Hi Emily,

I would love some suggestions for making my own (successful) bias tapes for binding necklines, seams, etc.

Thank you!

Ellen
Shelburne, Vermont, United States

Hi Ellen,

Bias binding is one of those things that you can do in countless different ways, so I will show you the method I use for making my own bias binding.

BIAS BINDING - AN INTRO

Bias binding is a strip of fabric cut on the bias (diagonal to the grainline / selvedge) that can be used in a variety of applications. By cutting the fabric on the bias, it gives the fabric a small amount of stretch, which makes it ideal for finishing curves and wrapping around seams (in the case of bias bound seams).

You can make your own bias binding or purchase it by the metre / yard from a store. If purchasing, you will need to buy 25mm (1in) single fold bias binding for the following applications.

If you are making it yourself (for the application method I am showing you), you will need to cut 3.5cm (1½in) strips from a square of fabric and then fold the bias binding with a bias tape maker (18mm (¾in) size) or fold and press by hand - more details on this below. The reason for the difference in width is that when buying pre-made bias binding, the width on the label refers to the width of the exposed part of the binding, rather than the width of the binding when it's pressed flat.

GETTING STARTED

Here at In the Folds, we recommend using a lightweight cotton fabric for binding, such as cotton lawn or cotton shirting. Consider using a contrasting colour or print to add a fun pop of colour to the inside of your garment. You can use the same fabric that your garment is being made from, just be careful with heavyweight or bulky fabrics.

The bias grain of the fabric runs at a 45 degree angle to the selvedges. Before cutting binding strips from a piece of fabric, ensure the fabric is square. This will ensure you cut the fabric on the true bias.

Bias binding is a great way to use up small bits of fabric leftover from other projects. Consider cutting binding when you are cutting your project and setting it aside so you have it ready to go the next time you need binding.

CUTTING BIAS BINDING

Take your square of fabric and fold along the diagonal. Press and then carefully cut along the crease.

Take one of the triangles of fabric and fold in half again and press (you can use the other one if you need more binding - otherwise set aside for next time). The cut edge of the fabric should be running along the bottom of the triangle.

Flip back one corner and line up bottom edges. Press.

Repeat on the other side.

Check that all layers are lined up neatly along the bottom edge. Mark binding width 3.5cm (1½in) with a clear ruler and chalk. Pin through all layers before cutting with scissors or rotary cutter.

Alternatively, you can just use a long ruler and rotary cutter and skip the pinning. It depends how confident you are and if your fabric will remain in place.

*If you would like narrower binding, calculate by thinking about the seam allowance on the seam you will be attaching the binding to, the amount you would like exposed on the inside of the garment, plus the amount required to fold the raw edge under. You will also need require a little wiggle room to account for the folds in the fabric. This is the reason we cut ours at 3.5cm:

1cm seam allowance to attach to the seam
1cm exposed binding on the inside
1cm seam allowance to fold back the raw edge
0.5cm "wiggle room" to account for the folds (it is always better to need to trim binding down, rather than not have enough to achieve a nice finish).

Remove pins and square off each end of the strips by cutting the binding at a right angle.

CUTTING BIAS BINDING FROM DELICATE OR SLIPPERY FABRICS

If you fabric is flimsy or prone to stretching (e.g silk chiffon / organza, viscose, rayon or a knit) I take an extra precaution, by sandwiching the fabric between two layers of paper. I use this same method for cutting garments from these types of fabrics too.

To start, take a large sheet of paper. I love dot and cross paper, and use it for everything I do, but if all you have is blank paper, that will work fine too!

Draw a line at a 45 degree angle across the page. If you are using dot and cross paper, you just need to follow the dots or the crosses diagonally to create a straight line.

If you are using a blank sheet of paper, you can either use a set square to get the correct angle, or you can draw a large square / rectangle and match the diagonals. Either diagonal will work, so take your pick.

Now you need to consider the width of the binding you would like to make.

Using your first diagonal line as a guide, draw a second line the width of your binding away from the first line. Continue drawing lines until you have enough binding (I like to cut more than I need so that I always have a bit on stand-by).

Lay your fabric on top of another sheet of paper, matching the selvedge up with the edge of the paper. If your fabric is really prone to moving (or rolling - in the case of some knits) you can pin the selvedge to the edge of the paper. Next, place your bias guidelines on top of the fabric. Again, line up the straight edge of the paper with the selvedge of the fabric.

Use weights (or whatever you have lying around) to hold the paper in position. Pin in place, along each individual bias strip.

Cut along the diagonal lines, cutting through all three layers, and when they're all done, remove the pins. This can be down with a rotary cutter to speed up the process.

Alternatively, you can use a rotary cutter if you like.

CREATING LONGER STRIPS

For longer seams you may need to join pieces of binding together.

With right sides together, align two bias pieces together at a 90-degree angle. Mark a diagonal line, joining the "corners" of the square that has been created by the overlapping binding pieces. Pin along line.

Stitch along line.

Trim seam allowance down to 6mm (¼in).

Press seam allowances open.

You can use the same method to form a loop of bias binding, if you are attaching to an armhole or neckline.

I know that some people prefer the continuous loop method of making long lengths of binding. If you are curious to see what that method is about, look here.

PRESSING BINDING

You can use your binding as is, although it does make it more manageable and much easier to sew, if you fold it before sewing.

You can do this by feeding the binding through an 18mm (¾in) size bias maker and press, or press by hand - pressing each long edge in by 1cm (⅜in). You could also try this clever way of folding binding that I saw on the By Hand London blog that involves using a pin on an ironing board that you can feed the binding through.

SEWING BINDING

If you're now feeling ready to give using your own binding a try, you can use the below tutorials for some tips on sewing bias binding to your garments.

Attaching single fold bias binding
Attaching double fold bias binding
Or if, you'd like to try out bias bound seams (pictured above), check out the Flynn jacket or Hove jacket pattern.

Happy sewing,

Emily

resources mentioned in this issue

Nerdy sewing tips: How to make & store bias binding (without fancy gadgets) - By Hand London can be found here.
Q&A Series - Attaching single fold bias binding. Tutorial can be found here.
Q&A Series - Attaching double fold bias binding. Tutorial can be found here.
Flynn jacket pattern can be found here.
Hove jacket pattern can be found here.

P.S. Would you like to know what the Q & A series is all about? This page tells you a little bit more about the motive behind the series. Past issues from the Q & A series can be found here.

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