"Where do you get all of the ties?" I hear this question a lot. I wish I had a simple answer, but I get ties from so many different places. When I first started making necktie purses, I bought individual ties from thrift shops, trying to match them as I picked them out. Then, having bought all of the good ties from the local Goodwill, I gambled and bought a few bags of ties from eBay starting with "small" lots of 60 ties, then progressing to more impressive shipments of 200 ties. Once, on a lark, I advertised on Craigslist , offering to pay fifty cents per tie. I was shocked by the number of responses I received. I never imagined there were so many people with bags of ties sitting around their houses. One man drove up from Massachusetts with 3 boxes of ties - 167 total - which had belonged to his father who had recently passed away. Another woman mailed me 2 ties. I sent her a check for $1 and included a link to my on-line album of purses. After seeing the pictures, she started buying ties at thrift shops for me. She continued to send 2-3 beautiful ties at a time, making little to no money on the transaction. She told me she enjoys shopping at thrift shops. I have a relative who mails boxes of ties from thrift shops and estate sales in California. She and her husband enjoy the hunt for ties, and I reap the benefits.
More recently, I have been getting bags of ties from people who have seen my purses or heard about my business. In the past two weeks, I have received ties from 5 different people - some of whom I have never met. I have found that I can often match several ties within a bag donated by one person. For instance, The Case of the Golden Opportunity and The Case of the Rustling Leaves were each made with two ties donated by one person. The colors match perfectly.
More recently, I have been getting bags of ties from people who have seen my purses or heard about my business. In the past two weeks, I have received ties from 5 different people - some of whom I have never met. I have found that I can often match several ties within a bag donated by one person. For instance, The Case of the Golden Opportunity and The Case of the Rustling Leaves were each made with two ties donated by one person. The colors match perfectly.
At first, I was surprised by this. After all, men are not wearing more than one tie at a time. Why should they own ties that match? But I suppose that most people are naturally drawn to certain colors and this is reflected in their wardrobes. I welcome these donations, knowing that I will almost always be able to make several purses or cases without digging into my stash of ties.
Occasionally, I come upon a tie that is so unusual I am almost certain I will never be able to use it. Surprisingly, I have found matches for some of these ties.
Occasionally, I come upon a tie that is so unusual I am almost certain I will never be able to use it. Surprisingly, I have found matches for some of these ties.
Arizona Sunset
Arizona Sunset is one of the best examples. I never thought I would find two ties featuring orange and purple. Who would have worn such ties? And after I made the purse I wondered, who will carry such a purse? Perhaps nobody - it is still available...
I still shop at thrift stores occasionally - you never know what treasures you will find. But I also love being known as "the tie lady" and coming home to find a bag of ties hanging from my door knob.
I still shop at thrift stores occasionally - you never know what treasures you will find. But I also love being known as "the tie lady" and coming home to find a bag of ties hanging from my door knob.
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