Re: Can anyone help?

I've never done anything with ties, but I have seen books on using ties for piecing (and I've got a bunch here that I want to use for something someday). I would use the lightweight interfacing for a foundation; I don't think it would be too heavy. Or use a lightweight fusible to stabilize the ties before cutting them. Try googling "necktie quilts". You should come up with some more info.

Julia in MN

Hi Sally,

I missed your post the first time and I really know how you feel when no one responds to a question. Sorry, I just must have missed it. I agree with jeanne, the lightest, none woven interfacing would work really well, I think. I sewed a vest out of some really different fabric (different from batiks VBG), with a lot of metallic threads in it and used a very light interfacing and it worked very well. I don't think it was too stiff but I think that is just a persons taste.

I know this is not much help but it is the best I can do.

Piece,

Marsha in nw, Ohio

Seaside~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uk

Sally, your post didn't come in here the first time. In fact, messages have been coming in very strangely. I suppose I could unsubscribe and re-subscribe but that is so time-consuming I think I'll just suffer and complain for a while yet. Anyhow - as to your question. As always, my answer is going to be to test. Find a tie that is an absolute dog (with apology to our beloved QIs). There must be one somebody will happily give you from their closet. I was thinking as I read your post and the replies that silk organza might be worth testing - or it might be a pain in the neck. Probably non-fusible very light-weight non-woven will be your best bet. Polly

Sally, I'm sorry -- I just didn't see your post the first time around. :( Can you get some of that tear-out interfacing? You'd then have the support you needed during the construction phase, but you could tear it out and have a softer result. Just an idea.

Thanks Sandy,

I usually use the 'Stitch and Tear' for hand sewn paper piecing, but I thought that perhaps a leave-in stabiliser might be better with so many cross cut bits. I think I'd better buy some of the very fine interfacing and give them both a try a try.

Sally at the Seaside~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uk

Sandy wrote:

Thanks - I hadn't thought about fusible interfacing - was just going to use a large piece of unfusible with the 'paper' piceing lines drawn on it as the foundation, but leave it in, unlike papers.

Will have a little think about fusible.

Sally at the Seaside~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uk

B>

Seaside~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uk

I am still leaning this way - I think the organza might slip and be a pain to sew. So the non-woven interfacing is winning so far!

Sally at the Seaside~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uk

Polly Esther wrote:

Thanks.

Sally at the Seaside~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uk

Meander> Hi Sally,

Sally, Since ties are cut on the bias they may need to be stabilized. Often just some lightweight fusible interfacing, cut on the least stretchy grain, fused to the back of the ties allows you to use the tie fabric as any other fabric in a quilt. I would use either a feather weight non woven, or something like "Touch of Gold" which is a low temp fusible woven, which actually ends up just acting like a sew in after it is all done, or a fusible knit interfacing. Nothing like a few options, eh? Depends on what you are doing with the ties and how much you want to spend on the interfacing.

Pati, > I posted the following but haven't had any replies, so perhaps it

Perhaps the answer is a fusible interfacing and stitch and tear. If the ties are likely to contort they may need an iron-on, and two layers of non-woven may be too much so the foundation paper would need to be removed.

Sally at the Seaside~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uk

Pati C. wrote:

There is a water soluble embroidery stabilizer that might work. Gen

Maybe not, Jeanne. If she's talking about men's silk neckties - I'm not real sure some of them would be washable. Could be but maybe not. I tried one time to clean a spot off of one and the dye rubbed right off. Oops. Polly

"nzlstar*" is there such a think as water soluble fusible interfacing?

Be careful with water, as Polly said. I didn't have the dye problem but I spritzed down a tie to try and get the crease out of it and what looked to be a slubbed silk tie turned into bubbledy upped seersucker ( technical term) before my eyes. Positively magical! I have no idea what fabric it actually was but it wasn't H2O compatible. Some ties also don't take to dry cleaning well. Be careful that you know what fabrics you are combining for wear and care if that has anything to do with your project.

I used a bag of ties for sofa pillows. I resigned myself to the idea that when then looked grungy I'd just pull the pillow form and toss them out.

Val

I have tie scraps from a factory, I don't think they are all silk, and they come in different weights, but the very thin non fabric interfacing works fine, it gives a little body so you can controll it, but not stiff enough to change the silky feeling Kay

I replied Sally? But just lately I have had several replies that either didn't show up or took several days to appear. It is frustrating in the extreme. I see you have lots of replies now - and I can't remember exactly what I said. I'll read the answers and, if I said anything different, I'll jot it down and send a summary. . In message , Sally Swindells writes