Bow Ties!

I've been working on a little project for Christmas! Bow ties! I recently got the opportunity to put some of my designs in a retail store. I didn't have much time before the holiday shopping started so I thought bow ties would be the best choice. I already had a bow tie pattern worked up, and all I had to do was modernize it a bit by slimming it down. I made them out of all kinds of fabrics, mostly silk scarps I had laying around. I was really pleased with how nice the velvet ones turned out! My personal favourite are the bug ones! The bumble bees were perfectly spaced to fit on the bow ties.

 

I made boxes with single bow ties and also ones with a set of matching men's and child's bow ties. Both bow ties are fake, but I tried as much as possible to make them look like real ones. I find the most telling part of the bow tie is the centre knot. With fake bow ties the knot is usually just a strip of fabric wrapped around once or twice. On a real bow tie the knot is real and so I tried to make my knot look real. Although mine are still tied with just a strip of fabric, I tried to twist it and tuck it to look like a real knot.

I really wanted the packaging to be nice, so it would be gift giving ready! Finding a box the right size for a bow tie is surprisingly tough! I searched for way too long. I was even willing to buy large quantities but still nothing! Either the box was square and too deep, or too big or closed wrong. Or it was a jelwery box that was about the right size but only one inch deep. As a last ditch effort I went to Dollorama in town and I found these! All I had left to do was print on them and fill them with paper shreds! 

This project really made me realize how much work goes into any retail product. For just this one thing, it was so much work! I first had to make and perfect the product, source all the findings and fabrics, then find the right box and filling, and make a logo and brand it, and so much more! It was a good learning project and I will be much more prepared if I create a fashion collection in the future.

On a completely unrelated note, I've been crazy sewing bodysuits since I finally downloaded the Nettie pattern from Closet Case Files! I know I'm way behind the times but wow its such a great pattern! I made one Friday night and haven't taken it off since! I will share some pictures next week hopefully! Thanks for reading!