How to Make Neck Ties

Making your own neck ties is an economical way to expand your wardrobe. This pattern is a basic neck tie with a straight bottom. You can create a point if you like. Fashions change over time, so if you need a wider neck tie or a narrower one, simply alter the ends of the pattern to accommodate the change. This neck tie is very easy to sew and can be made in less than an hour.

Things You'll Need

• 1 yard of fabric 1 yard of fusible interfacing Sewing machine Scissors Straight pins Hand-sewing needle and thread Iron Measuring tape Yardstick Newspaper Tape Pencil

Instructions

1. Tape newspaper pages together to create a page long enough to fit your neck tie. Draw a line in the center of the newspaper that is 56 inches long. Center a 2-inch line across one end and a 3-inch line across the other. That will create 1 inch on either side of one end of the 56-inch line and 1 1/2 inches on either side of the other end. Draw a line to connect the short lines on the left side of the long center line, then repeat on the right side. Cut the neck tie pattern out.

2. Mark the 3-inch wide end "bottom front." Mark the 2-inch wide end "bottom back." Measure up from the bottom front 30 inches and cut across the tie. Mark each cut end "stitch line."

3. Layer two pieces of the fabric together. Place the bottom front pattern piece on the fabric with the bottom front matching the direction of the fabric design. The design should be right side up above the bottom front of the tie. Pin the pattern through the layers and cut out. Place the bottom back pattern piece on the fabric with the bottom front matching the direction of the fabric design. The design should also be right side up above the bottom back of the tie. Pin the pattern through the layers and cut out. You will now have two bottom front pieces and two bottom back pieces.

4. Cut one piece of fusible interfacing from each pattern piece. Place one bottom front wrong side up on your ironing surface. Place the matching fusible interfacing on top with the glue side down. Iron the interfacing to the bottom front. Place one bottom back wrong side up on your ironing surface. Place the fusible interfacing on top with the glue side down. Iron the interfacing to the bottom back.

5. Place the interfaced bottom front right side up on your work surface. Place the interfaced bottom back right side down on the bottom front. Match the stitch line and pin. Sew a 1/4 inch seam allowance where pinned. Place the remaining bottom front right side up on your work surface. Place the remaining bottom back right side down on the bottom front. Match the stitch line and pin. Sew a 1/4 inch seam allowance where pinned. Iron the seams open on both sewn neck tie pieces. You will now have a complete neck tie back piece and a complete neck tie front piece.

6. Place the interfaced neck tie right side up on your work surface. Place the other neck tie piece right side down on the interfaced piece. Match the seams and edges. Pin the neck tie sides together. Sew a 1/4 inch seam around the tie on all sides. Leave a 2 inch opening for turning along the back half of the neck tie. Turn the neck tie right side out and press. Hand sew the opening closed.

Tips & Warnings

• When the neck tie is tied, the fabric design direction on both ends will be right side up.