Wedding Blog
I have a ton of DIY projects finished for our wedding, with plenty more to go in the next few months. But this weekend, I made my first DIY donation. That is, someone else is going to DIY it for me!
You see, we’ve been searching for green ties for the groomsmen for a long time now. The tuxes for the boys have pinstripes, so I don’t want anything crazy going on with the ties. Just a plain tie in a mossy green color will do. Finding plain green ties is a lot more difficult than I thought it would be! We’re looking to give the ties to the groomsmen as a gift, along with some green socks, and another rather large surprise (that will be the topic of another post). So while we want them to be nice, we do not want to spend a ton of money on them. As you can imagine, finding good quality, inexpensive, plain, mossy green satin ties is an even more difficult task!
Since I like to sew, I decided I’d find a pattern and make the ties myself.
I deconstructed an old tie to use as a pattern, found green fabric and the rest of the supplies at Jo-Ann’s, and went to work. Sadly, my first tie did not look at great as I’d wanted it to. So, I tried again. That one didn’t turn out, either. It was stiff (which I could fix by changing the interfacing), but I also couldn’t get the lining to look like I wanted it to. This bothered me, even though no one would know by looking at them from the front. Plus, making the ties was not fun AT ALL. I don’t have a long enough cutting mat, which made the tedious task of cutting the fabric even more annoying. The fabric was nearly impossible to fold in a straight line to make nice lines along the sides of the tie. The entire length of the inside of the tie had to be hand-sewn. Did I mention yet how much I hate hand-sewing? I hate it! Overall, the ties were a huge pain in the you-know-what to make, and in the end, they didn’t even look very nice.
My future mother-in-law was visiting this past weekend for Easter, and asked how the ties were coming along. I showed her the two that I had made, and expressed to her how much I did not enjoy making them. Then she suggested we talk to a friend of hers, who is a retired seamstress, and is also doing my dress alterations. She called her up and asked if she would have time to make the ties for us. Luckily for our groomsmen (and for my sanity), she said YES! I am so happy to have this project off my plate! And I can’t wait to see how they turn out when made by a real professional!
Did anyone else struggle with a DIY project and ultimately give it up to a professional?
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Hm. That is a good thought. Our wedding is 16 mnths away and I’ve already begun tie searching. We need a solid, wide, silk red tie for the FI and light green ones for the GMs. And you’re right it is very hard to find. I have a specific look in mind so we will see if I have better luck. If not I might go your route!
I’m looking for the exact same ties for our groomsmen! Looks like I might need to have them made, as well.
We’re struggling to find the perfect color ties, too, and at first, I was frustrated that I don’t/can’t sew — but, hearing that you had issues (when you’re so talented with your sewing!) makes me feel better about continuing the search and ultimately (hopefully) just buying the right ties!
Good for you on letting go of a time consuming annoying project!
I haven’t had anything to delegate yet, but I’ve definitely given up on some projects that were just too much (a la Miss Peep Toe’s post)
Ties are really hard to make, apparently! And yes, finding a good quality plain was is insanely difficult! Who knew! Good for you that you got that off your plate with the seamstress! Look forward to seeing them!
I used the exact same tie for my wedding in december. I had HARD time finding one like the one in the picture, plain green with no design. I searched everywhere and had no luck. Just as I had given up, one night as i was buying groceries at walmart, I cut through the mens to get to the other side of the store, I found my tie. The exact color I was looking for, the one in your picture, for only $8.00. Hmmm go figure lol!!
Wow, that is awesome. Sewing… something apparently not evey one is good at —> me 
It even more special when it is DIY - it has that much more meaning… kuddos to you
oops pressed enter too quickly…
Its great that FMIL offered to help with her contact. Im sure they are gonna turn out great. Keep us posted !!!
Ties are really hard to make!!! I made one for Mr. Taffy for a friend’s wedding, and that was the last time I will do it.
Did you cut the fabric on the bias? If it isn’t cut on the bias it will not lay correctly. There’s no way to get around all of that hand sewing though! ughh.
@Miss Taffy: I did cut the fabric on the bias. The front of the ties ended up looking okay, it was just that I didn’t have the right interfacing and I could get the lining on the back of the tie to look pretty. I probably could have got by making the rest of them…but I really didn’t enjoy making them at all, so I figured I’d let someone else do it!
Oops, I can’t type apparently. I couldN’T get the lining to look pretty
@Miss Mascara: ah, ok. They are so hard to do! After I did one, Mr. Taffy was like, ohh, make one for my brothers, and my dad and on and on… I was very firm that that was my last time working on ties!
@Miss Taffy: I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks they’re hard to make!
Ha! My mom mas telling me the other day that she used to make DIY ties all the time when she was a kid….she seems to think that she’s going to bust out the sewing machine again for our wedding. I’m going to show her this post!
I’m jealous that you at least have the skills necessary to TRY to make the ties! I learned how to sew my freshman year of high school in a home-ec class, but soon lost the ability after not keeping up with it. Then I thought I’d have the bright idea to ask for a sewing machine for Christmas and start taking classes to learn this incredibly useful hobby again. Needless to say, 2 1/2 years later the poor machine is gathering dust in our guest room….
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Mrs. Mascara, Chicago/Upper Michigan
Age and Occupation: 25, Biomedical Engineer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Process Engineer
Engagement Date: July 27, 2008
Wedding Date: September 2009
Venue: Catholic ceremony, reception at local armory
About Me: A lover of Mr. Mascara, crafting, baking, Gossip Girl, diet soda, and all things wedding. A Yooper girl somehow displaced in the Chicago suburbs, planning a wedding from a distance, and counting down the days until I marry my best friend.
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