Learn how to use our new 2cm wide bias binding to finish the edges of your necklines, seams and hems creating a beautiful finish. Our Bias Binding is made from some of our best-selling Indian cottons, as the name suggests, it's cut on the diagonal of the cloth making it stretchy and able to fit neatly around curves. You can experiment with Hong Kong seams or turn a length of our Quilted & Cotton Jacquard into a beautiful throw instantly by binding the edges. Play with complimenting or contrasting binding as each tape corresponds to a best-selling cotton in our current collection.

In the below tutorials, Hannah demonstrates how to use our new bias binding to create tidy little ties, finished edges and a bound neckline. Our free hot water bottle cover pattern makes the perfect pattern for practicing! We've chosen to use our Indigo Snow Bias binding and our Indigo Enoki Indian block print cotton.

Read the steps below or watch the video tutorials on Instagram.

INSTAGRAM TUTORIAL - HOW TO USE BIAS BINDING: HOW TO BIND A NECKLINE

INSTAGRAM TUTORIAL - HOW TO USE BIAS BINDING: HOW TO SEW NEATLY BOUND EDGES & TIDY TIES

HOW TO USE BIAS BINDING

How to make neat ties using your bias binding:

Cut your strips to the desired length or the length specified by your sewing pattern.
Unfold the left side of your bias binding and fold down the top 1cm. Press.
Fold the the bias tape in half down the centre of the binding.
Tuck the left raw edge of binding into the pocket created by the right side of binding.
Edgestitch all the way down your open side to create a folded tie with a neat end.

How to bind the edge of your fabric using your bias binding:

Unfold one edge of your bias binding. With the right side of the bias binding to the wrong side of your fabric, pin your binding in place matching edges.
Stitch in place inside the folded channel, 1cm from the edge. Press the binding towards the edge.
Turn your fabric to the right side and bring your binding, over the edge of the fabric and to the front. Pin and edgestitch, covering the previous line of stitching.

How to bind the edge of a neckline using your bias binding:

Measure your neckline along the stitch line (not on the edge of the fabric). Our stitch line is 1cm in from the edge because this is the folded width of our bias binding. If you are using a pattern with seam allowances larger than 1cm then you will need to trim your seam allowance to be the right width for your bias binding before you measure the stitch line.
Notch your centre front and centre back.
Cut a strip of bias binding the same length as your neckline stitch line plus 1 cm extra at each end to sew the binding together with. Mark the position of your centre notches and shoulder seams using pins.
Open out your bias binding and stitch the two ends together, right sides together.
Press open and then press the long folded edges back into the centre so that you have one continuous strip of bias binding.
Pin to your neckline, matching notches and shoulder seams.
Stitch in place inside the folded channel, 1cm from the edge.
Snip curves on your neckline, making sure not to snip into your bias binding. (You don't need to snip your bias binding because it will stretch)
Pull all seam allowances towards the binding and understitch close to the previously stitched edge (on the binding)
Turn the binding in towards the wrong side of the garment, with the stitch line at the folded edge. Press.
Pin binding down flat, stretching it around the curves as necessary.
Stitch close to the folded edge of the binding. Press.

Explore our collection of bias binding:

Styling with Jill

Jill came to our Social Club event with her family last September. We instantly loved her energy, her style and her warmth. She is a keen maker and a joyful dresser, favouring easy shapes and bright, primary colours.Her mother made all her clothes until she was 13 after which she was given the tools to make her own and, in Jill’s own words: “I was away”. She has sewn on and off for her whole life. Now, in her 80’s, she is as playful as ever.We gave Jill free rein to put together outfits, pairing her own makes with samples from the shop. Below are the outfits she chose. Watch the video on Instagram here

From left to right Jill is wearing a Sanda Jacket in Cumin Dry Oilskin that’s been quilted (no longer available), an Ellis dress in Calamity Blue Gingham Linen. A Miller waistcoat in 9oz Utility Navy, the Arbor Shirt in Warm White 160 Linen (no longer available), 101 Trousers in Indigo Moon and Jill’s own Pom Pom Scarf made in Indigo Moon

From left to right Jill is wearing the Ellis dress in Forager Stripe linen with a Sanda Jacket in corduroy, the Rugby dress is in Sugar Cookie Linen and 101 Trousers in Forager Stripe linen with an Ellsworth shirt in a navy linen and the September coat in Navy Dry Oilskin.

Sanda Jacket Hack for Thicker Woollens

We chose to make a Sanda jacket in our luxurious thick alpaca in a slightly longer length. For this hack you will need to buy the Sanda pattern here.

Above, Sacha is wearing the Sanda in our Dusty Blush Alpaca Blend Wool.

This hack will require 30cms more self and lining fabric than required for the jacket version of the Sanda.

These are the changes we made to the pattern to make our sample:

We increased the overall length of the jacket, by adding 12cms to the FRONT(1) and BACK(2) pieces. Make sure you also add the same length to the FRONT AND BACK YOKE FACING(4) and FRONT AND BACK YOKE LINING(10) pieces.

We added 1.5cm around the whole PATCH POCKET(8) to make it a little bigger. We did the same with the PATCH POCKET LINING(12) but didn’t add anything to the top edge of this piece.

We lowered the position of the patch pockets so they sit 5cm up from hemline.

We omitted the interfacing to reduce bulk, if the wool you have chosen frays you can interface the corners that you will clip.

Due to the thickness of the cloth we altered the sleeve pattern at the cuff to make the turn up a little more substantial. This is how we did it:

STEP 1: Cut through the FOLDLINE near the bottom of the sleeve as shown by the thicker line below:

STEP 2: Place some paper behind the pieces and add in 2cm total, stick down ensuring the lines remain parallel.

Redraw the FOLDLINE in – in the midpoint between the two pieces so you have 1cm above and below the new FOLDLINE.

Also draw in a new HEMLINE – 5cms below the new FOLDLINE.

STEP 3: Measure outwards either side of the new FOLDLINE by 1cm – see image below.

Join this point back in to the two marked HEMLINES. This will stop the cuff from hugging the sleeve hem too tightly and allow it to sit nicely when turned up.

Below are some suggestions of wools that would be perfect for this Sanda hack.

From left to right: Seaglass Wool Coating, Mojito Wool Coating, Towner Navy Wool Coating, Emerald Alpaca Blend Wool, Dusty Blush Alpaca Blend Wool, Yogi Alpaca Blend Wool, Fall Trail Wool Coating, Mottled Blue Wool Coating, Vermont Wool Coating.

The Sanda - Bound Edges

Our Sanda pattern is a perfect pairing for our quilted fabric. We have created a pattern hack to make an unlined jacket or coat with bound edges. You can find the instructions here. Note you can use this tutorial to make a Sanda with a bound edge from any fabric eg canvas etc, it doesn't have to be quilted cloth.

Tash is wearing a size 10 (she’s an 8) in our Cumin Quilted Dry Oilskin paired with the Mathilde skirt. We would recommend sizing up 1 or 2 sizes as the quilted fabric takes up more space. Note the Quilted Dry Oilskin will give you a very sculptural silhouette (hence the need to size up) espcially in the jacket version as it's cropped, and this may not be to everyone's taste. Our quilted Indian cotton is more soft than the quilted oilskin so will not stand so far away from the body.

This pattern hack would also be perfect for our Quilted Indian Cotton. Experiment with matching or contrasting binding.