To do this, lay two strips in an L shape with right sides together, and then sew a diagonal line from the top left corner to the bottom right corner of the overlapping section: For more information, download the … Press the seam allowance open. Bias binding is made by cutting strips of fabrics on the bias – which is a 45º angle from the selvedge. I made the elephant and space quilts for my kids about 3 years ago and they are still holding strong! 48 ATLANTIC HWY US Route 1, NOBLEBORO ME, 04555, North & South American Region - Distributors, Eastern European (CIS) Region - Distributor, Asian & Middle Eastern Region - Distributor. You can then sew these strips together to make continuous bias binding. We need a half yard of a 40" wide usable WOF to make the needed continuous bias binding. For instance, if you want a 1/2" binding, mark the strip width 3". 2. Strips are cut 1⅞" wide. With right sides together, sew the triangles together with a 1/4″ seam and press open. I’m a sucker for bias binding on everything for one simple reason – it wears better than straight grain binding. Making a continuous bias strip. I also show you my favorite way of storing bias … A square of fabric is cut in preparation to make bias binding. Mark adjacent parallel lines for the width of the bias strip you want. The diagrams shown illustrate a 5⁄8-yard length of 42"-wide fabric. Next: you draw lines parallel with the bias edge – at the desired distance (the width of your binding). For your continuous binding strip, use a less noticeable marker like a Bohin Mechanical Chalk pencil or graphite pencil. To get 300 inches of 3″ bias binding: sq = √(300 x 3) sq = 30. If you are using a bias binding tape maker you can miss this part of the tutorial as this is the manual way to make it. Step 1. Step 4. Begin cutting on the first drawn line. Look for sale and clearance fabrics that would make great binding . Step 3. Do you wish there was an easier way to make bias tape without having to cut lots of strips and sew them together? The resulting two strips should make an L shape. Moving to the right, we see that a 1/4 yard yields 168"—not enough. Since the square is so large, I find it easier to fold the square in half on the diagonal, making sure the corners are well lined up. Press the seam allowance open. The square is cut on-grain at this point. 12" x 12" square = 60" of binding. Note: If a double fold binding is desired, mark the width 6 times by the desired finished binding width. If you desire a single fold binding, mark the desired finished width, double it, plus add your desired seam allowance for both sides of the strip. (unless you want double fold bias binding in which case you multiply by six). Depending on your project, you may need your bias strips flat, pressed in half, or with the raw edges folded in, the later of which is most easily achieved with a bias tape maker! To make things easy for you, I have created this cheat sheet. Find the true bias by folding the square in half diagonally. Method 1. (Optional) If you want to make scrappy binding, you could follow the continuous bias binding method above to make scrappy bias binding, as I did with a square of strips. Continuous Bias Cheat Sheet . First, I suggest knowing the total amount of bias needed for your project. *The mathematical formula for this is: Multiply the number of inches around the quilt (the perimeter) by the width of your bias binding strips. Cut along the marked lines. This is a very easy to make long long bias tape. It won’t take long at all and it saves so much fabric because you don’t have to cut it on the bias! In the left column, "Cut Width of Binding Strips, find 1⅞". Sew a Continuous Binding Strip You need to sew the strips you’ve just cut into one long strip of binding that you will then sew all around the edge of the quilt. But you'll notice there are plenty of bits that came out rather wonky! You can use either of these methods to produce different types of bias binding. Refer to your pattern or measure the total area. All those marked lines create now a continuous spiral. Keep the strips right sides together across each other a little extended at the edges. Here’s how to make continuous binding using a square of fabric sewn with 2 simple seams: 1. Read how we use cookies and how you can control them in our "Cookie Settings". The Sewing Loft–Continuous Bias Binding Cheatsheet. When creating binding for a project that is curved, we recommend that you use a bias binding. If your fabric piece is a different size, the folded fabric may look different, although the instructions will be the same. Fabric that is cut on the bias is cut from one corner to the other of the fabric. With scissors, cut the binding in one continuous strip, starting at the offset overhang and cutting along the marked lines. Whichever method you use you'll start with deciding how wide you want your finished binding to be and multiply that by four. To get everyone on their merry way of stitching, I have created this easy cheat sheet. Fold your square in half on the diagonal and lightly press. The result is a continuous strip of bias binding. Decide how wide you need the binding to be, and mark lines on the wrong side of the fabric using a ruler (refer to c in the preceding figure). Refer to chart to find the size square needed. Create a Continuous Binding Strip for Your Quilt, Framing Your Quilt with a Beautiful Border, Quilting Basics: Choosing Cotton to Match Your Style. Luckily, this tutorial simplifies the process of making bias tape by allowing you to avoid stitching each individual strip together, hence the name continuous bias tape. For instance, if you want a 1/2" binding with 1/2" seam allowance, your strip would be 2". Length of bias needed (l) x width of bias (w) = square inches of fabric needed (s). Also, fabric cut on the bias doesn’t fray. Make sure the left (cut) edge and bottom edge are lining up with the markings on the … Calculate yardage needed for your binding. Make it once and forget about it. By using our site, you consent to our use of cookies. Begin cutting on the first drawn line. I generally make 2" bias binding. Draw a line with a pencil between the two points where the two strips cross. Cut the square in half diagonally ( Diagram I ). Press the seam open. When making bias strips for your quilt, you can either create one long strip or cut individual strips and then sew them together to get the length you need. With right sides together, pin the short sides so that the first drawn line on side 1 is matching the second drawn line on side 