I just made 22 yards of bias strips for the welting for Audrey's cushions. It went very quickly and I like this new technique I tried. I found it gave me more accuracy and was pretty easy. I call it Method Three or Bagged Bias because you sort of make a bag at the start. I used Method Three because I think we all know the fold it up and rotary cut method (#1), the method that looks like a pair of pants (#2) and this one. It is sort of like Method #2, but I think less hassle.
I got this method from this really fabulous book on making slipcovers by Sunset. This book is so clear and I've yet to find a question unansered. Its all in there. (Sorry for the big white blob. It's better than the big white glare that was there originally.)
- Square off your fabric. Mine is 36 by 52. Fold along the short end. You have a fold at the top. Pin the other three sides, matching as needed. At the machine stitch the three pinned edges, not the folded one, with a half inch seam. Don't bother making small stitches or fussing at the corners.
Cut off all four corners about an inch and a quarter down. I didn't go that far on this one and should have. I had to compensate later instead.
- Mark each corner. With the fold at the top, top left is A, top right is C, bottom left is B, bottom right is D.
- Fold it so it looks like this pic in the book, with A and B at the bottom and D andC folded and at the top. I found it helped to press in the crease from C to D. Then slip your scissors in the D hole/corner and cut across the crease to C. CUT ONE LAYER ONLY!!!
Six inches from the left side of the tube, from the fold, measure and mark a line. From that six inch line draw a line every 1 5/8ths inch or whatever is appropriate. This is for home dec welting, not piping so I am using 1 5/8ths. You may want narrower for piping.
With your rotary cutter cut each long strip but only up to the long vertical line. Now open up the solid section and rearrange the tube to so the solid section is all flat in front of you. Time to get out the pencil again!
*09/19/2022 ETA: Edited to add a link from a popular youtube sewist. This is how NOT to ever cut your strips with a rotary cutter, VERY DANGEROUS!!! Extremely Dangerous Rotary Cutting of Binding. Beware of what you see on youtube.
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The bias stripping was my first step in the process of making the window seat cushions. Next will come glueing the batting to the foam. Tomorrow will be a sunny day so a good one to work outside. I don't like those fumes from the spray adhesives getting sprayed inside the house. Till then........Bunny
Hi Bunny,
ReplyDeleteI love that method - it is the way I learned to make bias when a lot is required. You did a great job on the tutorial.
Your tomatoes are just luscious. Homegrown are simply the best.
hmm interesting! have bookmarked this! will surely try it out! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteAdithis Amma Sews
I love this technique...it's so easy and yet efficient and makes bias strips look so professional. And tomatoes at $3.99/lb...I wish...here we get them cheaper, but in the middle of summer they are grainy, tasteless and just blah...that's why home grown is the only way to go...all scared and split from ripening....yours look wonderful!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great method. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteLove this method. Will definitely have to give it a try!
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing this method demonstrated before but not as clearly as you have explained it, Bunny. Thanks! Great tut, as always!
ReplyDeleteDo you think I can dehydrate tomatoes in my oven?? Answer here in this comment section & I'll subscribe by email to get all responses, & will see it, along with others who might want to try your recipe, even if they don't own a dehydrator.
fondly,
Rett
great tip on the bias binding - and the tomatoes looks yummy
ReplyDeleteGlad you all liked the tute. I find I can get really correct measurements and cuts this way.
ReplyDeleteYou can dehydrate tomatoes in the oven. I have seen 150º - 175º suggested. You must keep checking on these at least once an hour. Don't do them overnight as I guarantee they will dry too much. You want them a tad fleshy for the best flavor and texture, IMO. So start this project in the AM when you will be home most of the day.
I find the time it takes is really dependent on the weather. My first batch took about 8 hours in the dehydrator on a very rainy day. The last batch took about 6 hours on a dry day. This will all be a bit faster in the regular oven as my dehydrator works at about 140º for tomatoes. The wetter the tomato the longer it will take as well. This is one reason Romas work so well, lots of flesh, less seeds and juice. If you have a convection oven it would be perfect for this as the fan would work like the fan in the dehydrator. I am heavy handed with the spice mixture. It leans toward the pepper side, so be aware of that as well. Good luck to those who give it a try. I'm here for ya'.
