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.