Getting Dad a tie for Father’s Day is an age-old idea, but rarely are these ties ever unique or heartfelt gifts. They’re often bought out of either tradition or because the gift-giver couldn’t think of anything better to give. Now that changes with the gift of a homemade duct tape tie. It’s common knowledge that duct tape holds anything together. Now, it even ties together a dress shirt and slacks.
You will need: 1 roll of duct tape, colored secondary rolls of duct tape (optional), a sharp knife or blade.
1. Begin by creating five rings of duct tape. Each of these should be decreasing in size from 4 inches in diameter to 0.5 inches in diameter.
2. Place them in a line 50 inches long. In this line, the largest is first, then the second largest is last, back and forth so the smallest ring of 0.5 inches is in the center.
3. Take a strip of duct tape and wrap it around one of the rings on a diagonal angle. Wrap it back on itself, enlarging the diameter or making it smaller, depending on the diameter of the next ring. For some people, this is easiest working from one end to the other. For others, it’s easier to start at the center ring and work to the last ring in the line, then begin again at the center and work in the opposite direction to the other end.
4. Add length of about 3 inches to either side of the rings on the ends and cut the duct tape strip in right angles at the ends.
5. Trim the edges with a small strip of duct tape to make sure the ends don’t fray.
Duct tape comes in many colors, which you can find in an average hardware store. Try combining different colors for decoration or interweaving small strips for intricate designs. If you plan to weave designs with duct tape, create small rolls out of strips that are folded back on themselves for easy maneuvering.1