Sew-along with us!
Perhaps you'd like some company while you sew? We've sewn up each of our patterns and photographed each step along the way. Find the pattern you're after in the filter drop down below left.
Sew-Alongs
Mahle Tie Sew-Along
A well-sewn tie is a deceptively easy project with a very professional result. The beauty of sewing a custom tie is that the options to personalize are limitless! Pick a novelty print, very special silk, a fashion fabric that matches the partner's dress, or a vintage fabric that holds a special memory. The finished result will be a treasured piece that showcases the unique fabric choice and elevates a business or special occasion outfit!
To get sewing a custom tie with us, first, download your Mahle Tie pattern. Head to our PDF pattern tutorial if you are unfamiliar with using digital patterns...don't worry, it isn't difficult!
Next, take your time collecting your materials:
You will need:
• 1 yard (1.1 meters) of medium weight silk, rayon, linen, lightweight cotton, or wool
• 1 yard (1.1 meters) of sew-in wool or wool/nylon blend interlining
• Silk thread
• Hand sewing needle
• Microtex or fine point sewing machine needle (for sewing silk or rayon fabric)
• Beeswax
• OPTIONAL FOR QUILTING COTTON OR SIMILAR FABRICS: 1/4 yard (0.2 m) lightweight interfacing or canvas lining
• OPTIONAL: Source your interlining materials from a vintage tie. To do this, carefully take the tie apart by ripping out the center seam. Gut the tie, trim the interlining and canvas pieces to size, and then use them as the inner material for your tie.
• 1 yard (1.1 meters) of sew-in wool or wool/nylon blend interlining
• Silk thread
• Hand sewing needle
• Microtex or fine point sewing machine needle (for sewing silk or rayon fabric)
• Beeswax
• OPTIONAL FOR QUILTING COTTON OR SIMILAR FABRICS: 1/4 yard (0.2 m) lightweight interfacing or canvas lining
• OPTIONAL: Source your interlining materials from a vintage tie. To do this, carefully take the tie apart by ripping out the center seam. Gut the tie, trim the interlining and canvas pieces to size, and then use them as the inner material for your tie.
If you are sourcing from a store-bought tie, gather the canvas interfacing and interlining.
Trim the inner materials to match the pattern pieces for your size tie.
Cut the pattern pieces out of fabric and lining on the bias.
It is easiest to cut out your bias pieces if using a striped fabric as shown, but if you are using a print or solid color carefully measure from the selvedge to the grainline and use as many pattern weights as needed to keep the pattern piece on the bias.
The shell pieces are the blade, neck, and tail pieces.
Trim the outer four edges of the blade tip lining and tail tip lining pieces 1/4" (0.6 cm). Do not trim the bottom straight edge.
Center the blade tip lining onto the blade with right sides together.
Shift the blade tip lining and blade so that the left raw edges are aligned.
Stitch, using a 1/4" (0.6 cm) seam allowance, along the outer and diagonal edges towards the blade tip lining point, stopping 1/4" (0.6 cm) from the point.
Pull the blade tip lining over to the other side of the blade aligning the right raw edges.
Pin. An intentional bubble will form on the blade because it is wider than the blade tip lining.
Push the bubble out of the way so it stays at the point and doesn’t get stuck in the outer and diagonal edges. To make sure you don't accidentally sew the bubble, sew with the lining side up.
Stitch, again with a 1/4" (0.6 cm) seam allowance, along the outer and diagonal edges together towards the tie point. Your stitch line will match up with the previous stitch line.
Pinch the bubble at the blade point, and fold it in half, matching the diagonal edges.
Stitch across the blade point bubble using a 1/4" (0.6 cm) seam allowance. The stitch will end up being perpendicular to the diagonal stitch lines. Start by placing your sewing needle down in the center of the stitch line, leaving the bobbin and needle thread tails long and towards the back of your sewing machine. Gently pull on the thread tails when you start stitching. Stitch forward first until your stitches match the lining stitch lines. Then, backstitch off of the fabric. Tie the thread tails together to secure the stitch.
Turn the blade and blade tip lining pieces right side out. Do not trim or grade the seam allowances as the seam allowances are narrow and could fray easily depending on your choice of fabric. Press neatly in place. Repeat for the tail and tail tip lining.
With the right sides together, match the neck piece to the blade piece. Align the short edges to be perpendicular as shown in the picture, this will keep the bias grain going in the same direction. Stitch using a 1/4" (0.6 cm) seam allowance.
Repeat for the tail and neck piece. Press the seam allowances open.
Assemble your interlining pieces by abutting the short edges together and stitching them together with a wide zig-zag stitch.
At the blade tip, insert the canvas interfacing in between the layers of the blade and blade tip lining. Use a point-turner tool to get the tip of the interfacing to match up with the blade tip. The interfacing should be aligned with the blade shell fabric.
Next, insert the interlining into the blade and tail tips, matching the points.
Fold the long outer edges of the tie to the wrong side at 1/4" (0.6 cm). Press.
Fold the outer edges of the tie to the wrong side once more, aligning the pressed edges to meet in the center of the tie. They can also overlap slightly, but no more than a scant 1/4" (0.6 cm). Press in place. To keep the fabric from stretching or warping on the bias when pressing, rather than sweep your iron across the fabric, carefully lift, move, and place your iron along the length of the fabric.
Fold both long edges of the keeper loop to the wrong side, meeting in the center. Press.
Fold the keeper loop in half once more aligning the long folded edges. Press. Edgestitch along the folded edges at a scant 1/4" (0.6 cm) seam allowance.
Measure up the center of the blade to just before the neck seam. Unfold the seam allowance.
Fold the keeper loop in half aligning the short edges.
Insert the keeper loop into the blade opening at the measured point. Stitch the short edges of the keeper loop to the blade seam allowance, stitching within the blade seam allowance.
Fold the blade seam allowance back in place and press. No stitches will be visible from the exterior of the tie.
Using silk thread and a hand sewing needle, hand-sew the center seam of the tie using the slip stitch technique as follows:
Cut a long strand of thread so that you can sew the seam together in one go. This will help to keep the natural fluidity of the finished tie. Run your thread through beeswax to prevent your thread from knotting up while sewing.
Begin at the tail end by backstitching a few times to anchor your thread. Sew along the seam creating long and loose slip stitches, about 1/2" (1.3 cm) apart. Be very careful that you are only sewing the seam together and not stitching into the tie front.
Once you get to the end of the seam, anchor your stitching using several backstitches. The first backstitch you create leave as a long loop, about 1" (2.5 cm) in length. Make the remaining few backstitches as normal. This loop may be awkward at first but will adjust in tension as the tie is worn and rolled over time.
If you added the keeper loop, now you will finish and secure the loop to the tie.
Press the keeper loop open so that it is flat and centered over the tie seam.
Using your hand sewing needle and silk thread tack the short folded edges of the keeper loop to the back of the tie, being careful not to stitch through to the tie front.
Press the keeper loop open so that it is flat and centered over the tie seam.
Using your hand sewing needle and silk thread tack the short folded edges of the keeper loop to the back of the tie, being careful not to stitch through to the tie front.
Give your tie a final press and you are done! Match your Mahle tie with a favorite button-up shirt or special occasion outfit as a stylish and sentimental fashion statement.
