How to Make a Baby Bow Tie

As I mentioned in last week's Five Favorites, I kind of have a thing for making bow ties for my little boy. Not only are they adorable, but it covers up the fact that his neck is too fat for his top button to fasten. That's not really a problem (at all since I also think that is adorable...what a mom), but, nevertheless, it is a plus!

I took some photos when I was making Ryan's bow tie for the wedding we went to this weekend so I now have a bow tie tutorial for you. You know, just in case the bow tie bug bites you as well. It is incredibly easy, and if you don't have a sewing machine, you can always use a hot glue gun or some Wunder Under.

What you need:
- material of your own choice
- interfacing (I used a fusible medium weight). This is key! Ryan's first bow tie was a floppy disappointment since I didn't use it.
- scissors
- matching thread and needle
- short length of 1 in velcro
- safety pin

1. Wash your material. I learned my lesson the first time that I didn't wash the material first, put the bow tie on a baby that was drooling buckets and watched the red, green and white bow tie turn into a red, green and pink one.
2. Press your material.

3. Cut out the pieces needed. I played around with the proportions until I came up with a size I was happy with for Ryan. Ryan is 15 months old and 32 in tall so these measurements are for that.
     - Bow:
           - Fabric - 10 in by 5 in
           - Interfacing - 10 in by 2 in
     - Neck strap:
           - Fabric - 20 in by 3 in
           - Interfacing - 20 in by 1 in
     - Center: 3 in by 3 in
     - Velcro: - 1.5 in by 1 in (both sides)

4. Take the piece of fabric for the bow and fold it hot dog style with the right side on the inside.

5. Sew down the open side with about a 1/4 in seam.

6. Take your safety pin, fasten it to the top side of one end, then turn it on itself and slide it through the tube. Turn fabric right-side-out.

7. Now take the safety pin and fasten it to the piece of interfacing for the bow. Slide the interfacing through the tube of fabric. Press.

8. Fold with ends overlapping like in the photo below.

9. Sew down the middle. I didn't measure exactly where the middle was so I just pushed the sides up on each end of the foot and eyeballed it.

10. Onto the center! Fold in half with the right sides together and sew with a 1/4 in seam. Turn inside out using the safety pin. Press.

11. Now fold the neck strap piece hot dog style with the right side on the inside. Sew together with a 1/4 in seam. Turn inside out like with the other two pieces and then use the safety pin to slide the interfacing through. I tore my interfacing a few times before I was able to get it successfully through so roll the interfacing on the end a bit, put the safety pin through that end and then pull through. The thicker bit of interfacing won't tear as easily. Press.
12. Now fold one end of the neckstrap to cover the seam.

13. Take one piece of velcro and place it on top of the folded end. Sew the velcro to the neckstrap.

14. Fold the other end of the neck strap over, then take the remaining piece of velcro and sew it on. Make sure to do it on the opposite side!

15. Take the bow piece and gather it in the middle to your liking. Wind a piece of thread around the center to keep it in place.

16. Now place the bow on top of the center piece. Then place the neckstrap on top of the bow.

17. Wrap the center around as tight as you would like it and whip stitch together.

18. Repeat with the other end of the center.

And there you go! Your DIY bow tie.

Happy Easter!

The happiest of Easters to all of you! We are so eternally grateful.

We had quite the splendid Easter despite the gray weather that tried to complete with our obnoxiously bright Easter attire. After driving to Detroit for Chris' rugby game, (on 8 Mile Road and where we discovered the most secure McDonalds ever...as in bullet proof glass separating the cashiers and cooking area from everywhere else). Then we drove down to southeastern Ohio to see my extended family. 

At Easter Mass this morning, we had a loud toddler who took my announcement that we could  joyously say, "Alleluia!" quite literally although his little mouth didn't exactly master all of those vowels. We went to Mass at the church that my grandma and most of my extended family goes to, but you would think that only my extended family goes there because my three cousins were the servers, my aunt and cousin were the readers and my uncles were ushers. And if you have uncles who are ushers and you are sitting in the very back pew of the church thanks to your exuberant son whose behavior included trying to make a man's foot a chair while the man was kneeling, you can somehow find yourself carrying the gifts up looking like you have everything together....except that the only one that had it together was my sister who carried the hosts. Chris carried a basket with the donations and a Ryan with only shoe while I brought up the wine and Ryan's rogue shoe. It was one of those classic moments when about ten things happen at once and you just go with it...these moments always happen to me so I guess I should say common rather than classic.

We got back to my grandma's for a delicious breakfast, lunch and Easter egg hunt during which Ryan either played with gravel  or had Cadbury mini egg juice dripping out of his mouth. I think it's safe to say we have another year before Ryan cares about the hunt. And I'll say this many more times in the existence of this blog, but I love being part of a family where a gathering of 50 family members is just a sampling of the whole clan. Big families are something special...thanks, Grandma!

On to some photos!

Me: Cardigan  from a yard sale years ago, blouse borrowed from my sister, skirt from Forever XXI from while ago as well, pumps Lauren Ralph Lauren via Marshall's. Family photo: No, Chris didn't wear this outfit to Easter Mass; he just isn't fifteen months old, has a mind of his own and changed pre-photo.

Went for the dressy bow-tie with the casual untucked shirt with a pair of cords because if you can't get away with an untucked shirt at fifteen months, then when can you? Hat: Zara, Shirt: Once Upon a Child, Shoe and cords: the ones he wears in every photo, purple polka dot bow tie: my sewing machine. 

Hanging out with Grandpa

A path of rocks and a bag of rocks ;)

My grandma's traditional lamb cake!

Linking up with the Easter Outfit OTI hosted by Camp Patton, Freckles in April and North Meets South. And also with Fine Linen and Purple for What I Wore Sunday. Go check both of them out!