How To: Make Your Own Bias Tape

How To: Make Your Own Bias Tape

Bias tape is extremely versatile. You can use it to finish off edges to almost anything. Imagine a pot holder, the edging is almost always bias tape. This very useful cut of fabric is also used on things like aprons as well as on clothing items. Bias Tape literally wraps and finishes the raw edge of your sewing project.

The white neck line of this shirt is finished with a bias tape binding.

 

What you will need

Fabric, Scissors, Ruler, fabric pen or pencil, iron

Step by step

To start you will need to decide how long you want your bias tape to be. You can decide this by measuring the edges of where it will be. This distance will then tell you how much fabric you need. Bias tape is cut “on the bias” or at a 45 degree angle.

 

The best way to start is to open up the fabric and find the perfect right angle. You can measure both ways the same distance to make sure you have a square. Then fold the ends together and iron the edge. Be careful not to stretch this edge out of shape. After ironing unfold and cut along this crease.

From this new cut edge use your ruler to measure over the appropriate amount for the correct size binding. Because bias tape is measured by width, the standard 1/2” bias tape is 2” wide when opened up and when sewn and finished covers approx. 1/2” around the edge.

 

After you have cut your width, iron it in half. Then start with one side and fold toward the center (pressed) line. Iron again. Then fold and press the other side towards the center. You can leave it at this stage for sewing or you can fold in half again and press to make sure you have stiff pressed lines. You will use these to sew on. TA DA you have just created bias tape!!!!

 

Next you will need to choose what you are finishing, this is where your project edge will become finished.

Line up one side of your bias tape to the edge of your project. You will place the right side of the bias tape to the wrong (inside) of the project. Then pin and sew along your pressed line (seam allowance) For 1/2" bias tape, your seam allowance will also be 1/2".

 

The amount or width you want as the finished edge should be multiplied by 4 and that total is the amount that you would cut. This accounts for seam allowance.

 

 

After sewing one side to the project it will still look like raw edges and kind of inside out. You will then need to fold over the bias tape towards the right side (outside) of the garment. Then pin and topstitch along the edge of the folded edge of the bias tape. Be careful and take your time this is the outside of your project and it will be seen when you are finished.

 

Now you are done! Congratulations on binding your project with bias tape!!!

 BUT WAIT!!!!! MY PROJECT HAS CURVES!!!!

 

 Never fear! The picture to the left is a mock shirt neck, if you are sewing a shirt please sew it together before binding the edge. This is just to show you how it will look to bind a curve. Start by lining up and pinning the edge of your bias tape with the right side to the wrong side of your project. Sew along your pressed line. If you try to fold over and top stitch at this point (like the straight line tutorial) your project will be bunchy and not look right!!!!

YOU HAVE TO CLIP!!!

Please, please, please, take my advice any time you have corners or curves you need to clip. In this case you will be clipping out triangles. This removes the extra fabric that will bunch together. Clip the triangles with the point towards the seam line. Be extra careful not to cut the seam line or you will have to go back and sew over and reinforce it if you do cut the line.

 

Once you have clipped the excess out now you are ready to fold the rest of the bias tape over to the right side of the fabric and top stitch.

 

Once again, take your time with your topstitching. People will see your squiggly lines because this is the outside of your project!!! PRESS your project for a nice finished look!

 

 

 

And there you have it!

Congratulations on completing you bias binding project! Have any suggestions for a tutorial you would like to see? Please email us!

How To: Make a Child's Nightgown from an Adult T-shirt

 

 

 

 

     So I started this project because children's nightgowns have become very thin and cheap in my opinion. Every time I go to the store to buy something I look at the nightgowns and decide against purchasing and always saying " I could make that" in my head. Problem is, I usually don't get around to actually making it. I am proud to say this is the one time I came home on a full speed mission.

 

     This project took me 3 hours (with many little interruptions). I would estimate it could go together within an hour based on your sewing speed. I started with a nightgown that we bought a while ago. I used this as my pattern. I also grabbed an old t-shirt that I would have been donating.

 

 

Supplies You will need:

 

Scissors, Straight pins, a ruler, Child's nightgown for pattern, t-shirt, sewing machine, (serger optional)

 
 

 

 

     The great thing about t-shirt material is that it will not fray on you so you really don't need a serger but you can certainly use one if you have one.

 

 

Let's Begin!!!

 

 

 

 

     First you will want to make sure your child size nightgown will fit within your t-shirt size. This t-shirt was an adult medium. next cut off the sleeves and cut down the sides (as close to the seam as you can so it's not uneven). Then separate just the front piece. Line up the neck (the front neckline of the nightgown) to the neck line of the t-shirt. You will be using the original neck to avoid having to finish off your new nightgown!!Make sure the shoulder line is touching the shoulder of the original t-shirt (even if only at the corner of the neck). Next fold in the sleeves of the nightgown down to the

arm hole seam. Cut around this (one) side of the night gown from the shoulder- through the arm hole and down to the bottom at the side. Leave about 1/2" seam allowance all the way around the nightgown. SAVE YOUR SCRAPS!!You will need little extras for later, don't throw anything away until you are completely done.



 

Your new neck opening should look like this:

 

 

     Next, fold the cut side over to the non-cut side and cut around it to make both sides even. Cut across the bottom evenly to make a nice straight bottom. Then line up the front to the back at the shoulders and cut around the back so you have a front and back of the nightgown. Line up the shoulders with the right sides of the nightgown together pin the shoulders and stitch straight across> Just sew the shoulders right now (don't get too excited and sew anything else just yet).

 

 

 

     Now on to the sleeves!!! The picture at the top left is the sleeve just as it was cut from the shirt with the folded edge pointing upward. Next place the child's nightgown sleeve on top of the shirt sleeve lining up the original edge of the sleeve this will once again help you because it will be less finishing at the end!!! Then pin down the child's sleeve so it stays in place. Flip the child's nightgown over so you can see the edge of the arm hole. Cut leaving 1/2" seam allowance. Note: your new sleeve should have this shape (bottom picture) and this is folded in half.

 

 

     Line your sleeve up. Start by placing the sleeve facing down (look at the finished edge if you get confused). Place a pin in the center of the sleeve matching it up to the center of the shoulder. Then also line up the side and center in between these two (third picture) Doing it this way gives you "landmarks" and then you can continue to go in between each of these pins until you have pinned the entire sleeve in the armhole. Sew this armhole opening. Tip: while pinning and/or sewing stretch the fabric and it will line up and lay flat against one another.

 

Your sewn arm opening should look like this. The side seams are not yet sewn.

         

 

 

Line up your sides and bottom of the sleeves with right sides together. They should line up like the picture on the left. Pin all the way down (right) and sew together.

 

 

     Go back to your scraps and cut off the finished edge of the original shirt. Leave a small amount above the original stitches when you cut. Line them up to the new nightgown and make sure you have just enough. Cut down to correct size if needed.   Next, pin the hem to the nightgown and stitch down on top of the original stitches.

 

 

TA-DA!!!





 

Now you can add details.... if you want..... or  maybe not?

Here's what I did:

 

 

     And there you have it!