Making A Six Fold Tie Drape Well

I think that I have figured it out. I believe that I now know how to consistently make a necktie that drapes well. First off, you need to be able to identify when you have a tie that does drape well. My definition of draping well is determined by a simple test. Fold the tie in half but do not tuck the narrow end into the carrier. Then hold the tie at the fold and sway it back and forth at a steady pace. The necktie should move like a wet noodle and flop back and forth. If it doesn't really move, then either the tie is too stiff or you don't know what you're doing.

Now that we know what the end result should be, how do we get there? I believe that the key to making it drape well is making sure that the folds stick close to the rest of the tie. If one of the folds has a tendency to open up, it creates an extra plane that is not parallel with the rest of the tie. This extra plane then acts in a way to give the tie more structure. A structure that is not desirable. Pressing the tie well is a major part in keeping the folds closed, but its not as simple as just running the iron over the fold.

Water is a key element in making a strong crease. I always use the spray from the iron onto the folds and then iron until the water has evaporated. But ironing from the back side only makes a single crease where the back and side of the necktie meet. The thickness of the tie may be small, but still needs to be accounted for especially if there is an interlining involved. Because of this thickness, two creases are needed. The two creases will be very close to each other and may even seem like one crease, but the result is noticeable when you hold the tie up. With only one crease, the folds will tend to open. Its hard to see when you are ironing because gravity is making it stay closed since its lying face down. A simple test to tell if you have done this well is to roll the tie. Fold it in half first and then loosely roll it up. If the sides start puffing out at the end too much, then something is wrong.


The thickness of the silk can also be a limiting factor in how well the six fold drapes. Because of the number of folds, the thickness of the necktie is multiplied by four in addition to the interlining. This thickness of the silk can limit how well the tie moves no matter how perfectly you crease everything. As a result, some six folds are better made without an interlining. I can only tell by feel which weights should and should not have an interlining. My recommendation would be to making the folds and creases of the six fold first and then examine the thickness of the tie before sewing it closed. If it is thick enough for you, don't use an interlining.

A small issue that I am currently still trying to perfect is on how to attach the carrier. It seems to make a slight dimple in the front of the tie. It is not very noticeable, but if you look really really hard, you can see that the front does not look perfectly smooth.