Bias tape is so useful in creating facings, bindings, and finishing the projects you’ve worked so hard on. In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through how to create single and double fold bias binding. From there, you’ll learn how to sew it into your projects, and even make your own from the fabrics you choose.
Making your own bias tape gives you more freedom and flexibility when it comes to the overall look and feel of your project. By creating your own bias tape, you can match the fabric perfectly, use higher quality fabric for a more professional looking finish, and have more control over the fabric weight, color, and quality. It’s a win win!
Making your own bias tape can be quick and easy without much extra waste. In today’s tutorial, I’ll walk you through how to make your own from scrap pieces of fabric you have leftover.
Bias Tape Supplies
- Bias Tape Maker
- A Rectangle of Fabric
- Ruler
- Iron
- Basic Sewing Kit
How To Make Bias Tape
Start out with a rectangle of fabric. Fold it in half diagonally to find the bias.
Tip: Your fabric has more stretch on the diagonal (bias), which gives it the flexibility we all love in a quality bias tape.
Next, decide how wide you need your bias tape to be and double it. For example, if you’d like to make 1/2″ bias tape, cut your fabric to 1″. For a 1″ bias tape, you’ll cut 2″ strips of fabric.
To cut your fabric strips, use your Ruler 
After your strips of fabric are cut, they will have diagonal edges. Trim these edges off and square the ends to create a 90 degree angle.
If the bias tape you’ll need is longer than one of your strips of fabric, we’ll want to sew a few together to create one continuous piece. If the piece you need is as long as your fabric now, skip the next few steps and move straight to ironing your bias tape.
If you’d like to make a longer piece, face the right sides together and pin two of the bias pieces to create a 90 degree angle and pin into place.
Use a straight stitch with a short stitch length to sew a straight line diagonally across the square of fabric where the bias strips meet.
Trim the excess fabric to create 1/4″ to 1/8″ seam allowance.
Spread and press the seam allowance open so the fabric lays flat. Believe it or not you are almost done creating bias tape!
Finally, feed your strip of fabric through the Bias Tape Maker with the wrong sides facing up, making sure you are using the correct size to create the tape width you want. Bias Tape Makers come in different sizes from 1/4″ all the way up to 2″ When the fabric comes out the other side, you’ll see that the fabric is neatly folded on either side and ready to be ironed.
Once your strip is ironed flat, the bias tape will be ready for use.
If you’d like to make double fold bias tape, just fold your fabric strip in half again and press. Be sure to use a Bias Tape Maker that is double your initial measurement since it will be folded in half again. (Use a 2″ bias tape maker if you’d like a 1″ double folded bias tape.)
Now that you know how to make your own bias tape, I hope you use this technique for your upcoming projects! I love using bias tape to create easy facings around armholes and necklines and also to create beautiful bindings to encase raw edges when I’m finishing up a project.
How To Sew Bias Tape
- Stay-stitch 1/4″ away from the raw edge to prevent the fabric from stretching as you work with it. You’ll want to do this especially if your fabric has any stretch to it!
- Open your bias tape and place the top edge against the raw edge of your fabric, with the right sides toegther.
- Sew the fabric to your bias tape using a straight stitch inside the crease of your bias tape.
- Fold the seam allowance up so it’s encased in your bias tape.
- Fold your bias tape onto the inside of your project. Pin into place.
- Topstitch through all layers of your fabric and bias tape to secure in place. Your raw edge should be fully encased and your project now has a beautifully decorative trim on the inside.
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