Here’s an inventive way to handle that surplus of outdated neckties that clutter most closets and are forever slipping off their hangers onto the floor. Simply weave them into a striking wall hanging using a simple-to-make nail frame loom. In fact, you can use the loom as a natural frame for the finished weaving. if you don’t have enough ties to complete the project, pick up more as a second-hand store, the Salvation Army, Goodwill Industries store, or else rummage sales.

Materials

A variety of old neckties (use any color and any pattern)
Finishing nails (use 10d nails for hanging; 6d for loom)
Two 20-inch-long pieces 1×4
Two 39-inch-long pieces 1×4
Cord, twine or rug yarn

Tools

Hammer
Wooden yardstick

Directions

1. To prepare the ties for weaving, remove the lining and fold each one lengthwise.

2. Build a nail loom (see sketch):

• Nail the 20-inch ends on top of the 39-inch side pieces, as shown in sketch.
• For loom pegs, nail 6d finishing nails 1/2 inch apart the whole length of each end (leave about 1 inch of nail protruding to act as peg).
• Position the frame with one end facing you. Then, tie a length of cord, twine, or yarn around the lower right corner nail.
• Bring the cord up and around two top right nails, then, down and under the next two bottom nails, and so on across the loom.
• Tie off at end. (This cord will serve as the warp through which you will weave the ties.)

3. Starting in the lower right corner of the loom, weave the yardstick alternately over and under each suceeding warp cord. (See sketch.)

4. Turn the yardstick on its side to separate the warp threads.

5. Draw a folded tie through the space opened by the yardstick (the end of the tie should extend several inches).

6. Use the yardstick to gently beat the tie flat against the end of the loom.

7.  Remove the yardstick and reweave it through the warp threads of the second row, reversing the order of under and over.

8. Bring the remaining end of the first tie as far through the open space as it will go.

9. Draw the next tie through, using it to cover the end of the first tie.

10. Beat the tie into place with  yardstick.

11. Repeat weaving procedure until loom is full.

12. Tuck the ends of the first and last ties into the back of the weaving.

13. Nail 30d finishing nails into the wall and hang the loom-framed work.