how to make a tie

How we make our custom made / bespoke ties  by David Hober

	First, decide on the style and size of the tie that you will make. In this example we will make a standard 57 inch long, 3 1/2 inch wide tie with a keeper sewn into the tie. The silk used is a striped plain weave Thai silk that we custom wove. After listening carefully to our client we will pick the construction for our ties depending on the texture and weight of the silk. Next, assemble your supplies. You will need a pattern, sharp pair of scissors or rotary cutter, silk pins, ruler, marking pencil, thread, a new needle, a label, 1 square yard of silk fabric and approximately 1 3/4 yards of wool for your interlining. You can make roughly two ties with 1 yard of silk. The wool will make many interlinings. The number will depend on whether you make a one or two piece interlining.
	Carefully unroll your silk and smooth it out with your hands. Place your pattern on top of the silk and draw a line around the edges of the fabric. You will generally have a 3-piece pattern for the tie and a 1-piece pattern for your interlining. You will also have three smaller pieces for the keeper and tipping. You can use a wool that you purchase at your local fabric store; we use 100% combed wool that is very springy and has two layers.
	Be careful to cut your pattern line on a 45-degree bias angle to the selvage for both your silk and your wool. Feel free to use a rotary cutter if you prefer. Be sure to use a new blade. After cutting press the silk using a regular iron set at the silk temperature setting. Do not iron the silk because you might leave a shiny mark.
	Now draw the lines on the wrong side of the silk fabric where the tipping will be sewn to the main area of the tie.
	Here we have drawn the lines on our pattern so that you can clearly see them. In real life you will draw these lines on the silk fabric.
	Now the tricky part where you sew the bottom edge of the tie. The right side of the tipping faces the right side of the main part of the tie. Now make a couple of stitches to hold the two pieces together. Next open the fabric and make it flat. Sew the first line closest to the edge of the fabric on both sides of the triangle. Then sew across at a 45-degree angle to make the point of the triangle. After this you sew the inside corners. Hint: use a piece of poster board cut into a triangle shape as a form to help to form the bottom of the tie. We prefer to sew the ends of the tie by eye. Although harder to learn at first, this technique is great for forming a natural tip, and is part the Sam Hober construction style. Next sew the small end's tipping onto the tie. The technique is the same.
	After finishing the previous step, you will turn the the top and bottom ends inside out. Now sew the 3 main pieces of silk together. Note only two pieces are visible in the photograph.
	Place the wool interlining inside the tie. Be careful to place the interlining snugly against the top and bottom ends of the tie.
	Fold the silk to the centerline, and then fold again to the centerline for a total of four folds. The second fold to the centerline will overlap slightly. Use silk pins to hold the folds in place.
	Fold the keeper into a tube and sew it closed. Carefully place it inside the tie under the fold and then sew it into the tie. Then flatten the keeper and sew both sides onto the tie. By putting the keeper under the fold it will be stronger and last longer. Be careful not to sew through the tie.
	To close the tie you can use a hidden stitch or a saddle stitch. Both are attractive ways to close a tie. In this example we are using a hidden stitch. Use a slip stitch loop at both the bottom and the top. The slip stitch gives the tie more flexibility.
	Sew slowly and carefully from the bottom to the top, removing the silk pins as you go along.
	Sew the label with small stitches on each of the two smaller sides. Do not simply tack the corners as the label may fall off easily. Again be careful not to go all the way through the tie.
	Finally! A finished necktie. Immediately try it on with your favorite shirt. Please note that if you are very good at making ties it will take roughly two hours to make one tie as you need to constantly stop and check the balance and small details. It is the attention to details that makes a beautiful luxury tie more than anything else.