I'm biased that way... how to make bias binding and Chinese buttons tutorial

Well it's a Bank Holiday weekend here in the UK, and frankly thermal underwear is starting to look rather attractive to me along with a chunky bowl of broth and a roaring log fire!  It is cold, to the point where I am wearing gloves and wondering if I will ever wear my Birkenstocks again... Brrr!


Still it gives me a chance to have a play and and go back to basics to make something rather special, which means this weekend it is bias binding and Chinese buttons.


Let's get started, you will need:

A square of fabric... I am using 10" x10" but it must be perfectly square
Rotary cutter and cutting mat
Scissors
Water soluble pen
Bias binding tape maker
Iron and ironing board

First iron your fabric and cut out an exact square, then cut across the square to create two triangles, place piece B on top of piece A with right side facing and sew a seam of 1/4"... remember to check if the distance from the need to the edge of your foot, on most machines it is and this makes a great seam guide.

Press the seam open, you need to press it on both sides as sometimes the seam gets creased up.  Now it is really important that when you lie the fabric back down the the seam goes on the diagonal... if you have it straight up and down you get strips of fabric and not bias binding (if you are not paying attention, like the author, this will happen to you, too!) which means you have wasted fabric and it will be too small to do anything with!

Now using your water soluble pen, draw lines across the fabric... add 1/2" to the width of tape you require so 1" tape would require lines 1.5" apart.

Next we are going to join together sides C and D together to form a tube, now this is not quite as it seems (no pun intended) you need to lift one end so that it is a line above the other side, and when you reach the other end it will be one line shorter - basically you go against the grain and have an uneven seam.  Pin them together, ensuring the lines bisect each other at the seam.

Sew it together using a seam allowance of a scant 1/4" and press it open... if you want to do this without creating a line on either side, roll up a towel and place it inside your tube and iron it on there... this also makes a brilliant way to iron sleeves if you do not have a sleeve board.

Now using your scissors cut along the lines to reveal your bias binding.

Now, it is time to play with the gadget, get your iron ready, you will notice that at one end of the tape is cut across the diagonal and this makes it easy to thread it through your bias binding maker.

If the binding will not go through, you will find a groove down the middle of the bias binding maker, use a pair of small scissors and drag them along the groove to push the fabric through.

Can you see how the edges are already curling over?  You can either pin the point down on your ironing board and gently tug the binding through the device (using the little handle) and pressing it down with your iron pull it through under the iron from the other side... and if you think I have grown another hand to take a picture of me doing this, you will be sadly disappointed!  But it is easy to do this.

Now let's get cracking on the buttons, you will need, some bias binding, cord and sellotape.

Fold the tape (as I am taking pics, I have used a thicker twisted piping cord so that it shows up better) in half and mark the middle with a pin and wrap each end with sellotape, otherwise you will end up with an unravelled mess... a bit like my brain feels by Thursday morning at work!

Fold the bias binding around the cord up to the half way mark.

Sew along right next to the cord using a zip foot and when you come to the middle, sew across the cord. 

Trim back the excess from the seam.

And now the magic starts for me, start to ruche the fabric up in the middle.

Push your ruched fabric onto the uncovered cord and then pull through to the end, sometimes this will happen really easily and other times like a small child it will need a little persuasion.  The first time I did this it was a real lightbulb moment as I realised how it was done, yay!

Cut the other end of the cord off close to the sewn end.  Don your old Brownie or Guide uniform, we are going to make the knot, if you have problems with manual dextererity you might find it easier to do this on a cork board.  Loop the covered piping as shown, ie, keep the short end to the left and loop once going over the top.

Next make another loop on top of the first loop and run the long tail under the short tail you are clutching in your left hand. Do not move, do not sneeze, do not pass go!

Take the long end and weave it through as follows, over the first loop, under the second, over the third loop and under the last loop.

Now tug.  Do not worry if it does not go smoothly, you can manipulate it through to create the knot.

Cut the ends off, trim the cord inside the tube back slightly, fold the ends in and slip stitch them onto your button.

 And now you have a Chinese button, ready to sew onto your garment.

Now, in my best school teacher voice, you have just learnt three separate couture techniques, bias binding, covered piping and Chinese Knot buttons... how clever are you?

Right everyone, it's a Bank Holiday, get the coffee or tea on and let's adjourn to Wendy's Handmade Monday... what better way to spend a morning?

