Dear community,
in this blog post you can find detailed instructions for sewing silk accessories from worn-out ties – the perfect upcycling project.
Three last minutes: Silk accessories!
With only one more week to Christmas, why not enhance that one dress or beautiful blouse with silk accessories? You can’t get more christmassy than this!
I can hardly resist the temptation of diving into the box of ties at a thrift store. I love the luxurious look of silk ties with their beautiful designs. Once I made a belt pouch with ties. Just look at this handy pouch on my Instagram channel.
How nice is it to able to re-use ties, this time as a finishing touch for Christmas!
I went to work with this colourful collection.
Obi sash
The fastest thing to make is this obi sash. I saw this in the window of a nice boutique not long ago, priced at €25. My first thought was that I could easily make it myself. In the absence of real Christmas ties with Christmas trees or Santa figures, I chose these brightly coloured ones. Get creative!
The principle is simple. Take two ties and join them together… And that’s it! Now you have a long belt that you can wear wrapped twice around your waist, with a casual button on the front. Easy peasy!
Step by step
- I used tacking thread to indicate the angle within which the top tie should fall. I pinned one side of this tie to the other tie.
- I then used my sewing machine and blind hem foot 5 to stitch it together.
- I sewed the second side by hand.
- I folded the upper tie around the lower one.
- I sewed the underside again by hand.
- The ties are attached to each other. They are ready to be used as an obi sash. And the cost was just €1.80!!
Bracelet, necklace, scarf and/or belt?
For the second project, I used this polka-dot tie and two bracelets. I made a belt that can also be worn as a scarf, and a bracelet that can also be worn as a necklace. There are so many choices!
The principle for both (or actually all four) is the same. For the belt, I used the wide end of the tie, and for the bracelet, I used the narrow part.
Step by step
- I used the bracelet to make a kind of buckle, by pulling a strip of fabric (in this case, a piece of the tie) very tightly over the bracelet.
- First measure the size. I used a pin to mark where I had to stitch.
- Unfold, pin and stitch the sides.
- Cut away some of the interfacing of the tie.
- Fold back the unfolded sides. First on one side…
- and then on the other. Now sew the hem in place with a few stitches.
- Slide over the bracelet with the seam to the inside.
- Stitch one end between the ‘buckle’.
- Now it’s ready to wear!
You can also use a different fabric for the ‘buckle’
Cummerbund and braces
These ties are extremely festive!
The last one is perhaps the fanciest, but also the most time-consuming to make. I simply love it! It’s super festive! This number three is inspired by the dinner jacket and the dungarees I made recently. I first made the cummerbund (Yes, I also had to find out exactly what this was called.)
Step by step
- Just as in the case of the obi sash, I joined the two ties together at the front. Then I determined the length and cut the ties. The ties are not of the same width.
- I made the wider tie narrower by narrowing the interfacing and then folding the sides around it.
- With the narrow tie, I only cut a strip of interfacing to get a nice finish. I fixed both ends by hand.
- For the closure, I attached three bra hooks.
Braces
I fixed the braces to the cummerbund by hand. At about 9 cm from the centre, I attached them to the inside of the front. After attaching this, I had to fit it to determine where I would attach them at the back. For me, this came to about 7 cm from the centre at the back. Where the braces cross, I attached them with a few stitches. This is to prevent any possible sagging.
It’s a pity that Christmas only lasts two days. I have a choice of three outfits this year! Which would you choose?
Follow me on Facebook and Instagram and see what I’ll be wearing this Christmas ;-).
Happy holidays!
Marlies (@madebyliesl)
Very pretty Ageeth!