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bias tape, Sewing, Sewing Basics, Tips and Tricks

Nifty Tip – No Bias Maker? No Problem!

16th June 2012

I’m working on a refashioning project at the moment and needed some slightly wider bias tape than my bias maker could make. Buggar I thought. I really didn’t want to waste time trapsing into town on the off chance that the meagre haberdashery section of our local hardware store might have a bias tape maker in the size I need, if at all. I was on a roll. I needed that bias tape NOW!! Then, somewhere from the dark recesses of my mind I remembered this little trick…..

I had to fold and press the first inch by hand (mind your fingers on that iron!) Then the pin acts as a makeshift guide, pinned snug to the width of the bias you are making. Then you pinch the sides of the bias strip together centrally just before the pin, just to keep things even and steady; pressing as you pull it through the other side.
I cannot take credit for this little stroke of genius. I read it somewhere, on someone’s blog (for the life of me I can’t find it again  now) about 2-3 years ago, and it’s been sat unnoticed in my memory banks until just the moment when I needed it, when it popped up with a cheery little “here I am!”. You gotta love how helpful the dark recesses of your mind can be!
Incidentally you can check out an easy way to make bias strips here; and if you think it was your blog/tutorial that provided me with this genius little trick, please do contact me so I can provide you with proper credit and a link 🙂

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13 Comments

  1. Clare says

    16th June 2012 at 10:43 am

    Oh my gods, this is a genius tip! Thank you so much for this (and thanks to whoever originally came up with it!). How useful and money-saving!

    Reply
  2. A.J.A. says

    16th June 2012 at 12:12 pm

    Was it this blog http://creativelittledaisy.typepad.com/creative_little_daisy/2007/11/diy-version-of.html ?
    That’s where I first read about it. I remember because I didn’t have any bias tape maker forever, and I referred to it many times! It is a great tip!

    Reply
  3. Lisa says

    16th June 2012 at 2:11 pm

    That does indeed look like a genius tip. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  4. Elisalex says

    16th June 2012 at 5:09 pm

    Genius! This is how I do it too – sooooo much easier than those annoying bias makers! x

    Reply
  5. House of Pinheiro says

    16th June 2012 at 6:01 pm

    loving the nifty tips series x

    Reply
  6. Erica Louise says

    17th June 2012 at 11:11 am

    Nice tip!!

    Reply
  7. To Boldly Sew says

    17th June 2012 at 11:31 am

    Oh that is a GREAT tip and it looks like it might be way more successful than my rather useless bias tape gadget which I have never yet used with good results!

    Reply
  8. Symon says

    18th June 2012 at 11:38 pm

    genius!!! I recently went looking for a smaller bias tape maker than the one I have, to no avail; what a brilliant trick – thanks!! 😀

    Reply
  9. Tasha says

    19th June 2012 at 1:20 pm

    THANK you! Where was this tip last summer when I needed 1″ bias tape and only had a bias tape maker for 1/2″ and did it all the harder way by hand, cursing the entire time? lol

    Reply
  10. Kessem says

    30th June 2012 at 10:13 pm

    I remember seeing this on a site as well! (I can’t remember where either). I tried this and it didn’t work very well for, the creases keep moving and I had to keep adjusting it. I finally gave up. Oh well I just bought a few bias tape makers, hopefully they’ll do the job for me

    Reply
  11. Sarah Smith says

    15th April 2013 at 11:47 am

    I am blown over. That’s so clever! It’s always the simple things that are the most impressive. I’ve been pricing bias binding makers. I think I’ll eventually invest, but for now this’ll do fine! Thank you so much!

    Sarah x
    http://www.porciniandbutton.com

    Reply
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    14th November 2013 at 11:01 am

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