How to Make a Quirky Bow Tie
Think making things for men is hard? Think again! This simple bow tie tutorial is super easy to complete, and only requires a bit of hand sewing with needle and thread! A great handmade gift for him for upcoming Valentine's Day...
How to Make a Quirky Bow Tie
You will need:
- 1 fat quarter of Spot On Sky (or your chosen fabric)
- Fabric scissors
- Tape measure/ruler
- Pencil & paper
- Bow tie clip set
- Matching thread (light blue or white)
- Needle
How to make your own bow tie:
- Make pattern out of paper to required sizes: one 21x10cm piece for the bow, one 3x8cm piece for the middle of the bow, and one 3x55cm piece for the strap.
- Pin your pattern pieces to the fabric and cut out one of each.
- Take the 21x10cm piece and turn in by 1cm down each long edge. This will form the main part of your bow. Press to keep the sides flat.
- Now fold the two shorter edges inwards to meet in the middle. Pin in place and stitch down the join.
- Next, repeat for the strap piece and the middle piece of the bow. Fold in the long sides to meet in the middle, press flat, and stitch down the centre of each. (Top tip - if you find the fabric is fraying along the edge you're trying to sew, you can use a bit of fray stopper or PVA glue just on the edges to help stabilise the fabric)
- Time to put the strap together! Add the squared shape part of the bow tie clip set by threading the strap through one side and out the other. Allow a 1.5-2cm section to be pulled through, then stitch down this end to the inside of the strap to secure.
- Next, add the hook part of the clip set, with the hook facing outwards on the neat side of the strap. To make it adjustable, you now need to thread the free end back through the loop on the clip piece, to create a loop in the strap. You should end up with it looking like this:
- Take the remaining loop from the clip set and attach to the other end of the strap, again leaving roughly 1.5-2cm to stitch down.
- Now to attach the bow! Pinch the bow in the middle to create your desired shape. If you want, you can put a few quick stitches through the middle to secure this shape (I didn't bother).
- Lay the strap neat side down onto the back of your bow. Then, wrap your middle bow piece around the centre of the bow and over the strap, creating a join on the back of the bow. Stitch down this join.
- Voila! Wrap up in tissue paper, write a cute card and give it as a gift to your handsome man - or if you're partial to a quirky outfit, wear it yourself!
