Bowtie Tie

By Gavin Crawford

Chevrolet logo

Design Story

This tie features the famous Chevrolet logo. First used in 1913, the "Bowtie" symbol, as it is known, has become one of the world's most recognised trademarks and is still used by the company today. There are a number of different stories around as to how co-founder of Chevrolet, William C. Durant, first came up with the emblem. One version is that it originated in Duran's imagination when, as a world traveller in 1908, he saw the pattern marching off into infinity as a design on wallpaper in a French hotel. He tore off a piece of the wallpaper and kept it to show friends with the thought that it would make a good nameplate for a car. Another account is that according to Mrs. Durant, the bowtie emblem was first seen by her husband in an illustrated Virginia newspaper, while they were vacationing in Hot Springs, Virginia around 1912. Mrs. Durant was quoted as recalling, "We were in a suite reading the papers, and he saw this design and said, 'I think this would be a very good emblem for the Chevrolet.'"

But no matter where the inspiration came from that lead to its creation, it has proved to have been a very distinctive and identifiable emblem.

As a knitting project I just liked the idea of having a bowtie on a tie. And if you thinking of knitting this tie, to give to that special someone in your life, you can tell them - it's not quite a classic 1953 Chevy Corvette sports car, but maybe, it's the next best thing!

Materials

Standard 4 ply (fingering) yarn, 100% wool.
2 x 50gm balls - Yarn A (light grey)
1 (or oddment) x 50gm ball -Yarn B (charcoal grey)
1 pair 3mm (US #3) needles

Tension

28sts x 36 rows = 4 inches (10cm) using 3mm (US #3) needles over stocking stitch.

Approx finished size

54 inches (137cm) long, 3.5 inches (12cm) at widest point, 1.5 inches (4cm) at narrowest point.

Pattern notes

Work chart section of tie using intarsia method and stocking stitch. The rest of the tie is worked in moss stitch.

Pattern

Cast on 22sts using 3mm (US #3)needles and Yarn B.
Row 1(WS): Knit
Next 2 rows, Knit.

Change to Yarn A.

Row 1: *K1, P1, rep from * to end.
Row 2: *P1, K1, rep from * to end.

These two rows set pattern. Continue as set until work measures 6 inches (15cm) ending with a WS row.

Commence working from chart as follows:
Next row: (K1, P1) 3 times, K1, work row 1 of chart using Yarn B, P1, patt to end.
Maintaining moss st edging round motif, work 9 rows of chart as set.

Chart

When chart complete, continue in moss st and Yarn A only, dec 1 st at each end of every 10th row until 12 sts rem.

Continue working on these 12 sts only until work measures 53 inches (135cm), ending with a RS row.

Change to Yarn B, and work 3 rows in garter stitch.
Cast off.
Darn in ends. Block lightly.