Oh dear John Lewis - What have you done?

I work in London, so I am usually well served by wool and fabric shops, if I need notions or trimmings my first port of call is JLP.  In previous years I have bought sewing machines from them, fabrics almost by the bolt and I am sure that I have had the equivalent of a flock of sheep in wool.

I knew if I needed it, they would have it but something awful has happened... it started just before Christmas when the Children's Dep't swapped with the Knitting and Fabric Dep't... it was a smaller space but I was assured it was only for a few months.  So I lived with it.

However, I had to dash up there today for a couple of bits and pieces and Oh my... it was awful.  I swear someone has put the dep't into my washing machine on a really hot wash followed by a good hour in the tumble dryer.  It had shrunk and really was no longer fit for purpose...


I asked for a pattern, remember those huge filing cabinets... all gone just a few baskets under a viewing table and a 10 day wait, but you know me, I want it and I want it now.


The wool had been dessicated by a wolf, there was little left, less than my local shops.  


I spoke to the assistants, one lady got quite upset as she quietly said that although they had fought there corner... they found themselves with just a corner and no more.  This is just not on.  I spoke to a manager who nodded and said he took on board my comments... so I feel a letter coming on.


John Lewis, this is just good enough... so readers, if this is happening in your local store complain... if we lose the fabrics, wools and haberdashery, we will never get it back!

Show and Tell

As you had two tutorials last week, I thought you might like a bit of a rest this week, so instead I am going to share a couple of completed projects from this week together with some bits and pieces that I acquired over the past couple of weeks.


This weekend, I made a smaller tea cosy using a number of different techniques - machine embroidery, free hand embroidery, ribbon flowers, applique and chinese ball buttons.  Having battled with the cord for the chinese ball buttons... there was a degree of language involved and a deep regret that I failed to get past the reef knot and the clove hitch in the brownies... however I did crack it.  Just love the technique you use to cover the cord!  There will be a tutorial...

Argh... cropping tool will not work...

Do you remember when we did some basic embroidery back in January and I told you about the book that I learnt from... well I managed to track one down on E-Bay... it is just as I remembered and my fingers are itching to get hold of some embroidery cottons.   It has lovely simple line drawings and you feel that the Bayeux Tapestry is well within your reach!  Actually the book and its reminds me of the Catholic catechism, I was one of the lucky ones who just missed out on having to use it but my brothers and sister had to endure learning it.  Although my sister did admit that she used to pray that she would not get called to be a nun... that is until one of the nuns at the Convent mentioned that was what she used to do... Annette abandoned that course of action pretty quickly!

So, you remember the little dress which I made last weekend, it now has a matching pair of ruffled panties to match it.  I used a french seam inside the panties and the elastic around the legs goes through a bias binding casement... more of bias binding later!

I have finally capitulated and bought myself a bias binding maker... no not the electrical one that you see on Create and Craft but the old fashioned variety that looks like a whistle and is used in conjunction with your iron... I feel a bias binding tutorial coming on... you have been warned!

Hmmm... I know it looks like nothing but it does make great bias binding!

And finally I found two great ribbon tapes, cheap enough to use to wrap up a handmade gift and robust enough to cut up and sew onto hand crafted knits and sewing projects.

Well a little later than usual, I think it's about time to head over to Wendy's Handmade Monday, brilliant inspiration from the best of the nation's crafts people!

Sewing 101 - Part 2 - Making Up

Welcome back after drinking your coffee and your break.  Now let the real fun begin, we are going to start sewing in earnest, but of course, you know that we are not going straight to the machine, switch on your iron, get the instructions to hand and collect a couple of scraps of the fabric which you have cut out.

Switch on your sewing machine, make sure you are working in good light and try some simple running stitches on your fabric to make sure that the tension of your stitches is correct, adjust it as necessary.  You will often see that a pattern asks you to stay stitch the neck edges, this is just a line of running stitches on a single piece of fabric which stabilises the fabric and ensures that you do not stretch or distort it when you are working with it.

The dress I am making has four pleats on the front, we have marked their place with tailor's tacking, pin together the marking - I place a pin through one piece of tacking and then check the other side to ensure it lines up.  Now depending on how confident a sewer you are, you can tack the pleats together or pin them.  When you do pleats, start from the centre and work towards the outside, working equally in each direction, so one right side, then one left side and so on.

