I love Linen!
Ruth from Kiki Ramone made a custom dress for me. It's so fun and easy to wear!
Some people steer away from linen because it wrinkles, but I consider it an elegant wrinkle!
Bias tape is great for finishing necklines and armholes in sleeveless garments because
it is less fussy than a facing. Plus you don’t need a serger and it can provide a unique
design element in your work…one of the reasons we love making our own clothes!
Handmade bias tape is an opportunity to add a pop of
color or a fun fabric. For this project Ruth used her own pattern, but handmade bias tape
can be used to finish many other patterns instead of a facing.
Here’s what she used to make her own bias tape:
- a 36” metal ruler
- Clover pen style Chaco liner
- rotary cutter
- self healing mat
- 18” clear design ruler.
For this bias tape project, Ruth used fabric from my “Daughter’s Choice” section at Stonemountain & Daughter Fabrics - I love this fabric!
(Remember my beautiful Sandra Betzina Voile top Vogue 1291 out of it?)
It is a light 100% cotton voile. You can also use quilt weight fabric and even woven rayons.
Ruth used 2/3 of a yard
for this, which gave her nice long pieces and also a little extra for the next project.
Use your Chaco pen and ruler to mark out the fabric every 1 3/4” at a 45 degree angle.
Your self healing mat will have guides marked on it.
For a more narrow bias tape, you
can make your strips 1 1/4” wide.
Cut carefully with rotary blade, using the metal ruler to
make straight cuts.
Sew them together right sides facing each other. Keeping the diagonal edges makes the
bias tape lay more smoothly on your garment.
Press down each seam and then press the tape in half lengthwise.
Pin the bias tape to the unfinished seam lining up the raw edges. Sew at your normal
seam allowance, press flat and sew the bias tape down.
When you use the bias tape to
finish a seam, you can decide to have the bias on the inside as a classy finishing
element, or on the outside as a fun design detail.
For this dress, I chose to have the bias tape showing on the outside.
I love the way it frames my face and brightens up the dark brown linen. Thanks Ruth!
Cheers to sewing it your way!
What more is possible?
creatively yours,
Suzan
fabriclady3@gmail.com
Owner, Stonemountain & Daughter Fabrics
2518 Shattuck Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94704
510-845-6106
Stop by and feel the beauty!
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