Metallic Embroidered Tie Tutorial (Free Embroidery Pattern Included!)

If you’re looking for that perfect gift for the father, husband, or friend in your life, this personalized embroidered tie will make a statement in any board room. We’ve even included 3 free digitized embroidery designs for you to download! All you need to do is choose your thread colours and add initials.

We have included 3 totally free digitized designs for you to download: a game controller, a fish and a bug. You can choose which you’d like to download and in what file type by clicking here. We are showing the finished product with a personalized monogram, but we leave these for you to add, so you can have the right initials.

We have chosen to use a purchased black tie as the backdrop for our embroidery. You can choose any color, but a solid color will show off the design better. To fit the included designs, the tie must be at least 2 inches wide at the point where you want your design to sit.

We have decided to stitch out the design in WonderFil’s metallic thread, Spotlite. Spotlite is a 40 wt metallic with a rayon core. Since rayon has no stretch, the core won’t stretch as a polyester or nylon core might. That stretching can cause the metallic wrap to separate, which causes the shredding and breaking that sometimes happens with metallic threads. Since the rayon core in Spotlite doesn’t stretch, that is less likely to happen, so you will have trouble free embroidery stitches, and a soft finish to the design.

We will be pairing the Spotlite with our 80wt DecoBob in the bobbin. Even very dense stitching stays soft when you have a fine bobbin thread and the evenly wound prewound bobbins will also ensure that you have no tension issues as you stitch out your design. As always, we will be using a Thread Tamer and a WonderGuard to tame the curl in the metallic thread, and a large eye 90/14 topstitch needle. As you will be using a sticky stabilizer to stabilize the tie, you can also use a universal super nonstick needle as another option. See our video on stitching trouble free with metallic thread without the headache to learn our tricks on sewing with metallic thread.

To begin, we will hoop this sticky stabilizer, paper side up, in the hoop. We are going to lightly score the paper around the edge of the hoop with a pin, and from corner to corner, so we can easily pull the paper away. Mark the center so you can easily place your tie on the right spot.

Decide where you want the center of your design to sit on the tie and mark the spot with some tailor’s chalk. With a stitch ripper, open up the back of the tie for at least 6”, so your tie can sit flat and open on the stabilizer. Using your hoop grid, place the tie centered on the hoop and smooth and press it in place so it sits flat and even.

Download the digitized design you prefer, in the format appropriate for your embroidery machine. If you choose, add the text or monogram from your machine’s text to the design before proceeding. Thread your machine with Spotlite in the first color, with a Decobob prewound bobbin in the bottom. Stitch out the design, changing colors as indicated. We have included the color numbers of Spotlite we used for our designs.

When your stitchout is complete, remove the stabilizer from the hoop and trim away on the underside of the tie. Trim all the threads, then using a hand needle and DecoBob, hand stitch the back of the tie closed again.

And there you have it. The man in your life will be proud to wear this fun, customized tie, and it is sure to be a conversation starter!

Inspired to sew with WonderFil threads? Head on over to shopwonderfil.com for a list of stores and retailers you can purchase from. You can also sign up for our free newsletter to receive more educational sewing tips, tutorials, and free patterns. Register by clicking here! We’ll see you again next time!