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. For your continuous binding strip, use a less noticeable marker like a Bohin Mechanical Chalk pencil or graphite pencil. 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). Using a rotary cutter, cutting mat and acrylic ruler makes the process of cutting your bias strips quick and easy. Mark the diagonal line. 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. (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. The diagrams shown illustrate a 5⁄8-yard length of 42"-wide fabric. To quickly cut binding strips on the bias, start with a fabric square or rectangle. Steps: 1. Join them together diagonally as in the picture. Make it once and forget about it. Make sure you're accurate, use a ruler and check twice! Do you wish there was an easier way to make bias tape without having to cut lots of strips and sew them together? I made the elephant and space quilts for my kids about 3 years ago and they are still holding strong! When creating binding for a project that is curved, we recommend that you use a bias binding. Sew the two sides together to form a tube, using a 1/4" seam allowance. 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. Continue turning the tube, cutting on the drawn lines. 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. Next: you draw lines parallel with the bias edge – at the desired distance (the width of your binding). Make Continuous bias binding tape. Find the true bias by folding the square in half diagonally. With scissors, cut the binding in one continuous strip, starting at the offset overhang and cutting along the marked lines. Step 3. Then sew on this line. Continuous Bias Cheat Sheet . Cut a square on the straight of grain. By making a continuous bias strip, very little fabric is wasted. Keep the strips right sides together across each other a little extended at the edges. It won’t take long at all and it saves so much fabric because you don’t have to cut it on the bias! Sew on the line marked at ¼’’ from the edges. Begin cutting on the first drawn line. In the left column, "Cut Width of Binding Strips, find 1⅞". *The mathematical formula for this is: Multiply the number of inches around the quilt (the perimeter) by the width of your bias binding strips. 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. Look for sale and clearance fabrics that would make great binding . ie. Fold your square in half on the diagonal and lightly press. To make things easy for you, I have created this cheat sheet. This is the size of the square you need to cut for bias binding. 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. Press the seam allowance open. Press the seam open. 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. 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. But, it is better for using less fabric, as well as getting longer strips. We use cookies to offer you a better browsing experience, analyze site traffic, personalize content, and serve targeted ads. Refer to chart to find the size square needed. So Sew Easy–Continuous Bias Binding Calculator. But you can make bias binding perfectly fine without one and I show you how to do this below as well. The Sewing Loft–Continuous Bias Binding Cheatsheet. Refer to your pattern or measure the total area. 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: Stitch the triangles together along the short edges to make the shape shown in b in the preceding figure. But you'll notice there are plenty of bits that came out rather wonky! 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). You’ll need a 20 1/2 inch square —– to make approximately 191 inches of a 2 inch wide bias strip. Step 1. Whichever method you use you'll start with deciding how wide you want your finished binding to be and multiply that by four. Begin cutting on the first drawn line. Make sure the left (cut) edge and bottom edge are lining up with the markings on the … 12" x 12" square = 60" of binding. Sew the two sides together to form a tube, using a 1/4" seam allowance. 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. This is about the easiest way I’ve learned it! Step 2. 13" x 13" square = 72" of binding. For instance, if you want a 1/2" binding with 1/2" seam allowance, your strip would be 2". Use short stitches (1.5 or 2 mm), you will be cutting across this seam and you don’t want it to come apart. Strips are cut 1⅞" wide. By using our site, you consent to our use of cookies. This is a very easy to make long long bias tape. You now have a trapezoid shape with two bias edges (upper and lower). Making diagonal folds allows you to create bias binding strips without having to measure and draw lines all the way across your fabric. For instance, if you want a 1/2" binding, mark the strip width 3". Press the seam allowance open. (unless you want double fold bias binding in which case you multiply by six). Also, fabric cut on the bias doesn’t fray. Pin straight of grain edges of the triangles right sides together. 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. Both the cutting mat and the acrylic ruler have lines at a 45-degree angle to help you find the bias. Make Continuous Crosswise Grain Quilt Binding Strips . (Remember, for 3/8″ bias binding you’ll want to cut the strips 1 1/2″ wide.) We need a half yard of a 40" wide usable WOF to make the needed continuous bias 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. 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. The resulting two strips should make an L shape. 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). Bias binding is made by cutting strips of fabrics on the bias – which is a 45º angle from the selvedge. I generally make 2" bias binding. If your fabric piece is a different size, the folded fabric may look different, although the instructions will be the same. Ve learned it cut strips from selvage to selvage until you 've cut enough fabric to surpass the required.! Drawn lines tutorial, I have created this easy cheat sheet times by the desired width of binding. Lightly press on your hem you want a 1/4 '' seam allowance and the fold over you. Fabric square or rectangle other of the bias cut on the bias edge – at the desired width of binding! Show you my favorite way of storing bias … continuous bias binding width 3.! Make short length bias tapes is to find the size square needed as as... 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