How To Cut Bias Tape

Dancebug

Dancebug

Well-Known Member
I need to add satin bias tape to a dress I am working on. I have done several bias tapes for my dresses. But it has never been easy. Because you cut the tape on bias on the fabric, it always got twisted and not even. It looks even while I cut, but when it is cut, not any more. So I thought there should be a better way to cut neat even bias tape. Help!
 
I bought a tool at the fabric store for making bias tape. I've never used it, though, so I can't tell you how it worked out.
 
Laura said:
I bought a tool at the fabric store for making bias tape. I've never used it, though, so I can't tell you how it worked out.
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Hi Laura,

I have a tool, too. But mine is used after cutting is done. I think it helps only the folding part. What does yours supposed to do?
 
Chris Stratton said:
With a brand new blade?
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Yes. The problem is bias. Bias gets stretched so easily. The best tape I cut was when I marked the fabric with chalk and then cut with scissors. But even the chalk stetched the fabric while I was marking. So I thought there should be a good way to deal with this, hence the post.
 
Dancebug said:
Yes. The problem is bias. Bias gets stretched so easily. The best tape I cut was when I marked the fabric with chalk and then cut with scissors. But even the chalk stetched the fabric while I was marking. So I thought there should be a good way to deal with this, hence the post.
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Lay a piece of regular tape (probably masking tape) along the bias tape and cut along the edge of the masking tape, because that will be your straight edge.
 
I wonder if a finer-string version of a carpenter's chalk line could be used?
(This is a string that gets coated with powdered chalk - you hook one end over a nail, stretch it to another measured mark, then pluck it, marking a line for where you put the nails... or in this case cut the fabric with scissors.

Another idea would be to get a heavy steel bar, maybe with a strip of felt glued on it, to use as a straightedge, and hope that the weight of that would keep the fabric from stretching as your rotary cut it. You'd also need a very flat work surface.

Or if you were willing to sacrifice some fabric, how about running paralell strips of masking tape and then cutting them off (perhaps with the rotary) throwing away the taped bits and keeping what was in between. You could actually cut through the middle of the tape first, fold and press with the tape as a guide, then unfold it and cut the tape off.

Or if you had a lot of time, you could set it out in a sunroom with m e t a l strips covering the pieces you wanted to keep, and wait for the areas in between to fade...
 
Dancebug said:
Medira,
Did you try your recommended method yourself?
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Yep! You have to cut slowly with a pair of scissors to make a smooth cut, but it has worked for me. Just make sure the bias tape is laid down flat and gently lay the masking tape on top of it. You have to be careful that the masking tape gets laid down straight because you don't want to stretch or bunch the bias tape if you need to adjust the masking tape. It's a bit of a long process, but it works.
 
Dancebug said:
The best tape I cut was when I marked the fabric with chalk and then cut with scissors. But even the chalk stetched the fabric while I was marking.
Click to expand...

I did not do this with tape, but with just stretchy fabric when the chalk-stretching-the-fabric-thing drove me insane. I lightly marked a dot with chalk every 10 cm or so along the line I needed to cut (because it's a dot and not a line, the fabric won't stretch). Then I used big straight scissors to cut between the dots. Requires some concentration, but not too difficult. You'll need flat surface for that, won't work if fabric is hanging.
 
Dancebug said:
I need to add satin bias tape to a dress I am working on. I have done several bias tapes for my dresses. But it has never been easy. Because you cut the tape on bias on the fabric, it always got twisted and not even. It looks even while I cut, but when it is cut, not any more. So I thought there should be a better way to cut neat even bias tape. Help!
Click to expand...

Satin has a lot of bias stretch. Cut a wide piece of the fabric on the bias, enough to make several bias strips from the width. Place the fabric face down on an ironing board or pressing board with the bias going the length of the board. Begin repeating your mantra: "No bias stretch. No bias stretch", and ease the fabric out to make sure there is no bias stretch.

Repeating your mantra, gently lay a pressing cloth over it. Mantra again. Press by lifting and placing the iron to press flat. Let cool and carefully lift the pressing cloth. If the fabric is magically flat with no evidence of bias stretch, your mantra is working. Check your leading edge with a yardstick. if it is straight, continue. Mantra again, gently lay the yardstick on the fabric, this time covering the strip you want to mark. Brush up your chalk. Press the yardstick firmly, and, repeating your mantra as you go, gently, gently, angel wings touch, mark the width of the tape.

Remove the yardstick and check that the chalkline is an even width along the length. With the sharpest, longest scissors you can handle, again repeating your mantra, carefully cut on the chalkline. lift the fabric from the board ony the height of the bottom blade of the scissors. Let the fabric fall back into place. Do not pull or tug. Make sure there's no stretch - the strip should be a magically even witdth the entire length. Press again.

Now the hard part - folding without stretching. Mantra again. Gently begin folding the longest section you can comfortably manage. Once youre sure it's even, press gently with a rather cooler iron. (unfortunately a pressing cloth is impractical at this point.) Lift and place the iron at all times. Keep the iron fairly far from the unfolded portion to avoid the dreaded bias stretch. Leave the iron in place and fold the next section. Continue on through the whole length.

You'll get good and swift at this. It becomes, if not a piece of cake, a pretty easy sewing technique. Just don't forget your mantra.
 
Dancebug said:
I need to add satin bias tape to a dress I am working on. I have done several bias tapes for my dresses. But it has never been easy. Because you cut the tape on bias on the fabric, it always got twisted and not even. It looks even while I cut, but when it is cut, not any more. So I thought there should be a better way to cut neat even bias tape. Help!
Click to expand...
I would buy the bias tape ready cut and folded from my local fabulous sewing shop
 
Our local sewing shops only sell polyester blanket binding and cotton/poly blend bias tape. Nothing nice enough to use on a dress. :(
 
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