How to Make a TIE – Free DIY pattern & tutorial

A tie takes a man’s outfit to another level altogether. It gives personality to his style. It is that finishing touch that makes heads turn. The chance of making the man in your life something that will make him feel like a million dollars is something you shouldn’t miss. Learn to make a tie pattern and sew it over an hour ( or two).  

• What do you need to make a tie ?
• How to make the Tie Pattern  
• How to sew a Tie

Giving a tie as a gift to the man in your life is as significant as red roses; it rightly expresses your care and concern. It is one thing that leaves a lasting impact when you give it as a gift; just imagine what an impact it will be if you make it. A gift the receiver will always carry with him. It will be one of the best gifts you have sewn him and maybe not the easiest of sewing projects, but definitely a simple enough one. He will surely cherish the handmade but beautiful-looking tie you made for him.

The Tie pattern I have given here is for a fairly decent tie you can proudly make and gift to the best man in your life.  

The tie is about 60 inches long and 3 1/2 inches wide.  

You can complete this tie-making project in less than an hour if you have some sewing experience. But if you are meticulous, it will show in the final tie so take your time sewing it. Attaining perfection when making a tie is possible if you take your time.

What do you need to make a tie ?

Paper pattern -First, you must make the pattern on a piece of paper before cutting it into the Fabric and cutting. The patterns are to be made for the tie ( 2 pieces); lining ( 2 pieces); facing ( 2 piece); Interlining (2 pieces)
Sharp Scissors
Pins ( very sharp pins so as not to mark the delicate silk fabric)

1 yard of silk or Fabric of your choice. But definitely sew the first one in a muslin or inexpensive cotton fabric.

One yard of lining fabric ( Optional) This will be basted to the main Fabric and treated as the main fabric itself.  

3/4 yards of fabric for interlining. Wool is preferable for a luxury look, but you can use cotton or interfacing.

Fabric choice for the Necktie

Without a doubt, silk is the preferred fabric for the Necktie. A woven woolen and silk blend cloth would be ideal. Please make sure that the fabric’s color, pattern, and texture are coordinated with the suit, jacket or shirt the wearer is planning to wear.  Psychedelic prints, textured fabric, handmade cotton – the choice of fabric is endless.

Navy blue and other shades of blue like teal, Grey, brown, and other neutral colors with manly prints like the anchor, herringbone, and polka dots seems to be the preferred choice of men. The choice is yours. That is the beauty of sewing on your own. You can choose.

Length of the tie

Too long or too short a tie will make you look very sloppy. The length of the tie should be that the tip of the tie should touch the middle of your belt buckle.

Another way of looking at this is to see that the widest part of the tie is touching the top of the belt. If you are a very tall person, you may have to increase the length of the tie pattern so that you can comfortably knot the tie and get it to lie to the belt.

The width of the narrow part of the tie should be smaller than the height of the collar. Other wise, it will be visible on the outside.

You should be cutting the fabric on the bias to make the tie ( at an approximately 45-degree angle). If you do not cut the fabric on the bias, it will result in a tie that decides to play twirly when you wear it. It will just go round and round and not lie straight down. You do not want to fidget to keep the tie in place all the time. As I made this tie as two pieces from a small piece of fabric, I cut the front pattern on bias and the rest of the tail on the straight grain. This way, I had fabric left for some other project.

How to make the Tie Pattern  

1. Pattern for the main fabric and lining pieces. 

2. Pattern for 2 Facing pieces for the tie ends

3 . Pattern for interlining if you using it.

How to sew a Tie

Step 1 Make the pattern on paper.

The 2 Tie patterns and the lining pattern are the same. The lining is  a copy of the main pattern. You also need an interlining pattern and 2 facing patterns ( for both ends). 

Place the pattern for the tie on the cloth as in the diagram below. Draw around it and cut.

Press the silk cloth gently with a silk setting or per the fabric choice.

Place the pattern on the fabric (wrong side)diagonally. You should definitely be cutting the first piece diagonally. The next piece  can be cut on the straight grain. Cut the lining and interlining also likewise. Cut facing pieces. 

Step 2

Join the two pieces of all patterns – tie fabric, lining, and interlining.{ If you have enough fabric, you can make this tie in one single piece of fabric as you know; if so, skip this step). 

Step 3

Keep the lining piece and main fabric’s right sides together. Line up the edges. Baste in place

Fold up the tip of the fabric, 1/2 inch. Press in place. Do this for both ends. Do the same for the facing pieces.

Step 4

Place the facing piece and tie the fabric’s right sides together. Place the edge of the facing 1/4 inch outside from the tie fabric. Stitch along the side with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Do the same for the other side. Stitch till the fold line you had made earlier.

Now, as the facing piece is slightly smaller because you extended the edge ( so that it will roll to the inside nicely), the tip of the triangular shape will not be aligned, and there will be a small fold at the tip. That is ok. Leave it.  

Fold the two pieces by the center, so that the facing piece is inside. Sew a horizontal line 1/4 inch from the tip, as in the picture below, where you had earlier folded. This stitch line should touch the stitch line along the edges. 

Turn the tie inside out. You will have a triangular shape at the bottom.

The tip of the tie will look like this. 

Step 5
Insert the interlining piece inside of the tie, exactly in the center. Push it deep inside the facing and fabric pocket. 
Step 6
Fold the side edges 1/4 inch to the inside. Press.

Step 7

Fold the folded edges again into the center so that the side edges meet in the middle (maybe a little overlapping of one edge). Press.

Use pins to hold the folds in place. ( If it is silk or an expensive fabric, ensure you have very, very sharp pins).

Step 8
Use hand stitches to close the opening along the edges.
Use a hidden ladder stitch or a saddle stitch.

The ladder stitch slides through the fold of the cloth (1/2 inch each), catching both edges together, and the stitches are perfectly hidden.

At the bottom and top use a slip stitch loop to secure the tie fabric and interlining together.  

Keeper loop – You can add a fabric loop to the tie-backside if you want to. Cut out a rectangle of size 6 inches by 1 ½ inch. Fold this piece along the middle right sides together, meeting the two long edges. Sew. Turn inside out. Press.

Insert this in the center at the Back before closing the seam with a hand stitch.

Press the keeper loop to either side of the center. Stitch in place.