After making a couple of bow ties with the adjustable metal slide technique, I realized I wasn't too crazy about them. Whenever I finish making something, I try to step back and look at it as if I am shopping and seeing it for the first time. The metal slides looked a little tacky to me, and they seemed pretty easy to move and deter from the setting I put it at for my own neck size. I really like the size adjustment method that big brands use, which is a ribbon with hole settings and two pieces of hardware (a t-bar and slide). I purchased a set of 12 ribbons and hardware pieces from a company in LA, along with some silk fabric from Mood Fabrics, and got to work.
This was my first time working with silk, too. I had no idea there were so many different types of silk, and after quite a bit of research I'm still not completely sure which ones are suitable for tie-making. I bought a shantung/dupioni silk in a blue and olive check pattern. This type of silk is interesting because it's characterized by an uneven ribbed surface.
Adding the neck ribbon was super easy. I shortened the neck of the pattern piece and replaced the fabric that's normally there with the ribbon. I also altered the pattern to make a diamond point tie, as opposed to the standard style I used on my first bow tie, just to spice it up even more. I added fusible interlining (this stiffens the fabric so it's actually wearable) and sewed the pieces together.
The result is a tie that I'm extremely proud of. I'm definitely glad I decided to explore further methods of an adjustable neck feature. I sewed on one of my custom labels and took it to Europe with me to give to Dan, the friend Sarah and I stayed with while we were in England. It's pretty cool knowing that one of my ties is being worn (I hope) across the pond!
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