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From: Gina
Date: 08-27-2004, 10:01 PM (1 of 4)
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Hi, everyone! I'm new here, and I'm new to sewing. I am currently working on something for a friend, and I have to sew seam binding (bias tape) around leg holes. I cannot for the life of me sew it on straight! It keeps bunching up, my sewing is crooked, and/or I fail to line it up correctly so that the back strip is sewn down along with the top! I cannot tell you how many freaking times I've had to seam rip this thing. I'm going to lose my mind. How do you sew on bias tape so that it's straight, not bunched up, etc.? I've tried pinning it ... I've tried the double-sided basting tape (which ended up being really messy). I just bought a Singer Featherweight 132 sewing machine and LOVE it. I've been using the zipper foot for the bias tape sewing because this is what the manual told me to use this foot for. I just don't know what to do, though, about getting this seam binding to look nice. I need to get this project done this weekend! Any ideas? Thank you in advance for your help. I'm about to go insane with this. |
User: Gina
Member since: 08-27-2004 Total posts: 2 |
From: MaryW
Date: 08-28-2004, 06:48 AM (2 of 4)
Hi Gina and welcome to Sew Whats New.  Your post brings back memories of cursing that awful bias binding. It could be that you need a wider bias so you have more coverage on the fabric. It might also help to open up your leg seams and then sew on the binding. It is more like a straight edge then and you can concentrate on catching both sides of the bias. MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 08-28-2004, 08:38 AM (3 of 4)
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This takes longer but gives a nice neat finish -- Press the tape open and first sew it on to the underside, with raw edges that will be enclosed even. Then fold the tape back over the seam allowance there and around to the other side enclosing the edge of the garment. Top stitch it on the right side of the garment. If you use a wide enough binding you can leave the fold in on the outside edge so the raw edge doesn't show. or you can press that edge of the tape flat to give you more room for top stitching. The bias tape won't ravel. Or you can sew it to the right side of the garment first, with raw edges that will be enclosed even, fold it over so the edge is enclosed and the other raw edge of the binding is on the wrong side of the fabric and stitch in the ditch on the right side to make a clean edge. If you cut your own bias tape and make it extra wide it might ber easier to work with. Does any of that make sense? I was up very late last night collecting my daughter at the bus depot and my brain doesn't seem to be functioning. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: Gina
Date: 08-28-2004, 09:10 AM (4 of 4)
| Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! I'm going to try it all out, and I will let you know how it goes. Thank you so very much, ladies! :up |
User: Gina
Member since: 08-27-2004 Total posts: 2 |
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