Joining Fabrics Strips Together + Making Bias Tape

Here is a tutorial that I've prepared on joining fabric strips together.  Now I know that to some of you that this is a technique that you have fully nailed!  But please remember the idea to my blog is to inspire others to sew and so my tips are be aimed at beginners - trying to cover off all of those things that I had to search for when I was learning to sew myself!

Joining fabric strips together is useful when creating bag handles and making your own bias tape - which I am now addicted to making!

You only need to join fabric strips cut on the bias if you are making bias binding for going around curves i.e. arm holes and necklines on garments.  Otherwise, just cut strips from fabrics out in the usual fashion.

If cutting on the bias, the easiest way to do this is to start with a square of fabric...

.... and fold your fabric at a 45 degree angle as shown below

(if not cutting on the bias - skip this step - go ahead and cut your fabric strips out as required).  Iron the crease - this then provides you with a guide to mark your fabric for cutting on the bias.

Cut along the ironed crease line so that you end up with two triangular shaped pieces of fabric.

Using the cut line as your guide, measure your required fabric strip or bias tape width (I am making a thin bias tape and so I measured 2" for my fabric strip).  I find using a set square helpful when drawing lines for cutting out.  Make as many strips as required if making bias tape. 

Straighten off the fabric strip edges.

When you have the amount of fabric strips that you require (either cut on the bias or not) lie them as shown below, at a 90 degree angle.  Allow an overlap of a couple of mm's.  You will see that the top fabric strip here is pattern side down and that the bottom fabric strip here is pattern side up.

Mark a sewing line at a 45 degree angle on the top fabric strip from the top left hand corner to the bottom right hand corner.

Sew along the guide line and then trim off the corner to reduce bulk.

Iron open the seam as follows...

Your fabric strip is then joined!

If making bias tape, repeat above steps until you have a long enough piece of fabric for your required bias tape, and then feed through a bias tape maker.  Pin the edge of the bias tape and then iron as your bias tape is fed through the bias tape maker.  When you have ironed the entire length, fold the tape in half lengthways and iron again.

 Ta-da!  You then have your very own bias tape for your sewing projects!