Polyester Bias Tape Made Easy: How to Make and Use it Like a Pro
Bias tape is a versatile sewing notion that can add a professional touch to your projects, whether you’re making garments, quilts, or home decor items. It can be used to finish edges, create piping, bind seams, and add decorative accents. While you can purchase bias tape from stores, making your own allows you to match fabrics perfectly and customize the width to suit your needs. In this article, we’ll focus on polyester bias tape and guide you through the steps of making and using it like a pro.
Materials Needed:
– Polyester fabric
– Rotary cutter or fabric scissors
– Cutting mat
– Ruler or bias tape maker
– Sewing machine or needle and thread
– Iron and ironing board
Making Polyester Bias Tape:
1. Choose your fabric: Polyester is a great choice for bias tape as it is durable and holds its shape well. Select a polyester fabric that complements or matches your project. Solid colors work well for most applications, but you can also choose printed or patterned fabrics for a more unique look.
2. Cut fabric on the bias: The bias is a diagonal line that runs at a 45-degree angle to the selvage of the fabric. It has more stretch than fabric cut on the straight grain or cross grain, making it ideal for creating bias tape. Place your fabric on a cutting mat and use a ruler or bias tape maker to cut strips of fabric on the bias. The width of the strips is determined by the desired finished width of your bias tape. Common sizes range from 1/2 inch to 2 inches.
3. Piece the strips together: If your project requires longer bias tape than the length of your fabric strips, you can piece them together. Take two strips and place them right sides together at a 90-degree angle, forming an “L” shape. Sew along the diagonal edge with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Trim the excess fabric and press the seam open or to one side. Repeat this step until you have the desired length of bias tape.
4. Fold and press: Fold the fabric strip in half lengthwise, with wrong sides together, and press along the fold. This creates the center crease of your bias tape.
5. Fold and press again: Open up the strip and fold each long edge towards the center crease, meeting in the middle. Press the folds with an iron. This creates double-fold bias tape, commonly used for binding edges.
Using Polyester Bias Tape:
1. Prepare the edge: If you are using bias tape to finish an edge, make sure the edge is clean and pressed flat. You can also staystitch the edge to prevent stretching or fraying.
2. Pin or baste the bias tape: Align the raw edge of the fabric with the open fold of the bias tape and pin or baste it in place. Make sure the bias tape extends slightly beyond the edge of your fabric.
3. Sew the bias tape in place: Using a sewing machine or needle and thread, sew along the inner fold of the bias tape, securing it to the fabric. Remove any pins or basting stitches as you sew. For a neat and professional finish, you can use a matching thread color or a contrasting thread for decorative purposes.
4. Fold and finish: Once the bias tape is sewn in place, fold it over the raw edge to the wrong side of the fabric and press. You can then stitch the folded bias tape by hand or machine to secure it in place.
Polyester bias tape adds a polished look to any project and is a useful skill for sewists of all levels. By following these steps, you’ll be able to make your own bias tape easily and use it like a pro, adding a professional touch to your sewing projects. So, grab your polyester fabric and get ready to embark on a creative journey with bias tape!