DIY: Pleated Bow Tie

Did you love the groom’s bow tie in the wedding we shared this morning ? I just love bow ties (for the guys, the ring bearer – even your dog if he is making an apperance!) so I thought this easy DIY would be perfect for you crafty brides. Now you can find the perfect fabric to match your colors + style also! Big thanks to Kristin (who owns the handmade wedding accessories boutique Petal and Thorn ) for creating this DIY and to Trista Lerit Photography for the photos.

This might just be the cutest and most versatile bow ever! It’s origami inspired shape is neat and tailored, but playful at the same time. Best of all, it requires just a couple scraps of fabric and a few stitches. The fold itself takes a bit of practice to master, but once you do, you’ll want to put these bows on everyone and everything! It’s the best way to use up your fabric stash.

Materials needed:
• fabric (if it’s super thin, double it up)
• needle and thread
• fabric glue
• small piece of ribbon or trim

Instructions:

1. Gather your materials.
2. Cut fabric into two squares, anywhere from 4-7 inches, depending on how large you want your bow.
3. Start with your first square, fold into a triangle
4. Turn over and repeat the fold, resulting in a smaller triangle

5. Take left corner, fold in a tiny bit to hide the point
6. then fold it to center line.
7. Pinch into the middle and stitch securely, catching all the layers.
8. Repeat on the right side, creating a cute leaf shape. Create another leaf by repeated steps 2-8 with the other square.

9. Put leaves face to face (pleated side together), and sew the top together with a few whip stitches. This will be covered with ribbon so don’t worry about making pretty stitches.
10. Open up, and marvel at your cute bow shape!
11. Cover mechanics by gluing a strip of ribbon.
12. Then secure the bow to a ribbon which can be tied around the neck, or attach it to a brooch backing so it can be pinned on. Happy crafting!

And voila – a fun + festive bow tie! And lots of ways you can take these bow ties and create something else…

Bow Tie DIY from Kristin of Petal and Thorn + photos by Trista Lerit for Green Wedding Shoes