Design Change

Between the pretzel/lightning tie and the blue/pink Art Deco/FLW tie I ordered a new set of hardware and started finishing the ties differently.

First let's talk about the "original" hardware. Before I used any hardware I made each bowtie to the exact size I needed for my neck.

Then I gained weight. There are ties to this day I cannot wear without looking silly, since they are too short in length for me.

So I ordered some hardware for bowties. This allowed me to not only adjust the tie, but to treat it as a clip-on. I can tie the tie and unhook the back to take it off without untying it. I don't ever do that, but I have nothing against it, and if my ties ever go to anyone else, they may have an easier time wearing them because of that feature.

The only problem with that hardware was that it wasn't very large. I use a long but narrow knitting needle to invert the ties when I finish their perimeter stitch, and if I make the band of the tie narrow enough to fit the hardware, I burst the seams when I invert it. You can see a bit of how the fabric bunches on the right-side of the pretzel tie, right where the adjustment hardware slides on the lightning side.

A month or so ago I was inspired to look for something better. I was really looking for something that was more fun and colorful (and not just stamped steel coated in "brass").

I didn't find it, at least not at a reasonable price point. but I did discover that bra hardware had compatible sizes. One unforeseen benefit was that I could change how I attached the adjustor, which creates more friction and prevents the tie from getting looser the longer I wear it.

I am excited to work through the new hardware. I have a number of metallic colors/plating to experiment with, which isn't as exciting as hardware in bright pink and neon green and pumpkin orange, but it is a vast improvement over my old hardware.

This means I need to find a new use for the old hardware. Maybe it will be my spare when I run out of the bra hardware and need to wait for an order to come in because I totally didn't notice it's all used up.