{Quick Tutorial} How To Make Bias Binding

Whilst there are a huge number of bias bindings in all colours, patterns and widths, do you ever find you just cant find the right one to bind that quilt/edge that apron/finish that project??

Well look no more and keep on reading!  We may just have the answer :) A fab little gadget came into the shop a couple of months ago so thought I'd put together a tutorial on how to use it!  

For this you will need:

- Bias Tape Maker (I prefer the 25mm one but it also comes as 12mm) 

- 1 Fat Quarter of fabric (I used Anthology Raining Rainbows - Spots)

- ruler

- scissors

- iron and ironing board

- sewing machine

1. Cut your FQ so its a square, then cut diagonally so you have two triangles.

2. Lay out and pin as per the diagram below then stitch along the pinned edge using a 1/4" seam.  Iron the seam open.

3. You will end up with, what I believe is called, a parallelogram (maths was never my strong point).  At this point, draw lines length ways 45mm apart.  Depending on how big your FQ is, you may need to trim a little from one of the long edges.

4. Putting right sides together, bring the short sides together and pin, matching up your pencil lines.  Sew using a short straight stitch and you'll end up with a tube kind of thing (technical, I know).

5. Starting at one end, cut along the lines so you end up with a continuous strip of fabric.  You'll almost be cutting around the tube shape, if you see what I mean?!

6.  This is the fun bit!  Feed one end of the fabric strip into the tape maker, right side down.

7. Pin one end of the fabric of to the ironing board and as the fabric feeds out of the tape maker, carefully press it with the iron (I dont want to state the ridiculously obvious but please be careful the iron is hot and it gets quite close to your fingers)

8. Keep that going until you reach the end of the tape.  You may need to go back over some part a few times, including where you've stitched the seams.

9. Ta dah!  Lovely bias binding that you can make to match ANYTHING!!  

Rhi @ The Sewing Boutique x x

p.s. a few tips...this works better with thicker cottons or cottons with a slightly stiffer texture.  The Anthology fabric I used in this worked out well but did keep slipping.  

Also, any square of fabric would work, doesnt need to be a FQ, could be bigger or smaller.  A FQ will make around 2.5 metres of bias binding as a guide.