2, offsetting by one line. For the next steps in our quilt binding instructions, we've used a black Sharpie to make it easier to see the markings. Making your own continuous bias binding it’s gonna make your life a lot easier and simplify your sewing projects since you have the right bias tape on hand, all the time. Make sure you're accurate, use a ruler and check twice! Steps: 1. From a Rectangle of Fabric Formula. Mark the diagonal line. Make your own bias binding tape. This is the grain of fabric with the most stretch, which helps the bias binding you’re making work nicely on curves such as necklines and armholes. You now have a trapezoid shape with two bias edges (upper and lower). A more proper way to make scrappy bias binding is detailed at JaybirdQuilts' Quilt Binding Basics Part 3. The Sewing Loft–Formula for Continuous Bias. Step 2. Copyright ©2020 Janome America, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Make Continuous bias binding tape. Use short stitches (1.5 or 2 mm), you will be cutting across this seam and you don’t want it to come apart. Stretch the edge to make sure it is the bias … Using a rotary cutter, cutting mat and acrylic ruler makes the process of cutting your bias strips quick and easy. To end up with a continuous binding strip, follow these steps: Cut a 44″ x 44″ square of fabric (with selvages removed) in half diagonally to make two large triangles (see a in the following figure). Sew on the line marked at ¼’’ from the edges. Making diagonal folds allows you to create bias binding strips without having to measure and draw lines all the way across your fabric. Sew the two sides together to form a tube, using a 1/4" seam allowance. Make Continuous Crosswise Grain Quilt Binding Strips . But, it is better for using less fabric, as well as getting longer strips. The square needs to be cut in half once on the diagonal. (Remember, for 3/8″ bias binding you’ll want to cut the strips 1 1/2″ wide.) On fabric wrong side long edges, draw lines to make … Lay the fabric strip on a flat surface wrong side up. The new shape must be a parallelogram (bias edge parallel with bias edge and the straight cut edges parallel) – pay attention to this step and half of the job is done. Draw several vertical lines to represent the grain of the fabric. Two times the side measurement of the … Practice cutting bias strips with a sheet of notebook paper on which you have drawn lines with a marker. For example if you want a 1/4 inch wide finish on your hem you want to cut 1 inch wide strips. Continue turning the tube, cutting on the drawn lines. The square is cut on-grain at this point. Sew the two sides together to form a tube, using a 1/4" seam allowance. Starting from one angled side edge, begin measuring and drawing cutting lines on your fabric the width of your desired bias strips. Take the square root of that answer and add two inches. 13" x 13" square = 72" of binding. Your lightly pressed centre line will be the line that we will base all other bias strips off and it will become the centre of your first (and biggest) strip of bias binding. To end up with a continuous binding strip, follow these steps: Cut a 44″ x 44″ square of fabric (with selvages removed) in half diagonally to make two large triangles (see a in the following figure). To quickly cut binding strips on the bias, start with a fabric square or rectangle. So you need a 30″ square to make 300″ of 3″ continuous bias binding. ***These instructions are for making 2 inch wide bias cut strips, which will result in … Using the strip width determined earlier, cut strips from selvage to selvage until you've cut enough fabric to surpass the required length. This is about the easiest way I’ve learned it! By making a continuous bias strip, very little fabric is wasted. Stitch the short ends of the fabric together (right sides facing), off-setting the lines by one strip line to form a funny-looking tube (refer to d in the preceding figure). Both the cutting mat and the acrylic ruler have lines at a 45-degree angle to help you find the bias. Stitch the triangles together along the short edges to make the shape shown in b in the preceding figure. The easy way to make short length bias tapes is to find the 45 angle across the fabric surface. Pin straight of grain edges of the triangles right sides together. Bias … 3b. You’ll need a 14 1/2 inch square —– to make approximately 94 inches of a 2 inch wide bias strip. The mark needs to last through the marking, pinning and sewing that follows. This is the size of the square you need to cut for bias binding. Then sew on this line. Join them together diagonally as in the picture. Cut a square on the straight of grain. Draw lines the desired width of the binding strip. To make longer continuous bias binding, you can use a rectangle instead of a square or cut two squares on the bias and sew them together to make a larger parallelogram. So Sew Easy–Continuous Bias Binding Calculator. The strips have angled ends that make it … Cheryl Fall is the author of 12 how-to books, has designed more than 2,500 projects for publication, and is the host of The Creative Life with Cheryl Fall on PBS. You’ll need a 20 1/2 inch square —– to make approximately 191 inches of a 2 inch wide bias strip. Okay, I did make strips on a 30 degree bias, but I realized that the angles at the ends would not be 45 degrees, so I made the strips the old-fashioned way. For this tutorial, I am going to start with a 12-inch square, which will produce about 60-inches of 2-inch wide bias tape. Cutting from the trimmed edge, cut the desired-width bias binding strips. 15" x15" square = 100" of binding It’s a handy little tool which comes in different sizes depending on the width of the binding you are wanting to make and I highly recommend them! If you are using the bias binding tape maker, there are three sizes to choose from or cut to a customizable size to make manually. But you can make bias binding perfectly fine without one and I show you how to do this below as well. We use cookies to offer you a better browsing experience, analyze site traffic, personalize content, and serve targeted ads. This will allow for a 1/2" seam allowance and the fold over. Continue to draw the lines all the way across your fabric until you reach the other side. Don't join strips with straight seams across their ends, because that method creates a binding with seam allowances that travel from the front of the quilt to the back in a straight line, resulting in too much bulk in one spot. 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