Arts & Crafts Ideas Using Old Neckties

The other day I looked through my tie collection and found a few dozen pieces that I had not worn for quite some time. Certainly I could donate them to a local goodwill, which I have done before, but the pile of old ties made me curious if there could be some other good uses. After all, most ties are made from finest silk and often display fun patterns, have interesting fabric textures, and show nice colors. After browsing dozens of Arts & Crafts blogs I found some ideas for your old neckties. Here are five Arts & Crafts projects for your old ties.

1. Make a Quilt
Probably the easiest of the five projects listed here is making a quit out of your old ties. You will need at least a dozen ties, a sewing machine, and some flannel fabric for the lining. Because a standard tie is about 58 inches long (untied), the fabric has the perfect length for making a quilt. First, start out by cutting the stitching of the tie. Then unfold the necktie, and remove the inner lining. Next, sew the different fabric pieces together. The wide end of the tie should connect with the narrow end of the next. Finally use the flannel fabric for the lining of the blanket.

2. Silk Scarf
To avoid pattern over-load, I suggest you only use one tie for making a men’s silk scarf. First, cut the stitching of the tie. Then fold the tie open and remove the inner lining. Your fabric piece should now be about 58 inches long and 4 inches wide at the narrow end. Cut the fabric piece to be a rectangle in the size of 50 x 4 inches. Finally, take some fine cashmere fabric (pick a classic color such as navy or gray), cut it to the size 50 x 4 inches, and sew it onto the silk as a inner lining.

3. Couch Pillow
Looking for a more challenging project? Then making a pillow out of your old ties might be right for you. I have not tried this, but I found some pretty good instructions HERE.

4. Tie Skirt or Kilt
Another more ambitious arts and crafts project using your old ties is making a tie skirt. You will need about 12 to 15 ties for this project. The best instructions I could find for making a skirt out of old neckties can be viewed HERE.

5. Necktie Bag
Probably the project that will require the most sewing skills is making a tote bag from your old neckties. It appears to be quite a popular crafts project and I found a handful of decent instructions. The best ones I could find can be viewed HERE.

If you don’t have any old ties but still like to try one of these projects, then I suggest you contact our partner Bows-N-Ties.com for damaged ties. I am certain they will be able to help you out!

Thanks for visiting!

Hendrik

Modern Ways to Tie a Tie: The “Manhattan”

Even though I am a strong believer that the four necktie knots, that are being featured on my home page, are more than sufficient, there are indeed many other knots that have their advantages. Just recently I had featured the Christensen knot – a cross-patterned knot that is perfect for skinny ties. This time around I am teaching you to tie a so-called “Manhattan” knot.

The “Manhattan” is basically a half Windsor that has been tied in reverse – meaning the inner stitching of the tie faces outwards. There are two reasons why you may want to try this knot. First, its wider shape nicely complements rounder face shapes. Second, the wider shape of the knot perfectly suits wide collar spreads – it even works for ties made made from thinner fabrics.

Step 1
Lay the tie around your neck. The stitching should be visible on on both ends of the tie. Then cross the wide end behind the narrow end.(Note: I am assuming you are right handed. All instructions are mirror images, meaning what you see in my illustrations is exactly what you should see when looking in the mirror)

Step 2
Wrap the wide end over the narrow end. The front of the tie should now be visible. Then pull the wide end around the part that is touching your neck (see image).

Step 3
Pull the tie around the opposite side. Then wrap around the narrow end that is hanging down in front of your chest. Pull tight slightly.

Step 4
In this step you are making the loop in front of the knots which will eventually secure the knot. To do so pull the wide end over the narrow end, and then back in between the tie and your collar. Do not pull tight, but instead create a loop in front of the unfinished knot.

Step 5
Now pull the wide end trough the loop you created in step 4. Give the tie a slight pinch before tightening. This will create a nice dimple.

Step 6
Last but not least, give the knot a slight pinch on each side while pulling tight. This will secure the dimple. Turn down your collar and center the knot. And this is already it!

Give this one a try. It will definitely set you apart for all the four in Hands and Windsor knots in your office! As always, I am curious what you think of this knot. Leave a comment below with your feedback.

Hendrik

The Psychology of Tie Colors in the Race for President

Have you ever asked yourself the question why we only see red and blue ties on presidential candidates as of recently? Some might argue that candidates will choose those ties that best reflects their party’s identify, meaning red ties for Republican Romney, and blue ties for Democrat President Obama, but this is only partially true.

Take Tuesday’s Presidential debate for instance. Romney wore a bright blue and white striped tie while Obama opted for a burgundy-red piece, a change that I was very happy to see. Pre-debate I was actually hoping that Obama would be wearing a red tie – a color that is synonymous with power, confidence, and excitement – all things Obama lacked in the first debate.

I am now making the argument that Obama’s red tie helped him step up his game during the last debate. Not only did the tie grabbed the audiences’ attention, but I strongly belief that it gave President Obama a boost of confidence after taking a look in the mirror.

The psychology & emotional effects of colors is definitely nothing new. In fact, psychologists have been researching the meaning of colors for decades, if not centuries, and evidence does indeed prove that certain colors do evoke certain emotional responses in people. This is nothing new to presidential candidates who pay attention to what colors to pick out for a public appearance.

Obama needed a bolder red tie to dig himself out of the rut he put himself in during the previous debate. Romney on the other hand had the luxury of wearing a bright blue tie – a color associated with calmness, maturity, and elegance. Romney came into the second debate with confidence, and he did not want to overdo it with another bold red tie, but instead choose to show his mature and trustworthy side by wearing a blue tie instead. I certainly applaud both men for their tie choices!

What do Voters Want to See?
Last week I created a poll that let Democrat and Republican voters choose a tie for their presidential candidate. I presented votes with 10 different ties for each candidate. I wanted to see what tie colors each party’s supporters would choose. By now over 400 people have voted, and the statistics show 3 things:

1. Republicans Like Red Ties
   The top 6 ties picked for Romney were red in color. In fact, Republican voters picked out a red tie over 80% of the time. Blue only received 10% of the votes.
2. Democrats Like Blue Ties
   54% of all votes were for a blue tie on Obama, followed by red taking 29% of the vote. Bright blue ties were preferred over dark and more conservative navy blue neckties.
3. Republicans Are More Conservative – Even When it Comes to Ties
   Based on the ties Republicans and Democrats picked out for their candidate, we can see that Republicans are for more conservative dressers. While Democrats could picture Obama wearing purple, turquoise, teal, and other trendy colored ties, Republicans only voted for blues and reds – other tie colors appeared to be unimaginable choices for a President in the eye of the Republican.

The Most Popular Voted Ties for Each Candidate:
The light blue textured tie was the most popular choice among Democratic voters receiving 29% of all votes, while the bright red “power tie” on the right was the top choice among Republican voters (31% of all votes).

Other Suggested Articles:
Matching Tie Colors to Your Personality
The Political Tie Battle: Obama’s Blue Tie VS Romney’s Red Tie

Thanks for Visiting My Blog!

Hendrik Pohl
Tie Aficionado & Fashion Critic