Rebecca's Round Up: How To DIY a Boys' Tie Out of a Mans' Tie {Tutorial}

Monday, August 11, 2014

How To DIY a Boys' Tie Out of a Mans' Tie {Tutorial}

I wanted my husband and son to have matching ties for a family picture so I found these lovelies (handsomies?) on clearance at Target. I bought two man ties.

Here is a tutorial on how to make a boys' tie from a mans' tie.

This is what I started with:

Also, you will need: needle, thread, measuring tape and/or ruler, fabric scissors, iron and board, and elastic the length of the neck.

1. Measure on your boy where the tie normally sits at the top of his collar to your desired length. For us, it is about to the top of where he wears his pants, 12-13". You do not need to add length for a hem but you might want to cut extra just in case, and check as you go. The second tie piece will be about 2" shorter. Cut straight across.

2. Undo the stitching up the back of the first tie piece.

And down the sides just to before it angles.

3. Cut each side 1" and cut the inner (white) fabric 1/2" on each side.

4. Fold edges over inner fabric and press with iron on low or silk setting. Fold over first side, then iron a small hem on the other side about 1/4" and then iron over that side.

If the side is too long (as mine was), determine where it needs to be (about the middle) and cut more as needed.

5. Hand stitch together, it doesn't have to be tight, just to keep it in place. You can do a few, or do it all the way up, as I did.

6. Somehow I lost the picture, but next you pinch the tie at the top middle, making a "dimple"and stitch it in place.

7. Cut another piece from your tie, this is going to be the "knot" piece, rip the seam, remove the interfacing, and iron it flat. This is about 4" x 3".

8. Re-use the interfacing and place it back in your fabric. I ironed the fabric over it leaving about 1/4" extra on each side between the white and the fold to get it the size I wanted for my knot.

9. Fold the fabric at an angle and press. You can determine where to start the fold at the bottom by holding the top of your tie here and folding over it. This is the back of the knot.

10. Unfold and at the top of the pressed fold line, fold down the edges and put a little stitch to hold it in place. This keeps the edges tucked so they aren't longer than the top when you fold it in. Do this on both sides.

11. Unfolding the bottom of the knot piece, stitch the bottom front knot piece to the front top tie piece, right sides together, just over where you stitched the dimple.

12. Fold back the knot piece then stitch down the top and sides, being careful not to stitch through to the front of the tie.

13. Measure, cut and stitch your elastic to the back of the knot. I stitched it 1/2" from the top but I should have stitched it at the top. I figured out the length of my elastic by having my son put on his white collared shirt then putting the elastic around his neck where it would go under the collar. We have no trouble stretching the elastic over his head to his collar. If this doesn't work for you, you can cut the elastic in the back or make pieces from left over fabric and sew velcro to the backs.

14. I like to put a little stitch to keep the front and back tie pieces together so the back stays in place.

And then you're done!