8-03-07 link updated for move to shutterfly
1-22-07 link updated for the new yahoo.
This is an update on a tip I previously posted, because a few people requested images to help visualize this [click web link above for images].
For those who don't have the bias tape makers, or don't have the right size needed, there is a cooler way of making it other than pressing the strips in half, then opening, folding and ironing each raw edge to the middle.
The trick is to use a long pin, and pin it into your ironing board. First pin it in and out, then skip the distance you want the width of the single fold bias tape, then pin in and out again. Just to help this be visualized, if you wanted 1/4 inch double fold bias tape, you would catch the pin in the ironing board, skip over 1/2 inch, then catch the pin in the ironing board again.
Next, push the strip of fabric you've cut underneath the pin in the skipped space. As you pull it through, fold the edges in until they meet in the center. Now that you've got them evenly folded in, pull the fabric back to near the beginning. Once you've got it going right, it wants to keep going that way because the pin is holding it.
Now you start ironing. Press that first inch or so, then pull a little more fabric through, press it, pull more through, press, etc. Once you've got enough pressed that it's longer than the width of your iron, you can just set the iron down on the fabric, use one hand to guide the fabric, and one hand to pull it through.
After you've done all the single fold bias, you can change the width of the skipped space on the pin to half as wide. Now it will hold the double fold bias, as you make the second fold and iron it.
I saw this done on "Simply Quilts" on TV, and I had to try it immediately...it really works great for bias or straight binding.
|
|Login|Help]
Thanks Ardis for this tip and the excellent drawn diagram.
10/25/05 5:18 AM
Thanks! I am going to tackle my first bias tape waist for a skirt tonight, and this was just what I needed. Great illustration!
10/25/05 10:19 AM
Great tip! Thanks for sharing it. I'm more of a visual person and the picture did it for me!
10/25/05 11:34 AM
Thanks so much for this tip and ALL the others you've posted. You really do come up with great "thinking out of the box" tips. Why didn't I think of that????
10/25/05 2:46 PM
Great tip! Thanks.
10/26/05 10:05 AM
How cool! It makes me want to get an ironing board :) This is very helpful for preparing warm weather wardrobes with Hong Kong finishes.
2/28/06 11:50 AM
1368 viewers yet rated only 14 times for such a fantastic tip???? Keep em coming Ardis your fab.
4/12/06 9:49 PM
Quite something!
5/18/06 11:42 AM
I can't wait to try it. My daughter told me about this method but I had a hard time visualizing it. This looks easy!
6/11/06 8:18 PM
Nifty. Thanks for sharing this.
8/29/06 11:36 AM
Great tip! I HATE bias binding, but now it might not be so painful!
7/23/07 1:53 AM