With my trick, making your own bias tape with or without a bias tape maker is super easy! I'll show you how even beginners can do it without any problems! :)
The most important things at a glance
- In this post, I'll show you how you can make your own beautiful bias tape
- Bias tape not only gives your sewing project stability, but is also a visual highlight
- Homemade bias tape is considerably more affordable than store-bought
- You can make bias tape from your favorite fabric to match your individual projects
Making your own bias tape – it has many advantages!
If you've already looked around SewSimple a little, you'll notice that many sewing projects are finished with bias tape.
I really like that because bias tape not only provides stability but is also a visual highlight. Sometimes the contrast of a bias tape really makes the colors of your sewing project shine.
By the way: When I have little time, I like to buy my bias tape from Stoffe-Hemmers*, I've had very good experiences with it.
And you can make it in any color - perfectly matched to your sewing project.
Of course, homemade bias tape is also considerably more affordable than store-bought. In my post "Sewing on bias tape" I explain how you can work with your self-sewn bias tape.
By the way: With a self-made mini ironing board, making bias tape is twice as much fun! In this guide I'll show you how you can easily make your own ironing board! :)
I'll show you a few examples here - if you click on the pictures, you'll go directly to the respective sewing guide:
You see: The look alone is a good reason to finish sewing projects with bias tape. Another reason is the flexible stability that, for example, bags get by finishing them with bias tape.
It becomes flexible through the diagonal cut of the fabric. This means it is not cut along the grain, as is usually the case - i.e. parallel to the woven edge. But at a 45-degree angle to the woven edge.
This makes the bias tape stretchable. This is good because you can also use it for curves: It fits perfectly!
This is also important, for example, if you want to sew such a beautiful vest:
What fabrics can bias tape be made from?
Due to the cut diagonal to the grain, the bias tape is stretchable and fits neatly around curves. That is why you can also use fabrics that are naturally not very stretchy, such as cotton woven fabrics or linen fabrics.
Reading tips: Sewing cotton fabric and Sewing linen fabric
If you want to sew the neckline of a jersey shirt with bias tape, I recommend you also make your bias tape from these materials. To prevent the jersey from rolling at the edges, you can reinforce it beforehand with bi-elastic interfacing*. It also helps to spray the fabric with starch. Then it will keep its shape.
Does the fabric need to be pre-washed before making bias tape?
Cotton woven fabrics, jersey, linen and the like shrink during the first wash.
This means: The finished bias tape can also shrink during the first wash. This can cause the fabric edges to become unsightly.
That is why it is important to iron purchased bias tape with heat and steam beforehand. Washing is not recommended: The diagonally cut edges of the bias tape could fray and become distorted.
If you want to be on the safe side, wash and iron the fabric before cutting. You can also stiffen the fabric with spray starch.
Reading tip: Wash fabrics before sewing
Instructions: Making your own bias tape
You will need
- a larger piece of cotton woven fabric
- Rotary cutter*
- Patchwork ruler*
- Cutting mat*
- Bias tape maker*
- Straight pins*
- Marking pen*
- Spray starch*
My fabric cut is approx. 52 x 88 cm. This makes approx. 6.20 m of bias tape with my method. So, for example, enough to sew two double oven mitts.
Cutting bias tape
Spread your cotton fabric on the cutting mat and spray it generously with spray starch.
Iron it from the right...
...and from the left.
Then spread it on the cutting mat. The woven edge is on the left. The woven edge is the edge of the fabric where sometimes the manufacturer's name is. Occasionally, small holes from the production process can also be seen there.
Reading tip: What do the marks on the woven edge mean?
The woven edge does not fray, unlike other fabric edges.
Now place the ruler at a 45-degree angle to the woven edge.
Cut away the right-angled fabric triangle in the width of the ruler.
Place the ruler at the desired width of the fabric strip. The widest bias tape maker in the set is intended for 25 mm, which means that the fabric strip should have double the width, i.e. 50 mm.
I cut mine to a width of 6 centimeters because I want to combine many layers of fabric for my oven mitts. The bias tape maker can still tolerate this width... ;)
TIP: The thicker the fabric edge you want to finish, the wider the bias tape should be.
Now cut strips of equal width from the fabric edge with the rotary cutter.
Very soon you will notice that the ruler is not long enough.
Fold the diagonal edge in the middle...
And then fold it again.
The fabric edges should be flush.
If they are not, you can cut away a narrow strip of fabric.
Then it will fit again. ;)
And then you can continue cutting...
...until the fabric is completely used up - a small triangle will remain again (with that you can later sew beautiful things from fabric scraps!)
Sewing bias tape strips together
Place two strips at a right angle on top of each other right sides together (i.e. with the beautiful sides) and pin them.
Draw a line diagonally from fabric edge to fabric edge.
This is how it should look now:
Sew a straight seam along the line. Backstitch the beginning and end of the seam.
Work all the fabric strips you just cut this way... ;)
If you have fabric strips where it is not so clearly visible which is the right fabric side, you can mark them with a tracing pen before cutting.
Then nothing can go wrong...
Then trim the seam allowances and the protruding corners slightly and press the seam allowances open.
This is what it looks like now:
Making your own bias tape with a bias tape maker
Now we come to the actual making of the bias tape.
First, I iron the bias tape lengthwise once, so that a nice edge is formed in the middle. This way, it is easier to fold the bias tape nicely afterwards.
Now you need the bias tape maker in the width of your fabric strip. The specified width is usually on the underside of the maker.
Here you can order a bias tape maker set with accessories.*
Then I slide the fabric strip with the left fabric side up into the bias tape maker.
I pull the fabric out of the front opening of the bias tape maker and steam iron the sides of the bias tape towards the center.
Because my fabric strip is a little wider, I also left a few millimeters in the middle and used the center line as a guide when ironing.
Once you have ironed the entire bias tape strip like this, fold the two fabric folds, i.e. the newly ironed sides together and iron the strip once more.
Done!
Make your own bias tape without a bias tape maker
You don't have a bias tape maker, but you still want to make your own beautiful bias tape quickly? No problem.
Here's the trick:
Stick four sewing pins into the ironing board at the width of the bias tape. It should look like this:
Slowly pull the fabric strip through and steam iron it as you go.
Finally, just like before: fold the bias tape lengthwise towards the center once more and iron it. Done!
Store your bias tape
By the way, I store my bias tapes either on fabric cardboard (which you can sometimes get for free at the fabric store) or on cardboard cards. I simply secure the ends with sewing pins.
This way they stay nicely in shape until I want to use them for a sewing project.
While I was at it, I made a few more pieces of bias tape.
Making your own bias tape does have something quite meditative about it, I think... ;)
It makes you want to sew something great with the beautiful bias tapes right away, doesn't it?
How about a real bias tape party? That's my accordion bag namely! :)
Reading tip: Sewing on bias tape
Do you like my guide to making your own bias tape?
Feel free to leave a comment!
Happy simple sewing
your Sabine
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