How to Cover an Ottoman with Silk Ties

• Materials Needed: Ties and Felted Wool
• I had an ugly old red-orange-green ottoman (not my favorite colors) that needed recovering. I made my own material out of men's silk ties. Many of the ties are keep-sakes from my Dad and some belong to my husband, but I needed many, many ties so I bought the rest at yard sales and thrift shops. I can't tell you how many ties I used, I didn't count them, but I do remember begging everyone I know to clean out their closets for me.
• Step 1: Unstitch tie, remove lining and discard, iron flat
• Step 2: Trim excess fabric so that you have one long, even rectangular strip. Trim all ties and put aside.
• Step 3: Measure top of ottoman and cut 1 piece of felted wool to cover top, with 1/4 inch seam allowance; then cut 2 pieces of same with seam allowance to cover long side pieces, and two for short side pieces. Do not sew them together yet
• Step 4: Starting with flat top piece start at one edge, line tie strip up with straight edge and sew right side up, using at least a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Be careful to keep seam allowance this deep, anything less is not strong enough to keep the silk from fraying.
• Step 5: Now place second strip on top of first strip, right sides together and sew seam. Turn and press flat (simple strip piecing as in quilting). Repeat until entire top is covered. Don't worry if some strips are a wee bit wider or narrower, that adds interest to the finished piece. Also, unless you are very perfect, and I am not, your strips may start to slant in one direction because silk is on bias and stretchy. When you see that begin to happen, compensate by eyeing the next strip and placing the strip as straight as you can, vertically, on the wool fabric and sew. The seam will be wider at one end than the other, but your rows will look straight on the finished piece.
• And Last: cover all 5 flat pieces. To fit to ottoman, place on ottoman upside down and pin and baste two opposite side panels to top panel. Remove and sew. Do same to remaining two opposite panels. Place on ottoman, again inside out, and pin/baste side pieces to each other. Remove and sew. Turn and place on ottoman. Finish raw edge on bottom with fringe. Tra La !!! You will have made an unusual and beautiful conversation piece.