As 2011 begins I find that I’m still in reflective mode.
This morning I was listening to the Bob Edwards’ Weekend podcast while knitting and I came to a complete halt when this essay began. The author briefly describes making a quilt from her grandmother’s saris. And the experience sounds like it was much like one I’ve had.
I believe we are entitled to cut our grandmothers’ saris, that they were not meant to hang in dark closets collecting dust. I believe that what we create from them should make us proud, and also humble us. I believe that not every stain needs to be rubbed out, and that cutting the cloth can help maintain its integrity.
I believe that to love, and to bare the boundless depth of our love, we must have the courage to reshape what we inherit.
My father passed away in 2007, leaving behind a legacy of a life lived big and bold, decades of service to the least valued people among us, and lots of very sad people. To me, his ties were symbolic of him. If he could have, my father would have worn white linen suits, purple satin shirts, and the brashest hats he could find. However, he greeted the state legislature and the US Congress in conservative tailored suits and the loudest brashest ties he could find.
There are more than 200 silk ties in the collection. And I couldn’t let the opportunity to commemorate the man go by. My father actually knew about my intention and would send me decommissioned ties in batches over the last few years of his life. Also a weekend artist himself, he was intrigued by the idea. And so whenever anyone suggested that I was ruining/destroying ties, I could ignore them safely knowing that my dad disagreed.
![tie tags (C365:174) [Jun 23, 08]](http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3286/2607494220_fa1d1d0ec8.jpg)
There will be a series of these quilts. So far there are two–one for each of my siblings–made in 2008 in a cathartic frenzy.
This one below, given to my brother, is likely lost or destroyed already, but that’s a story for another time.
Perhaps one thing to add to my 2011 To-Do List is to make one of of these quilts for myself?
Wow! What a labor of love and what a great way to remember your dad. I think you should definitely make yourself one in 2011! Looks like you already have a great stash of fabrics to work from.
Absolutely make one for yourself! You will treasure it the most! Then you can make everyone else one. Wonderful tribute to your dad!
One for you seems like a most appropriate project.
I love how you described your father, how he was and how he wanted to be if he could.
I have a lot of discussions with myself about whether and how to use things that have been handed down to me. Lately I am using them with more confidence, I think.
Yes. They are beautiful and most certainly you should have one for yourself.
That’s a beautiful way to commemorate your father. It sounds like he was a great man! I hope you enjoy the experience of creating your own quilt from his ties.
I loved seeing your tie quilts progress a few years ago … you absolutely should make one for yourself.
I just saw these on your FLICKR a few weeks ago, because I have been commissioned to make 2 quilts with ties for some dear elderly friends. They recently went into assisted living, so they are wanting twin bed sized quilts to use on their beds made from the gentleman’s old ties. I had searched “tie quilts” to get some design inspiration and there were your quilts! Mine will I think be a bit more traditional, but I wish I did feel free to play!
Any tips for dealing with all this bias?
Thanks for sharing this.
It is funny how the person seems to live on in their old clothing. My Dad has been gone for–gosh, 8 years in a few weeks. His goofy polyester plaid shirts still hang in the closet–not so nice to sew as silk ties! My Mom isn’t ‘gone’ but is slipping away into dementia and I have set aside a mountain of her loudly printed shirts to reshape into quilts.
You should definitely make yourself one, C. I have always been so touched by stories about your dad and your tie projects too. You deserve one for your own bed.
I absolutely love this idea. I’m glad your father agreed. Of course you need one of your own! What a fantastic way to remember him every day.
What a magnificent way to commemorate your father’s life!
I love that you are doing this…and the first two quilts you made were fantastic. I’m also touched that your father agreed that this project would be perfect for the ties. I need to get better about commenting but wanted to let you know that your space here and on Flickr often inspire me with your crafty endeavors. Happy New Year.
definately make one for yourself. You have a whole year to do so, 363 days left!
Loved seeing your tie quilts. Quilts like this are so precious, little tangible reminders of people we love.
I have a big plastic storage bin full of ties that have been ‘retired’ by my son and husband and various others family members. Been thinking about making a quilt out of them for years, but haven’t yet. One day, though, the urge to break in to the box will become overwhelming and I’ll know it is time to start cutting them up!
Awesome. Just awesome.
Such a wonderful idea. I have several small pieces of my grandparents clothing, and it is so nice to have something tangible to remember them by. I can only imagine the power of remembrance that a whole quilt of his ties holds – I’m glad you will have one of your own.
the next one definitely should be for you. only you will cherish as it should be cherished.
Amazing and beautiful work on your siblings quilts. I agree with everyone that you need to make one for yourself. What better way to remember your father than to wrap yourself in something that reminds you of him.
What a lovely idea. My father had so many ties, super-cool 70′s and 60′s ties. Maybe some day I can sew something with them for me. Or my mom. Or my sister.
Sorry that your brother lost or whatsoever did with the quilt. My brother sold many things from my dad recently without asking my mom, my sister or me if we would like to have it. All I can say is: Argh!
