jstitch

Sandpat, this is how I do this....

Cut your bias strip 1 inch wide. Fold it in half and press, so you have a piece 1/2 wide with a fold on one side.

Then applique the fold in place along the inside curve first. You can make this little curl, but your bias strip will kind of stand upright on the fold.. that's ok.

leave the place where they cross unstitched for about a half inch.

Then, open up the strip and trim away the layer underneath to about 1/8 inch.

Then trim the top piece to a little less than 2 x the finished width you want. If you want to end up with a 1/4 inch stem, trim off about 1/8 inch.

Then you just needle turn it under and stitch it down. Then go back and stitch both sides where they cross.

If you have curves that go in both directions, I stitch one curve completely, ie the inside curve, then go back the other direction sititching the outside curve. Then start at the point where you stopped and change sides so you are stitching the inside curve first again.
Let me know if this needs more clarification.. I can try to take pics if you want.

sandpat

Thanks bebe but I don't have any problems with binding...I'm actually pretty good at that :lol:

sandpat

Judy, I'm :?

I have my bias strips made-No problem there. I don't even have a problem laying them out ...EXCEPT where the loop is sooo small.

..so doing it your way...where the loop is...it really isn't a full bias strip, but the back layer of fabric has been cut out from behind it? ...I would have thought that the reason to use a bias strip was so that my edges looked all pretty and smooth. I can try that and see how good I am..huh.

Thanks for the info.

Patti

jstitch

Patti,

yes it is still a full bias strip...Perhaps I didnt clearly describe my process.

Oh, I just understood your point.

These are two different processes. You will still get a nice even edge using my process. The advantage is that you can make any size stem and obtain almost any curve without distortion using this process.

If you are using a trifold bias strip method, you will not cut out the back. But, one thing to cosider is that there is a limit to how small the loop can be based on the width of your bias strip if you are using

The bias will only stretch so far.....

The key, if you are using this type of strip, is to sew the concave side of the curve first, then the bias will stretch around the outside of the curve.

sandpat

Thanks Judy...I'll be trying it this weekend. :lol:

jstitch

OK, I did some testing... here are the pics

This one was done with 1/4 bias prefusible trifold stips. The only way I could get that little curl was to ease the fullness on the inside curve. Can you see it... In the end, it is barely noticable. But I had to press it into submission before stitching.

jstitch

This one was done using my method. However, to get this little curve, I had to reduce the original size of my strip by half. The width of this is between 1/8 and 1/4..I could not get a flat curve with 1/4 inch.

Some perspective, the width of the green stem is a little bigger than 1/8 inch in this picture and diameter of the inside curve is a little bigger that 1/4 inch. This is very tight close up picture

Sorry about the fuzzy picture

jstitch

So, in conclusion, here is my suggestion.....

Make your trifold bias strip a little narrower than 1/4 and relax the curve to make it a little bigger and rounder. Since this is a bigger block, it will look OK.

Then start by sewing the inside curve first and the outside curve should flat.

Let me know how it works out.

sandpat

Thanks so much Judy for the pics and further explanation. That helps a whole lot and I think I can do it now. It looks as if I'll really have to speak to it nicely to make it work :lol: I think it will be fine. I appreciate all your trouble.

Patti