Have you ever noticed how many neckties are for sale at thrift stores and yard sales? Once I realized how cheap used neckties were, I started picking them up whenever I had the chance and using them as purse straps on some the handbags I make. Some are made from silk or wool, so they aren’t all appropriate for vegans, but if you sift through the piles, you are sure to find plenty of usable used ties to repurpose into clothing, accessories or home décor.
Recycling neckties and giving them new life is a fun project for crafty folks, but even if you are not that crafty, you will find that the projects below take very little skill…particularly because I’ve linked to a step-by-step tutorial for almost all of them!
How to Repurpose Neckties (as they are)
Neckties are kind of cool just as they are, which makes them easy to repurpose for other uses without the need to cut, sew or otherwise change them. For example, you can use a necktie as a headband or a belt by simply looping them around your head or waist and tying them.
Sewing Projects with Thrift Store Neckties
If you have a sewing machine, or know someone who does, there is almost no end to what you can do with a few repurposed neckties.
Here are just a few examples of how you can upcycle neckties into clothing, accessories or home décor:
1. Make a necktie skirt. Long or short, skirts made from neckties are pretty cute, and they couldn’t be easier to make. Check out this tutorial to learn how to make your own necktie skirt. If you don’t want to have to take your skirt to the dry cleaner, make sure you use washable ties!
2. Make necktie placemats and napkin rings. Again, you will probably want to use washable neckties for this project, since it is awfully nice to be able to wash your placemats every once in a while. Check out this tutorial for step-by-step instructions for making necktie placemats and necktie napkin rings.
3. Repurpose neckties as purse handles or backpack straps. I have personally done this one many times, and my little purses with necktie straps always seem to be popular at the craft fairs. If you aren’t really the handbag type, you can also use thrift store neckties to make backpack straps, as shown in this tutorial.
4. Make a necktie purse, shopping tote or school bag. If you are feeling particularly crafty, you can even make an entire purse, shopping tote or school bag from neckties you pick up at a thrift store or yard sales. This necktie school bag tutorial will show you how it’s done.
5. Make a memorial quilt (or just a regular ol’ quilt). Are you a quilter? If so, you might consider seeking out some neckties to add to your fabric stash. If you lost someone who loved to wear ties, you can make a memorial quilt – like this one – that will keep his or her memory close at hand, or you can simply pick up some used neckties and incorporate them into your favorite quilt pattern.
6. Create artwork to hang on the wall. Mini quilts, framed quilts, neckties attached to a backing and framed – wherever your creativity takes you, used neckties are a great medium for hanging artwork.
7. Sew up some necktie throw pillows or pillow covers. Making necktie pillows is incredibly simple and can be accomplished by either making necktie placemats (using the tutorial above), and then a plain fabric backing, or by making mini tie quilts to use as the front of the pillows.
8. Make a smartphone or music player pouch. Need a new case for your smartphone or MP3 player? Why not whip one up from an old necktie? This tutorial shows how to make a necktie iPhone pouch, which should also work (either as is or slightly modified) for other phones and music players.
Do you have other ideas for cool ways to use old neckties? If so, share them in the comments!
Recycling neckties and giving them new life is a fun project for crafty folks, but even if you are not that crafty, you will find that the projects below take very little skill…particularly because I’ve linked to a step-by-step tutorial for almost all of them!
How to Repurpose Neckties (as they are)
Neckties are kind of cool just as they are, which makes them easy to repurpose for other uses without the need to cut, sew or otherwise change them. For example, you can use a necktie as a headband or a belt by simply looping them around your head or waist and tying them.
Sewing Projects with Thrift Store Neckties
If you have a sewing machine, or know someone who does, there is almost no end to what you can do with a few repurposed neckties.
Here are just a few examples of how you can upcycle neckties into clothing, accessories or home décor:
1. Make a necktie skirt. Long or short, skirts made from neckties are pretty cute, and they couldn’t be easier to make. Check out this tutorial to learn how to make your own necktie skirt. If you don’t want to have to take your skirt to the dry cleaner, make sure you use washable ties!
2. Make necktie placemats and napkin rings. Again, you will probably want to use washable neckties for this project, since it is awfully nice to be able to wash your placemats every once in a while. Check out this tutorial for step-by-step instructions for making necktie placemats and necktie napkin rings.
3. Repurpose neckties as purse handles or backpack straps. I have personally done this one many times, and my little purses with necktie straps always seem to be popular at the craft fairs. If you aren’t really the handbag type, you can also use thrift store neckties to make backpack straps, as shown in this tutorial.
4. Make a necktie purse, shopping tote or school bag. If you are feeling particularly crafty, you can even make an entire purse, shopping tote or school bag from neckties you pick up at a thrift store or yard sales. This necktie school bag tutorial will show you how it’s done.
5. Make a memorial quilt (or just a regular ol’ quilt). Are you a quilter? If so, you might consider seeking out some neckties to add to your fabric stash. If you lost someone who loved to wear ties, you can make a memorial quilt – like this one – that will keep his or her memory close at hand, or you can simply pick up some used neckties and incorporate them into your favorite quilt pattern.
6. Create artwork to hang on the wall. Mini quilts, framed quilts, neckties attached to a backing and framed – wherever your creativity takes you, used neckties are a great medium for hanging artwork.
7. Sew up some necktie throw pillows or pillow covers. Making necktie pillows is incredibly simple and can be accomplished by either making necktie placemats (using the tutorial above), and then a plain fabric backing, or by making mini tie quilts to use as the front of the pillows.
8. Make a smartphone or music player pouch. Need a new case for your smartphone or MP3 player? Why not whip one up from an old necktie? This tutorial shows how to make a necktie iPhone pouch, which should also work (either as is or slightly modified) for other phones and music players.
Do you have other ideas for cool ways to use old neckties? If so, share them in the comments!
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