I applaud your wonderful use of your father’s ties; what you have done is a fabulous honoring of a man who meant much to you. This is far wiser than letting those beautiful ties languish in some drawer or closet!!! My mother was a crazy quilter, and she made various household items with ties, etc. from her father and my father’s father. Both of my parents recently passed away, and I am sooooo grateful to have a pillow and sweet Christmas wreath made with love by my mom containing some these ties.
A real sad situation in my family is that one of my cousins has tons of buttons, sewing notions, etc. that were my great and great great grandmothers(they were the ultimate packrats!). We have begged him and his wife to part with them, even offering to pay for them allowing us to use them in knitting, sewing etc. projects of our own for our use. What is so upsetting is that they have no one interested in our family’s past to pass these on to; they will sadly end up in a garage sale or antique mall and pass on to someone who has no connection to them whatsoever.
Your quilts are spectacular!
Lovely. Just lovely. I hope there will be the day when I have the quilting skills to do the same with my fathers shirts/suits/bow-ties….
I love it! How wonderful to work with something that was a part of your Dad and have it around you all the time. Awesome! He’s smiling down at you for all of this hard work. :)
My mother donated or threw away my dad’s ties when he died in 2005. I was crestfallen, but also realistic. He didn’t have a wonderful assortment like your dad did; he wore ties to Mass on Sundays and to weddings or funerals – that was about it. He was a mail sorter with the post office for years, so he dressed very casually for work. Still, I should have spoken up sooner to ask Mum for the one tie I coveted: the one from the 40′s that had a pin-up girl inside the lining of the tie. She was in a bathing suit, not naked, but when I first saw it as a little girl, I was quite shocked that my straight-laced dad would have a tie like that!
awesome idea! similar to one i have for all the silk ribbons my dog has won (most of which are just default 1st place blue ones) I plan to make some sort of quilt top with them, even if it’s just a throw blanket.
This is my favorite entry to date, C. It’s really, so beautiful. I feel like my father and I have a similar dynamic and he would be saddened if I did not commemorate him in the artistic way I saw fit. I can’t wait for you to begin this project;all the different sheens, textures, and prints. The 2 above are just gorgeous and I really like to imagine of what they may feel like in comparison to a quilt made with cottons and linens. I think he’d be very proud.
Those words in the essay. They just get me in a spot that hurts. Then your words. I feel myself getting teary. Make, honor and remember.
I have a BIG bag of my father-in-law’s ties. I want to make something for each of his children. I have not started that process yet. I am intimidated.
I love this idea, and I think you definitely should include one for yourself on the to-do list. I think this is such a wonderful way to honor your dad. It’s nice that he was so proud of you and your talents.
I hope you make one for yourself C, what a wonderful legacy to your father and a lovely reminder of him to wrap around yourself.
Fantastic post!! You definitely deserve one for yourself. :)
I too have a collection of Neckties of a Dear Departed, saved for quilting (along with many large and luxurious cotton shirts, some with *sob* French cuffs). Your design–kind of a Chinese coins, no?–is the best I’ve seen. I don’t like the esthetic of Victorian crazy quilts, but so often silk necktie assemblages yield that effect. Your simple bisecting line of a dark contrast–that is brilliant.
Thank you for the inspiration. It will take me some time to do my repurposing work, but I’ll remember yours when I do.
I lost both my parents within a year and a half of each other, both of them to cancer. That was almost 15 years ago, a few years after I graduated from college, but I still think about them every day, and it isn’t all with sadness. My dad worked for GM, and I have a lot of his plain light blue shirts (and a lot of vintage Oldsmobile patches). He had many happy years there, doing what he enjoyed most, which was driving. We went on so many spontaneous trips when I was growing up, mostly he and my mom and I, because there was such an age difference between my sisters and me. I’ve always thought about making a quilt using a few of his shirts, and someday I will. You should definitely make one for yourself. No one would appreciate it more.
Oh, and I definitely understand the sibling thing.
How did I miss this one? Yes, please, make one for YOU!!! (And I think I might be mad at your brother, but hopefully that mishap was an accident?)
Gorgeous quilts and what a way to remember your Dad. I love the first one especially.
I’m all for this idea. I made a quilted cushion cover for my mom using pieces of my dad’s work shirts and pants (the back is the snap-front of one of them) and I made a quilted Christmas stocking for each of my 9 (nine)(!) nieces and nephews after he passed in 2003. Now that Mom’s gone I have the cushion in my house and love the connection it gives me to both of them.
What a beautiful start to the new year.
Yep, I think one for yourself should definitely be in the cards.
Catching up on my blog reading and I am loving this project. When we were cleaning out my parents’ house this past July I had every intention of saving my dad’s ties for this purpose but ohai a. I don’t quilt and never will and b. we were in such a throwing out/donating mode that these really had to go as I was overwhelmed by the amount of stuff we had to deal with. HOWEVER my dad was a hobby printer throughout his entire life so I did make sure to save all of the signs, cards, newsletters he printed and am in the process of getting them framed. Looking at them makes me happy/sad.