How to Sew Quick and Easy Bias Bindings
I'm selective of when I pin and when I don't pin. Lots of times, production sewists use few pins (if any) in order to eliminate steps and speed up the process. While I'm all for speed, sometimes pinning can also save me time by ensuring I don't make a mistake that I will have to go back and seam rip.
When it comes to bias binding I find that pins are unnecessary if you have already gained enough muscle memory and confidence to sew it by placing it as you go. In this post and video tutorial, I'll show you how I sew bias binding quickly and efficiently. While I know there's room to add trimming and clipping, I have also found it's not all that necessary for the result I like. If you have more time and desire to trim and clip - do it. I hope it's helpful for the Fair Fit Method students who are following along and crafting this design, as well as for any of you readers who are looking to learn more approaches to sewing these fine details. My private lesson students have asked for this video tutorial for quite awhile and I'm happy to include it here on the blog so everyone can learn.
I love to make my own bias tape out of scraps of fabric or fat quarters of fabric that I have on hand. Usually in a collection, I will use the same bias tape for each garment in the capsule so that they all have consistency and it's a secret way of remembering that they all go together. Making my own bias is also an added bonus of those little details that matter when you are able to make your own clothes and choose exactly what materials and colors go into your wardrobe.
For Fair Fit raw finish garments, I like to use bias to finish off the armholes and neckline because it adds extra stability and keeps them from stretching out when I wear them. In the other sewing methods, I really don't have to use bias because the clean finish sewing method eliminates it's role and necessity. Since the garments in this summer series are all new drafts of patterns and explorations in customizations I haven't before attempted, they are all raw finish so that I can make alterations in the process.
But by using the bias, it helps me add finishing and makes these exploration garments more durable and wearable so that I can enjoy the work I just put into designing them. If I wear and love the designs, then I can explore the other sewing methods like clean finish, serged and sewn, and patched and pieced that I teach in the Fair Fit Method online courses.
The process from the video
Leave 1/4 to 3/8 an inch extra at the end to fold later in the process.
Line up the unfolded edge of the bias with the edge of the garment. You must be extra careful and unfold and carefully place as you go.
Stitch in the ditch.
In the video, I also show you how to join bias tape together to create greater length.
For the armhole, begin sewing 1/2 an inch from the edge, leaving the extra to later fold in the process. Sew using the same process as above.
When you get back to where you started, fold the 1/2 extra toward the direction you just sewed.
Then overlap the last bit of bias over the folded bias and pin.
Trim all seams if needed. Press and fold the bias toward the inside of the garment.
Fold and tuck the ends of the bias at the corners to refine and sew.
Sew about 1/16 an inch away from the folded edge of the bias as shown.
Fold the bias as you go, using your hands to press into the cloth to hold it in place.
If you want to create your own custom self sewn clothes and like this way of learning, I want to invite you to check out my signature online courses, the Fair Fit Method. It is a series of online sewing and fashion design courses that will teach you how to create custom clothing for yourself that adapts to your personal shape and style. Using the Fair Fit pattern and the 6 core areas of focus - design, pattern, draping, check fit, sewing, and customization, you can create your own artistically and intentionally designed wardrobe using the step by step videos in each course. To learn more and read the full course descriptions visit the full website here:
