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HOW TO SEW BIAS BINDING

Bias binding is such a useful technique and it’s not difficult to master, like everything a little practise makes perfect. Bias binding is a great way to finish the raw edge of a garment. It is hugely versatile and can be used on necklines, armholes, hems, pretty much anywhere really. You can buy ready made binding from your local haberdashery shop. I like to make my own and use up some of those scraps!

There are really two types of binding for our purposes:

DOUBLE BIAS BINDING

Will show on the right side of the garment. It can be decorative if made in a contrasting fabric.

SINGLE BIAS BINDING

It can be used in lieu of a facing on an armhole or neckline. Apart from a row of topstitching, only be seen on the inside.

In this tutorial I’ll show you how to attach your bias binding tape. If you want to know how to cut, join, press and sew bias binding, go check out my BIG BIAS BINDING TUTORIAL.

How To sew Double Bias Binding

Double bias binding is used when you want to see it on the right side of a garment. It is both decorative and practical. YAY, One of my favourite combo’s!

Maven Patterns Bias binding tutorial 01

Take your prepared binding and pin RIGHT side of binding to the RIGHT side of garment. Align the raw edges together. Machine stitch along the fold.

TIP: if you are binding a thicker fabric or a few layers of fabric, take a smaller seam allowance so you have extra binding where you need it to help accommodate that extra bulkiness.

Maven Patterns Bias binding tutorial 02

Press binding AWAY from the garment.

Maven Patterns Bias binding tutorial 03

Wrap binding over to the raw edge to WRONG side of garment. Position the folded edge of binding so your machine stitching is covered by a few millimetres. Pin to hold. Tack right on the edge of the binding to hold into place. Ensure you catch all the binding on the reverse side and just cover the machine stitch. Keep an even distance away from the binding on the front. Take your time to get this right now, the tack line will be a guide to your topstitching!

Maven Patterns Bias binding tutorial 04

TWO OPTIONS TO FINISH:

OPTION 1: EDGE STITCH ON THE BINDING

Maven Patterns Bias binding tutorial 07
Maven Patterns Bias binding tutorial 06

Top stitch the binding to finish

With the right side of your garment facing you, edge stitch the binding. As long as you stitch to the inside of your tacking stitch, you know you’ve caught the back of the binding!

OPTION 2: If you don’t want your stitching to show on your binding try this method…

Finish your binding by Stitching in the Ditch (also known as sink stitch).

‘Stitch in the Ditch’ is a really useful technique to know, good for finishing waistbands as well as bindings. When stitched in the same colour as your main fabric the stitch line practically disappears as it settles into the seam.

Maven Patterns Bias binding tutorial 11
Maven Patterns Bias binding tutorial 012

Position your machine needle in line with the groove (the ditch) of the seam, you are going to stitch right in that ditch, NEXT to the binding but not on it. And as long as you stitch to the inside of your tacking thread, you know you’ve caught your binding on the back 🙂

Just remove your tacking thread, and you’re done!

And another way to attach binding!

an alternative way to finish a raw edge

There is yet another way to attach bias binding to finish a raw edge!

This way was shared with me by Shelley, one of my lovely testers of the new Maven1832 patterns. Shelley was making the French dart with the bishop sleeve in a slippery fabric and found this was an easier way to attach the binding at the cuff.

It’s pretty similar to the above methods, except you attach to the wrong side of the fabric and flip binding to the right side of the fabric and stitch. This method only works with visible edgestitching but you might find it less fiddly if you are working with a tricky or slippery fabric.

It’s really a personal preference which way you prefer to sew your binding, but it’s always good to have more than one way to stitch something. Different fabrics do sometimes require a different method!

METHOD

Place the right side of binding to the wrong side of fabric and stitch in the fold to attach.

Fold binding over to the Right Side so all the raw edges are enclosed and the stitch line is covered. You can trim the seam allowance down a smidge if the biding doesn’t quite cover the stitch line.

And then, with the Right Side Up facing up, edgestitch the binding in place.

How To Sew Single Bias Binding

Single bias binding is used to finish a raw edge without it showing to the front of your garment, a great choice if you want a fuss free finish without a facing.

This isn’t everybody’s method, but this is the method I was taught by a sample machinist I worked with about 20 years ago, she called it the Cheat Method. I liked the method because it was quick and that binding NEVER frayed no matter how much I washed those garments (baby and kids clothes), must have been the combination of a folded edge and the extra understitching – great for linen fabrics.  I’ve used this many times over the years instead of a having a flappy facing. The only drawback is some fabrics are just too bulky, but just bind anything too thick with a contrasting fabric and make a feature of the inside!

MAVEN PATTERNS SINGLE BINDING TUTORIAL 01

PRESS: Fold your binding in half and press.

Version 2

ATTACH: Line up the raw edges of your binding with the raw edge of your garment, with right sides together.

DSC_0326
DSC_0335

Stitch with a 6mm seam allowance to attach.Press binding and seam allowances away from garment. Understitch (machine stitch an edge stitch through all the layers on the binding close to the seam.) The understitching is an optional step, there won’t be a disaster without it, but it does make the binding roll to the wrong side better and I think it makes the binding stronger.

Version 2

Tack along the edge of the binding to hold in place, this will also give you a guide line for your next row of stitching.

MAVEN PATTERNS SINGLE BINDING

Flip your garment over and topstitch with the right side up. If you stitch inside your tacking line so you know that you will catch all the binding!

(You can make narrower binding if you prefer…simple bit of maths… finished width of binding + seam allowance, x 2 = cutting width of binding.)

And that is how to sew bias binding!

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HOW TO USE THE LAYERS FEATURE WHEN PRINTING YOUR PDF PATTERN

Well hello again!

This is just a quick little guide to using the layers feature in Adobe Reader when printing your PDF sewing pattern.

The Layers tool is great, it means you can toggle sizes on and off and only print the size (or sizes) you want. I know, it’s really quite splendid! One snag, it’s currently only available on the desktop version, not the mobile App version of Adobe Reader.

So how does it work? Well, want to make a size 16?  Toggle off to ‘Hide’ the other sizes and just print that one size 16. Or, are you between a size 10 and 12? Turn off the other sizes and leave the two sizes you want visible before printing, this makes it easy to see and blend your between your sizes now. 

No more pick a line, and hope you’re cutting the correct one for your size, there only is your size. And, as a little added bonus, only printing the size you want saves ink too!

Oh yeah, like I said, layers is a great feature!

So you’re convinced LAYERS is amazing, so here’ s how to use the layers feature:

(Not convinced? You can just leave them all on and carry on as usual and print the full range of sizes)

Open up your layered pattern and make sure you are using the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.

MAVEN PATTERNS LAYERS TUTORIAL 2016

On the left you can see a menu, look for the LAYERS icon. It looks like 3 diamonds (or sheets of paper, I can’t decide) on top of each other.

MAVEN PATTERNS LAYERS TUTORIAL 2016

Click the LAYERS icon to open and a panel will fly out, showing two options. The first bar is for the Maker Instructions (the instructions have NO layers) and the second bar is for the PATTERN.

CLICK the + icon on the PATTERN HEADER BAR to release the DROP DOWN MENU.

MAVEN PATTERNS LAYERS TUTORIAL 2016

TA-DA! All the layers are listed so you can easily select your size(s). To toggle the layers on and off, just click the eyeball icon next to each layer name.

MAVEN PATTERNS LAYERS TUTORIAL 2016

Leave the eyeball ON to print a layer, eyeball OFF to hide a layer. Now you see it, now you don’t!

You can see two layers are locked, the pocket layer and the tiling layer that contains pattern and the print test square information relevant to every size, you really don’t want to turn those off by mistake.

TOP TIP: Before you print, just double-check you have everything you want to print selected because the only thing worse than a pattern with lots of lines, is a pattern without any lines!

So there you go, all the benefits of a layered pattern in one little post! Enjoy!

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The Maria Wrap Apron Reversible Tutorial

How to Make a Reversible Maria Apron

I’ve seen some lovely reversible  Maria Wrap Aprons appearing by way of the growing band of happy #mavenmakers. I’m so delighted to see your makes and you’re a very creative bunch!

I’ve had many-a-request for a tutorial of how to make a reversible version. It’s not too complicated, and as with most things there is always more than one way to do it, but this is the method I found the easiest.  Do feel free to share your process…I’m all about an easy make!

The Maria Wrap Apron Reversible Tutorial

Arm yourself with the original instructions – to keep this tutorial shorter you’ll need to refer back to them for the full maker instructions.

Be sure to use the seam allowances as stated in the instructions.

CUTTING OUT: we are making Version A of The Maria Apron in this tutorial.

  • Use the FRONT (pattern piece 1)
  • BACK (pattern piece 2),
  • POCKET (pattern piece 7) 
  • TOP STRAP PATTERN (pattern piece 3)
  • DO NOT cut understraps or facings.

CUT 1 set for body A in fabric choice 1 (I’ve used a striped ticking from Ditto fabrics)

Cut 1 set for body B in fabric choice 2 (ideally equal in weight and density to fabric A, so one fabric doesn’t show through the other when reversed.)

*Please forgive my fabric choice 2…I’m currently working on a ‘use fabric from the stash policy only’ or I end up wasting days looking for the ‘perfect’ cloth. So my reversible apron is less reversible, more lined and without pockets in calico.

FACINGS: do not cut in fabric, ONLY cut 1 set in fusible interfacing (I made mine 2cm narrower than the pattern)

UNDERSTITCHING: in the instructions when it tells you to understitch, DON’T – doesn’t apply to a reversible one.

OVERLOCKING/NEATENING OF SEAMS:  They’ll all be enclosed between the two layers so don’t bother. YAY!

Don’t forget to press as you go, that’s my very TOPPIEST TIP for a professional looking garment.

Test your topstitching tension, it’s going to need to look good on both sides of your garment.

STEP 1: INTERFACING

Maven Patterns: The Maria Wrap Apron reversible tutorial

Fuse the interfacing onto the wrong side of one of your fabrics, doesn’t matter which one, but I’d advise doing a little test first to make sure it doesn’t show through on your fabric (it really showed through on my calico).

Follow the instructions and make up bodies A + B of the Aprons, complete with pockets. Don’t overlock or neaten the seams, they’ll all be enclosed so as I said before, there is no point!

STEP 2: MAKE THE STRAPS

Maven Patterns: The Maria Wrap Apron reversible tutorial

Make up the straps (one A + one B for each strap) and turn through. This is where we deviate from the instructions…don’t understitch the straps. Normally you’d want those seams to sit to the underside of your strap (that’s why there is an understrap pattern, it’s slightly smaller so the seams roll to the underneath) but as we are doing a reversible one it needs to look good from both sides, so our seam is now going to sit exactly on the side, neither to the front OR the back. Practise on your straps – you’ve got to do the same on the armhole in a minute. Topstitch your straps, neatly does it, remember it’s going to show on both sides.

STEP 3: ARMHOLE

Maven Patterns: The Maria Wrap Apron reversible tutorial

Place body A + body B with RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER (RST), use a 6mm seam allowance and stitch together at the armholes only. Turn back to the right side, so the seam allowance is enclosed and press.

STEP 4: ATTACH STRAPS 

Follow the instructions and attach the straps to body A. Just check they’re correct before you continue, you’ll thank me if you’ve got it wrong. All good? Great, let’s carry on then…

STEP 5: FRONT NECKLINE

Maven Patterns: The Maria Wrap Apron reversible tutorial

With RST pin and then stitch A + B together. Cut off the bulk in the corners (as described in the instructions), turn back to the right side and press neckline flat.

STEP 6: BACK AND HEM

Maven Patterns: The Maria Wrap Apron reversible tutorial

With RST again, pin the backs together at the top edges (where the straps are placed) and then continue to pin down the back and all around the hem, make sure you line up the side seams.

Here’s the (not-so) secret to bagging out a fully lined/reversible garment, leave an opening to turn everything through – you are literally going to pull the whole apron through it after stitching to turn it to the right side. If you are just lining a garment (rather than making it reversible) I’d suggest leaving an opening on the side seam as it won’t show at all when you are wearing it. But, as this is reversible and has pockets that sit over the side seam, I’ve gone with leaving an opening on the back seam. It’s a personal choice thing…I could have just as easily left an opening at the hem.

Machine stitch A + B together, use the seam allowances stated in the instructions. Don’t forget to leave the opening on one side – mine is about 12cm long. Press your seam.

STEP 7: TRIM & PRESS

Maven Patterns: The Maria Wrap Apron reversible tutorialTrim away the excess seam allowance at the hem and around the curve so it will lie flat when turned through to the right side.

Turn the apron to the right side by pulling it through the opening. Now take your time and press the seam where you have joined A + B together, again you want that seam to sit exactly on the side so it neither favours A or B.

STEP 8: FINISH!

Maven Patterns: The Maria Wrap Apron reversible tutorial

Close the opening with a slip stitch, you shouldn’t be able to see your stitching when you’ve finished. Now you can topstitch around your Apron (all in the instructions). Personally, I left that stage off…

A: because I liked the look of my apron without it and

B: because my machine was in a bad mood, and I hate ropey topstitching so quit while I was ahead.

So that’s it, a fully reversible (or just fully lined) apron!

Off you go then….get stitching!

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How to Gather Fabric Tutorial

how to sew gathering a step by step tutorial

How to sew Gathering: An easy way to sew gathering.

I’ve always avoided sewing garments that had lots of gathering, it seemed like such a lot of work. But with my next pattern release, The Wendy Artisan Smock, I couldn’t really escape it as the whole neckline is gathered and then bound – talk about facing your sewing demons – I’ve now made so many samples, that gathering necklines has actually become quite therapeutic!

So anyway, there is always more than one way to stitch anything, but this is my straightforward method for how to gather fabric using a sewing machine.

UPDATE / I have a new gathering tutorial which a little more in depth – HERE

Maven Patterns - gathering tutorial

How to sew Gathering (as in The Wendy Maker Instructions)

Set your stitch length to the LONGEST possible stitch length for your machine.

You need to stitch 2 rows in the seam allowance, parallel to each other, the first about 3mm from the edge of the fabric. These MUST NOT CROSS each other! Leave long ends to the threads.

Maven Patterns - gathering tutorial

In the case of The Wendy Smock, we’re gathering a neckline that is to be finished with binding, so it’s quite a long run of gathering. I found the best way to manage this was to work in sections (front, back and shoulders), stopping and the restarting at each seam. If your run of gathering is too long, the threads break – trust me, that can be just a little bit annoying.

Pull up the two long threads that are facing you (ignore the ones at the back) and gently slide the fabric along until gathers form, you can work from both ends.

Maven Patterns - gathering tutorial

Continue pulling up the threads until your fabric is gathered to the correct measurement, then wrap the excess fabric temporarily around a pin to hold. Continue along the neckline until it’s all gathered.

Maven Patterns - gathering tutorial
Maven Patterns - gathering tutorial

Double check your gathering is pulled up to the correct measurements, try your Wendy Smock Top on and see if it sits right on you. More gathers will make a smaller neckline and less will make a wider neckline, remember to make a note of the new measurements if you change them! When you are happy tie the threads securely together to fix them – you could stitch them in place by hand if you prefer, especially if you are not finishing your garment now.
Then all you need to do is make sure all your gathering is spread evenly before you finish your neckline. Oh yeah, and don’t forget to set your machine BACK to normal stitch length, it’s not like I’d forget to do something like that…

Happy sewing! Mrs M x