Making bias tape has never been easier! It is really important to make sure your bias strip are really cut on the true bias. Here are a few tips to make sure you have success:
To find the true bias: lay your fabric on a flat surface. It is easier if there is a grid to follow in order to line up your grainlines. Here I line up the crosswise grainline and the fabric salvage.
Take one corner and pull the fabric to match the selvage with the crosswise grain. This will create a triangle.
When working with slippery fabric, use a weight at one end so you can maneuver the fabric around. The bias is along the folded edge.
Align a see through ruler along the bias edge. I want 2″ bias strips so the first cut will be at the 1 inch mark because I am on the fold.
Now you will see you have a nice cut line on the bias. I then take the bias line and fold the fabric in half, so I don’t have to cut so far. I also move the fabric so I can line up the edge of the fabric along my grid underneath.
Again, using the see through ruler, cut every 2 inches.
Keep cutting strips until you run out of fabric. I always cut more than I need, you never know when you might need a strip of bias!
Does anyone have any other tips for cutting bias strips … especially when cutting slinky, slippery fabric? I would love to hear your ideas.
I have been putting off trying this software out for the simple fact I don’t have the time to learn an entire new program. Little did I know that in less than 30 minutes I would have custom embroidery at my fingertips! This software is so easy to use, the navigation, the titles, the options, etc. That’s why I am sharing this quick video with you, just in case you are thinking of upgrading to Brother’s PE-Design Next software, it is totally worth it.
Now I have all weekend to create new designs, can’t wait! I even noticed I can upload a picture for embroidery, that’s a little scary LOL! Although, I have some cute pictures from my nephew’s 1 and 2 year birthday party last weekend with lot’s of colorful cake. I wonder how many colors of embroidery thread I am going to need for this?
I have been putting off trying this software out for the simple fact I don’t have the time to learn an entire new program. Little did I know that in less than 30 minutes I would have custom embroidery at my fingertips! This software is so easy to use, the navigation, the titles, the options, etc. That’s why I am sharing this quick video with you, just in case you are thinking of upgrading to Brother’s PE-Design Next software, it is totally worth it.
Now I have all weekend to create new designs, can’t wait! I even noticed I can upload a picture for embroidery, that’s a little scary LOL! Although, I have some cute pictures from my nephew’s 1 and 2 year birthday party last weekend with lot’s of colorful cake. I wonder how many colors of embroidery thread I am going to need for this?
Fashion Designer: Angela Wolf ... Photographer: Johnson-Rauhoff ... Models: Laine Lu VonBehren, Jennifer Knapp, Jenna Warren ... Hair & Makeup: Shawn Frandsen and Sarah Schilling
If you saw my post a few months back, I showed off a few pieces of gorgeous faux fur that I bought at Haberman Fabrics. Well, I promised to give a rendition of the experience of sewing with faux fur and hopefully pass on a few lessons. I must admit this time around seemed so much easier than I remember. One of my first faux fur jackets, a thick white shaggy fur … I still have visions of coughing up fur balls for weeks, right alongside my cat. Not only that, I ended up with white fuzz/fur all over my clothes for weeks!
Either the furs are easier to sew or I learned a few lessons from the first episode. So here are a few tips:
Trace your pattern, with clay chalk onto the back of the faux fur. (I love the backing on this fur!)
Use sharp scissors! Start cutting from the back. Slide your scissor tip between the faux fur and the backing and cut in small snips, being carful to only cut the backing and not the faux fur.
I use Kai Scissors. These scissors are so sharp, I can literally slide the tip of the scissors right around the pattern pieces. (They work great when trimming Sherpa fabric as well).
Notice that I am only cutting the backing, leaving all the faux fur intact. Cut small snips at a time.
I used the salvage as the front seam and then folded it back and tacked it in place.
Trim your seam allowances. This really does not take long, again my Kai Scissors worked fantastic. I read that I should try an electric razor, but this worked perfectly. Maybe, I’ll try the razor next time 🙂
You can see here the seam allowance is all trimmed and ready to sew. That was it! I used the same process on all of the faux furs.
All in all, I really enjoyed sewing up these faux furs and believe it or not, one quick vacuum and the studio was back to normal. Although, I must confess, I could not part with the cute little faux fur scraps. So I have decided to use them as bows on my Christmas gifts 🙂
Fashion Designer: Angela Wolf ... Photographer: Gregg Rizzo ... Model: Dawn Yarborough ... Hair & Makekup: Shawn Frandsen & Sarah Schilling
To find the true bias: lay your fabric on a flat surface. It is easier if there is a grid to follow in order to line up your grainlines. Here I line up the crosswise grainline and the fabric salvage.