Thanks Bunny! I DO have a convection oven setting on mine & rarely use it, but this will be perfect. We're getting LOTS of ripening ones now. I saw on your blog you went down to at least 33º last night. Brrrrrrr! Put an extra quilt on the bed, Honey!
ReplyDeleteMy E. has his electric blanket turned up on high already. LOL
Hugs,
Rett
Thanks for the great explanation and tip on the Sunset book. I just bought fabric today to slipcover my sofa. What perfect timing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tut on bias binding and also the tomatoes!!
ReplyDeleteHi Bunny....thanks for the great tute. You've inspired me to make a bias-tube of my own soon :)
ReplyDeleteIt can be fun to take the squared-off tube and instead of cutting it onto strips...use it as a pieced length of fabric and cut a garment from it. Where you place the pattern pieces (dress, top, shirt, whatever) on the stitched seams of the tube can result in a really cool looking garment !
Brilliant idea, Pam! Have to roll that one around the brain for a bit!
DeleteGreat tute..I will love using it on my bindings for quilts. I have used a similar technique, but this looks so much easier and accurate.
ReplyDeleteI have this book and was very frustrated because I could never understand the directions. Until now. Thank you for pointing out that the corner points in the diagram are marked incorrectly. Ah!
ReplyDeleteSo glad to help!
DeleteI am confused. If A corner is top left, B is bottom left, C is top right and D is bottom right. Then C and D are both on the right and will not give you the picture in the book. What am I missing?
ReplyDeleteIf you go back to the post, there is an edit about there being a typo in the original publication and how to adjust for that. It confused me at first until I realized the book has the letters wrong.HTHs.
ReplyDeleteSingle most confusing directions I have ever tried to follow. I ended up throwing away all of the material.
ReplyDeleteAt what part did you get confused? I would be more than happy to help you out if you are willing. This is the only negative post I have had since it was posted four years ago in 2011 and that is with major Pinterest circulation as well. I did notice you posted at midnight so hopefully you weren't trying to master this late into the night. That never helps, LOL! Where specifically did you get confused? Please email me at bunnypep at gmail dot com if you need any further help.
DeleteI have seen this tutorial before, but did not really study it as my needs are for shorter lengths and I just cut strips and seam. However, that stop an start seaming can get tedious. I am going to give this a try next time I want to use bias trim. I roll the extra on bathroom tissue tubes and save.
ReplyDeleteI save mine too. Usually there is not too much left so it fits on large thread spools. I keep them in a milk glass bowl and if nothing else, they look pretty.
DeleteI often use the cut and seam method for shorter lengths. Today, with this project I just did 23 yards! It was nice not to have to stitch pieces together. Thanks for checking out the tute.
I am confused on one part, Bunny. Looking at the picture, the original fold looks to be on the left. Do we grab the top two corners and bring them down to the bottom creating a second fold at the top? I am getting ready to cut binding for a quilt and want to try this method. Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteOriginal fold is to the left. Looking at the rectangle now, with the fold to the left, bring down what is now the top right corner to make a second fold at the top. Because you are dealing with a rectangle, not a square, the bottom corners will be offset like you see in the picture. Cut the second fold, at the top, from right to left THROUGH ONE LAYER OF FABRIC ONLY, VERY IMPORTANT. Hope this helps, Angela.
DeleteThank you Bunny. I will give it a try this weekend. Wish me luck! LOL
ReplyDeleteOMG - it worked!
ReplyDeleteAnother convert!
DeleteBunny, does it matter if you fold cut edge to cut edge, or selvage to selvage? I plan on ordering an extra 1/2 yard so I'd like to fold the selvages together.
ReplyDeleteAt what stage? If it's the very beginning it would be ok to fold selvage to selvage. It will be narrower and that means there may be more seamlines.
DeleteThanks Bunny, that's what I suspected. You have to order full yards at Joann.com, and that darn Crypton fabric is expensive!
ReplyDeleteHi, this looks like a really cool method but I am helplessly stuck. Have re-read the instructions a few times, but can't for the life of me manage to "Fold it so it looks like this pic in the book". I don't understand the picture in the book.
ReplyDeleteI started with a piece of square fabric. Am I trying to make a 45 degree fold and cut along that?
Hope you can help. In any case, thanks for sharing this!