Tie one on for Father’s Day

Spruce up Dad’s wardrobe with a tie you decorate yourself

By Julie Stoyka

For many dads, ties are the staple gift of Father’s Day. While some dads stick to traditional, stylish ties, others enjoy more creative — and sometimes wacky — designs. Why not help your kids design their own special tie for Dad? Microsoft Home Magazine provides great tie tips and a Comic Tie Motif template to help you create a tie that is sure to brighten Dad’s special day — and make him the envy of the office.

Finding a tie

While the pencil tie has made a resurgence in past years, a broader, more substantial tie is better for this project. Whatever you do, don’t rummage through the closet to find an outdated tie that Dad will never wear. Instead, take a trip to a menswear store to find a tie in a single bold colour or a muted pattern. Silk and polyester can be used, but you’ll need to take extra precaution when ironing.

Selecting an image

If Dad is a sports buff, search the Internet for Clip Art that reflects his passion. Or use a great photo of your kids and alter it to seamlessly fade into the tie. Play with colours and sizes in Word. As with our Comic Tie Motif template, print a variety of images and text, and place them all over the tie.

Choosing a transfer product

Visit an office supply store to pick the iron-on transfer paper that meets your design needs.

Light T-shirt transfers are great for white or light-coloured fabric — but remember that because the transfers are translucent, any white areas will show the colour of the fabric underneath.

Dark T-shirt transfers are great for bright and dark colours. The image is printed on white plastic, and you can either trim the image right around the edges or leave a white border for added pop.

Printable fabric looks like linen and is perfect for pillows and high-use fabrics. If you’re going to use printable fabric for ties, keep the images small because it is stiff and may cause the delicate tie material to pull.

Materials

• tie
• iron-on transfer paper or printable fabric
• printer
• iron with a no-steam option
• scissors

Step 1: Download a design template

• Download our Comic Tie Motif and save it in Word. Change the colours and size of the images to suit your project. (To change the colour, click on the image, then Format > Recolor > Set Transparent Color > click on a blue spot (it will turn white) > right-click > Format Picture > Colors and Lines > select a fill colour > OK.
• Print a test sheet on normal paper before using the printable fabric/transfer paper. With some iron-on transfer papers, you may need to print in reverse for text.
• Load the transfer paper or fabric, and follow the instructions provided with your product.
• Print the images, and make sure your printer is set to the highest-quality setting.

Step 2: Transfer the image onto fabric

• Once you have printed the image onto your transfer product or fabric, use scissors to cut around it, keeping as close to the image as possible.
• Heat the iron to the highest setting and select the no-steam option. Follow the ironing instructions for the product. Move the iron in circular motions over the entire image; make sure to cover all the edges.
• Let cool. If using transfer paper, pull the backing off slowly.
• Wrap up your tie for Dad.

All styling and inset photography by Julie Stoyka of Zariel Creative