Annie Odell (Fit to be Tied)
May Your Days Be Merry and Bright, 2023
Handmade, Original, Wraparound skirt made from recycled neckties
20 inches length x 44 inches width
One size fits most

I carefully select, coordinate, stitch and embellish recycled neckties into highly detailed, themed, and unique fashion items: dresses, skirts, purses, headbands, belts…I also create portraits of Louisiana musicians that are embroidered, appliqued, quilted and adorned with trinkets representative of the subject. Seasonally, I make okra alligator Christmas ornaments, and real crawfish earrings. I like to look at things and see some other use for them.

I have been creating things since I was a small child. Whether it was pompom dolls that I sold on the school bus, needlepoint altar runners for a church in Germany, floor plans for the next Kinko’s I was opening, or baby quilts for my children, I have always had a project going. I had been collecting ties for several years, with the intention of doing something with them. After Hurricane Katrina sent my children packing off to boarding school, I suddenly had an empty nest (full of  ties) and plenty of time on my hands. I started experimenting with the ties and retooling them for their second lives. This all has led to over a decade of creative fun, festivals and meeting interesting people.