Make a Thanksgiving Tie for your turkey-carver that shows he knows how the turkey got there.

(click here for a larger Thanksgiving Tie craft image)

This one is just for fun. We were looking at vintage images of Thanksgiving turkeys in all stages of life and after-life. When we stacked a few in a logical order, it suddenly looked like - a Thanksgiving tie. 

So here is our Thanksgiving necktie that illustrates the evolution of the turkey from "doing well" to "well-done."

We bought a cheap, white silk tie at a thrift store as our basis. Applying the images is simple with iron on transfer sheets for your ink jet printer.

We believe this tie would be extra-special with the addition of a small wishbone charm at the bottom - just to drive the point home. We've given you a wishbone pattern on the PDF download, in case you are inclined to stitch your own.

Materials for this Thanksgiving Tie

• Vintage Images (FREE PDF download) printed on Iron On Transfer Paper (like Inkjet Photo Transfer Paper from Joanns) (See Tips).
• Necktie, silk or smooth fabric, solid white or other light color (see Tips).
• Corrugated cardboard or tagboard.
• Fabric glue.
• Detail or embroidery scissors.
• Iron.

Instructions

1. Print the vintage image onto iron on transfer paper. You will notice that the stacked images (on the left side of the PDF page) are already in mirror format as required for the heat transfer process. Trim carefully around the image with detail scissors.
2. 
3. Cut a piece of corrugated cardboard about 14" long and tapered to fit the inside of the tie. If the tie is stitched closed down the seam, carefully remove about 14" of the stitches and clip the thread. Insert the cardboard into the tie to provide a smooth ironing surface (see Tips).
   
   
4. Place the iron on transfer image face down on the tie, about 2 1/2" from the bottom point and centered horizontally. Follow the transfer sheet manufacturer's instructions to press the image onto the tie with the iron (see Tips). Carefully remove the backing paper from the transferred image.
5. Touch up the creased edges of the tie with the iron, if necessary, being careful not to let the hot iron touch the image. It will melt and smear (Voice of Experience).
6. If you removed the back stitching on the tie, glue the seam together again with fabric glue.
7. If you have a wishbone charm or want to embroider one, by all means add this embellishment to the bottom of your Thanksgiving tie. And "tie one on" this Thanksgiving!

Tips

• There are many brands of iron on transfer sheets available for your ink jet printer. We used Tulip™ Inkjet Photo Transfer Paper. Read the printing instructions carefully, because only one side of the sheet can be used for printing and the iron's temperature setting is important. Adjust your printer for matte photo paper to achieve the best color results on the transfer paper.
• The color and texture of the tie are important because an iron on transfer lets the color and texture show through. Choose a very smooth fabric, like silk, and as light a color as possible. We used white, which helped make the image colors more vivid.
• The reason for the cardboard insert in the tie is to provide a smooth, rigid surface for ironing and to prevent the back seam from embossing a line down the front of the tie.
• Neckties are fragile,temperamental things, so you must take precautions. Be sure the hot iron won't ruin the surface of the fabric by testing it first, somewhere it won't show. If you get a bad effect like a gloss, try pressing it under a sheet of white paper. Also, you want to beware of ruining the creased edges of the tie. Try to keep them precisely folded and away from the hot iron.