I always have a hard time buying gifts for my Dad as he has few hobbies, and I hate getting him the same old stuff. But he does have a sense of humor and he likes duct tape. And in trying to come up with an idea for what to get him I was reviwing the standard ideas, including the univeral gift of a tie. Which he doesn't have to wear any more. And some how I thought he would find it amusing to receive a tie made of duct tape. So this is how I did it.

Step 1: Materials and Tools Needed

You'll need the following materials:

Duct Tape
Light weight card board (I used a ceral box that was handy)
Screw with Nut (Optional)

You'll need the foolowing tools:
*Scissors
*Pen
*Tie (to serve as a template)
*Awl (Optional)

Step 2: Cut, Flatten, Trace and Cut

Open box ends of your cereal box and cut along one edge to make a single large sheet of cardboard. Then flatten it out. (The feline assistant is purely optional).

Once it is relatively flat lay your tie out on the cardboard and trace around it.

Cut out the cardboard tie that will serve as the core of your neckware.

Step 3: Wrap Tie Form

Next wrap the tie form in tape. I chose to do this on the diaganol because that is the predominat pattern I remeber from my Dad's ties growing up.

I didn't wrap the whole way around in once continuos piece. I pulled out a length tape, placed the middle of it on the form and then cut it off. The ends were then wrapped onto the other side. This let me make the tape nice and flat.

As I began wrapping I notice the folds in the cardboard were going to make the tie wavy. A I want my Dad to be the height of duct tape fashion I couldn't have this.

So I flipped it over and taped other pieces of card board to the back to reinforce the folds and hold them straight.

Then I continued wrapping until the front was complete. Then I covered any exposed areas on the back of the form with tape, but I didn't wrap it around the edges as this would spoil the lovely smooth striped effect.

Step 4: Collar

You can tie this tie and I know Dad doesn't like clip ons so I made a cardboard collar that goes around the neck. I taped the ends together to give you an idea of what it will look Like but I'm pretty sure I'll have to make it bigger as Dad's neck is bigger than mine.

Once it was done it just seemed a little too plain. So I added a screw tie tack. Pick a screw w/ a nut. Use your awl and make a hole in the tie. Insert screw and apply nut. You have a nicely accented piece of Dad worthy neckware.