix Joyal at Mamaka Mills (and her tutorial, how to sew a memory quilt using a silk tie); Lori Mason at Lori Mason Designs; Connie Bloom at conniebloom.com; and Cheryl Kirk at Sweet Dreams Quilting.

More necktie quilts and interesting blogs:  See "I've been working on the railroad", by Nann Blaine Hillyard, at With Strings Attached; Silk Treasure, by Barbara Hruby, at the Northern Lake County Quilters Guild; Sewing with Neckties and Woof Nanny are blogs written by Barb Lawrence.

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Memories in silk: the tie quilts of Louise Silk

It's Day 6 (of 12) of our most-beautiful-tie-quilts series and we have some delightful quilts to share with you this week. Louise Silk is an exceptional fiber artist whose work has focused on the healing power of memory quilts. Louise uses spiritual themes, photo transfers, recycled clothing, and embroidery in her creations.  We love the way in which her tie quilts go beyond traditional designs.

Movement, by Louise Silk, at Silk Quilt

The quilt called "Movement", above, is reminiscent of a crazy quilt and yet it is pictorial in nature. The strip-pieced red airplane appears to be soaring over fields and mountains. Notice the fragment of a red, white and blue flag in the upper left corner.

Tie Repeat, by Louise Silk, at Silk Quilt

An abstract work of textile art, the emphasis in "Tie Repeat" is on the artistic juxtaposition of the patterns, colors and values of the tie silks themselves.

In addition to working with neckties, Louise Silk has transformed t-shirts, clothing, and wedding dresses into quilts of all sizes and types. To see more of her inspiring creations, check out the tie quilts, commission quilts and original works of art in the Silk Quilt galleries.
 
Image credits and links:  Images are shown with the generous permission of Louise Silk. Her new book, The Quilting Path, includes images and instructions for truly unique quilts, such as Fragments of Life - a Remembrance Crazy Quilt and A Picture of Place and Time - Applique Quilt.

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