Recycled Necktie Wristlet - How Do You Make One?

"How do you make your necktie wristlets?  I really want to know!!"

"Can I have the instructions to make a tie wristlet?"
"Is there a tutorial or instructions available to make these wristlets?"
"Please email me your pattern. Thanks!"

The ORIGINAL Recycled Necktie Wristlet © 2010

I get asked ALL the time how I make my Recycled Necktie Wristlets. The sudden interest to obtain the instructions or pattern to my necktie wristlets has been overwhelming!!  It's amazing to see how popular an idea I came up with almost two years ago has become and I truly appreciate the positive response my wristlets have received!! 

Who would have thought I would create something that others would be so interested in??  It all started in 2010 when my sister asked me to make her something to carry her cell phone and ID in.  She liked the snap wallets I made, but felt they weren't enough.  She wanted a handle, something purse-like.  I did some research and found several different cell phone holders on the market.  Some were cute, some were not, but nothing really jumped out at me.  Until I found a coin pouch made from a necktie.  It wasn't made well, but it would serve as the inspiration I needed to begin creating.  

I have always loved the concept of taking things and turning them into something else, something different than its intended purpose.  So I began experimenting with men's neckties and even though I had NO IDEA what I was doing, I just kept at it.  After one month of breaking several machine needles and pulling lots of hair out in frustration, I finally created my very first necktie wristlet!!  It is now displayed in my studio, like a business's first $1, to remind me of where it all began!!

My FIRST necktie wristlet

I was so proud of myself for not giving up, yet I was scared to try and make another one.  I had no idea how I made the first one, so how could I duplicate what I just did?!  I gave it a go anyway and out came another necktie wristlet... well, purse this time.  I wasn't comfortable with how the wristlet-type handle was coming out so I tried a shoulder strap.  But the necktie wasn't long enough to make the purse hip length.  It was still cute and functional, so I listed it in my online store and was I ever shocked when it SOLD!!!!

I decided to go back to the wristlet-type handle again and my third attempt generated the original design of my Recycled Necktie Wristlet.  It sold within weeks and I knew I was onto something!! Even my picky-pants sister was thrilled with her wristlet so I decided to make one for myself!!  At first, I used mine for trips to Disneyland. It was super easy to carry our Annual Passports and camera around the park instead of a giant bag filled with things I didn't need, especially there!!  Now I use it to carry my cell phone, ID, and a credit card or two instead of that enormous bag I used to lug around everywhere!!  I don't think I'll ever go back to using one of those "luggage" bags again!

My wristlets were quickly becoming a hit, so I decided to enter one of them into NBC's Green Is Universal "ReUser's Guide to Green Living - ART OF ReUSE CONTEST.   Even though I was not a top 10 finalist, the attention my wristlets received since entering this contest has been mind-boggling!!

Green Is Universal - ReUse'rs Guide to Living - Art of ReUse
C O N T E S T    E N T R Y

I've since sold over 100 Recycled Necktie Wristlets and I am truly grateful for the opportunity to create a product that has become so successful! It's such a rewarding feeling to come up with something all your own and have others admire it.

I'm flattered to have had so many requests from people interested in how I make my wristlets, but I cannot provide a pattern or “how-to” instructions because I don't use them. I just make wristlets out of men's neckties, I can't explain how. It’s like Grandma baking in the kitchen. She doesn’t follow a recipe or specific measurements, she just throws in a dash of this and a pinch of that and out comes the most delicious ‘work of art’ you ever tasted!! So the best way to describe how I make my wristlets is this..... I find a vintage or gently used necktie, crank up my favorite radio station (95.9 The FISH), and let God do the rest!!!

I hope that my Recycled Necktie Wristlets inspire you to find other objects to upcycle and give new life to.  Tap into your creative juices and see what different items you can come up with,  that’s all I did! There are plenty of innovative and green products yet to be created. So what are you waiting for??!! Get crafting!!

If you're not sure where to start, I encourage you to look deep within yourself and discover what it is you do best and what makes you truly happy. Keep in mind the ability to craft isn’t for everyone as not everybody is wired to create. But we all have a natural talent; it's finding what comes naturally that’s the challenge!! And whatever it may be, I hope you get the opportunity to do it someday!!



TearfulTouch.etsy.com

If you would like to purchase one of my wristlets, or if you have a favorite tie of your own or of a loved one that you’d like made into a wristlet, please visit my online store at http://tearfultouch.etsy.com and I'd be happy to assist you!! 

Copyright© 2010 - 2012 Tearful Touch® All rights reserved.
The "Recycled Necktie Wristlet 2-Pocket Gadget Holder" is the Intellectual Property of Tearful Touch® and may not be copied, reproduced, displayed, distributed, or sold without express written permission. Product images used in social media communities and platforms is permitted under the Fair Use Doctrine, US Code Title 17, Chapter 1, § 107.

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