Next it's over to ironing board, press the pleats to the centre, always to the centre... same goes with darts and whether it is the front or the back of your piece, they always go to the middle.  Sew them down  about 1/4" from the raw edge.

Now I am to sew up the back to the point where I will insert the zip, you will see a little notch, make sure you match up the notches on both sides, this will ensure that your work is even and accurate.  Press the seam open, you will notice that I tell you to press all your seams open, this ensures that your work is even and you do not end up chunky lumps that tell everyone that your garment is homemade rather than a one off couture piece.

Next come the shoulders, zap across with your running stitch, and repeat this down the sides, remembering to match up those notches accurately.  Cripes it looks like a proper little dress now, you are on your way to working at an atelier in Paris... but there is more to come.

I don't have an overlocker, but I like my seams to look neat and tidy, so I am going to fold the sewn seam allowance in and sew down them too.

Right, now for the bit that you have been dreading... the Zip!  I am going to let you into a secret, they are really easy and if you make a mistake you can always undo it and nobody dies, really you can do no damage inserting a zip.

Remember how you pressed the back seam open, pin the left hand side, flush with the teeth of the zip, keeping the edges of the fabric together, pin up the right side so that it covers the zip teeth.  Tack the zip in place, and then fit your machine with the zipper foot and slowly sew it into place... now wasn't that easy?

We are almost there, let's get going with the bias binding which is going to ensure we get a great finish on the neck.  Open out one side of the tape and start pinning, with right sides facing to the neckline along the folded line of the tape.. hmmm it's a bit tricky because it is curved so we are going to ease it - remember we did this with the glasses case - we need to cut small triangles into the neckline which means that it will sit more easily and the fabric will curve with the bias binding. Sew the bias binding onto the neckline.

Out with your iron again to get a sharp edge around the neck, and pin the other side of the bias binding to the reverse side of your fabric,  Now it is back to the hand stitching, to slip stitch this into place, remember to pick up only one or two threads so that your stitches do not show.  Carefully press the binding into place. Next repeat the bias binding process around the sleeves just as we have done with the neck.

Finally we have the hem, there are a variety of ways of doing this, from simply rolling over 1/4" and pressing, followed by 1/2" and just top stitching it (yes, I know it's running stitch, you know it's running stitch but calling it top stitching makes it sound couture!)  Or we could slip stitch it into place... or we could have real fun by using a stitch on your sewing machine called blind hemming stitch which places a tiny vertical stitch which is seen externally and is almost invisible, hence the name.

One last press with the iron and find a small child to model it for you.

So, what next to cover on sewing 101, sleeves or buttonholes?

Right over to Handmade Monday to see what everyone has been up to this week.

And finally congratulations to Handbags by Helen, who is the winner of the log cabin cushion giveway... I will be in touch by mail to get her address and be off to the PO.

Sewing 101 - How to Use a Pattern - The Preparation

I wrote at the beginning of the year that we would go back to basics over the year and it came home to me this week, that some people may not have been taught to do some of the techniques that I take for granted.  This is what happens when Mrs Logan got you through your Needlecraft & Dress O level at the Convent!  So I thought we might take a look at how to make clothes and use patterns together with the weird and wonderful language and terms used, so with this in mind I am going to make some baby clothes.

Right, let's get started, first find your pattern.  The packet that it comes in is full of helpful information to get you started, from the picture of the finished garment on the front, the sizes and level of difficulty, to information about the type, amount of fabric as well as the notions you will need to buy.  Notions is a wonderful, old fashioned word for the extras you will need to make up your items, eg the number of buttons, zips, embellishments, hooks, poppers, thread etc.

The pattern will also tell you how much fabric you will need in varying widths in imperial 36", 45" and 60" and in metric 90cm, 115 cm and 150 cm... do not think that you will save money by buying less fabric because someone has spent a lot of time ensuring that the pattern pieces will fit.  When you choose a fabric, make sure it is appropriate for the job... if you are making a pair of play trousers for a toddler then heavily embroidered brocade is not going to cut it... especially after a few turns in the washing machine!

Open the packet, inside you will find more reading, now I know that like me you will want to get started but don't!  Set aside the paper pattern pieces and read the instructions, not once but at least twice... yes, it is a pain but it will save you so much wasted time... I promise and I would never lie to you!


You will notice that your pattern pieces have multiple lines for each different size, make sure that you have true measurements of your victim/lucky owner to be, don't be silly and lie if this is for you... no-one cares what size you are, the whole point of making something for yourself is to make clothes that really fit you properly.

The next piece we are going to tackle is the pinning out.  Cut out around all the pattern pieces that you need to use, not to the actual line but just around the pattern pieces.  Let's get cracking with the iron, I know I bang on about this but you will find that the iron is one of your very best friends and now here come the really mad bit, you need to iron the tissue pieces as they will be very creased... so whatever you do turn off the steam element of your iron, otherwise you will end up with a mushy pile on your ironing board.  Next you may iron the fabric that you want to use.

Next look at the layout for your pattern, it is likely that your fabric will need to be folded in half with selvedge to selvedge (selvedge is the side edges of your fabric, sometimes it is a raw edge but often it is bound with little pin prick perforations).  Now to stop your fabric shifting when you pin the pattern pieces to it, pin your selvedges together.  I know you think this is a pain but it will repay you and make sure that your garments sit and hang properly and if you don't do it I will tell you all about a pair of Trevira trousers I had for Christmas 1973 which were even worse than wearing a pair of twisted tights and all because the cutter in the factory did not keep grain lines straight and it must have been bad if I still remember them nearly 40 years later!


Circle the layout that you need to use on your instructions, gather together your pressed pattern pieces and tick them off.  Now if you need to make any adjustments to the pattern pieces do it now... I am very short, which means I can take a good couple of inches off the hem and I have a short body (so that is Ros the Munchkin!).  On adult patterns you will see a line marked for adjustment on the body to make it larger or smaller, if you need to make it smaller by say 2", remember you will only need to pin it half the amount you need ie an inch above and an inch below the fold line.


Use the biggest table you can find to pin out, do not use the carpet, it will not give you a good result and I will come over to your house and walk over your fabric and make you iron it again, this is a promise.  Start pinning your pattern pieces to the fabric as shown on your diagram.  I usually start with the pieces to be pinned to the fold.  

Next look at the pattern piece, look for the arrow, this will need to lie on the warp or grainline (ie the threads that run up and down), with your trusty tape measure, place it in the corner of the arrow and measure to the selvedge or the fold and stick a pin in to hold it... now go to the other corner of the arrow and measure to the edge again, fiddle with it until it is the same distance as the other side of the arrow, only then can you continue to pin the rest of that piece to the fabric.  When pinning your pieces, pin on the diagonal on the straight lines and in the corners just like the example below, you  do this so that if your scissors try to cut through the pin, the pin will slide back and do no damage to your precious scissors.

Fold your fabric up as you go along so that it does not pull and distort your grain line.  Now comes the fun, cutting out.  Stand up when you do it, it gives you more control, put your non-cutting hand flat on the fabric to keep it still, and I have been known to put books on the table to keep it still whilst cutting, remember you can move round too, to ensure you cut precisely.  On your pattern pieces you will see triangles, you need to cut round these carefully as they will help you place the pieces precisely together when you come to sew them together.

Collect all your pieces together, chuck away the scrap tissue paper, and put your fabric scraps into the applique bag.  Now I want you to get your bobbins out, find one with thread which is a totally different colour to your fabric, in truth you should not over fill bobbins with a new thread but who wants to waste cotton, so we are going to use it to do our tailor's tacking and marking.

We will use tailor's tacking for the pleats at the front - so what is tailor's marking, it is a method of marking fabric temporarily to show where we need to sew.  I am assuming you know that tacking is just a line of running stitches, well we are doing sloppy stitches with a double thread which means we will not pull the stitches taut to the fabric but leave enough thread on top that you could slip your finger under it.  I have done this for the four lines shown on my pattern. Now cut each loop.

Tailors marking is used for darts and placement points for zips, you will see on your patterns small circles, in these, use your double thread, sew twice around your finger, cut through the middle of the loop.

Lift the pattern piece off the fabric, fold it and put it back into the packet.  Gently tease the pattern pieces apart and cut the threads to leave marks on both sides of the fabric.


When you have done this on all pattern pieces you are ready for the next session... but in the meantime go and have a coffee and we will do the sewing up in the next blog post!