Bias?
My mother taught me to bring the backing of a quilt to the front and hem. But I notice many of you use or make bias tape. What are the advantages and disadvantages?
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I do a lot of hexagon and octagon table toppers and I find the bias fabric is easier to take around the corners so I generally make my own bias tape out of whatever fabric I'm needing. Disadvantage is cutting the diagonal into my stash...
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I think either way works just depends on what you doing and what you are comfy with
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Originally Posted by Learner747
(Post 5047663)
My mother taught me to bring the backing of a quilt to the front and hem. But I notice many of you use or make bias tape. What are the advantages and disadvantages?
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The method most quilters use is single-fold straight grain binding. It's not cut on the bias. Basically you make a long strip about 2.5" wide and fold it so it is only half as wide. This gives the binding two layers of fabric. The binding on a quilt is the area that takes the most abuse, so having a double-layer of binding on the edge helps the quilt last longer.
For me, there are no disadvantages to using this binding method instead of folding over from the back. I suppose it takes a little longer. |
Originally Posted by Learner747
(Post 5047663)
My mother taught me to bring the backing of a quilt to the front and hem. But I notice many of you use or make bias tape. What are the advantages and disadvantages?
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i prefer the more finished look, so i use the separate binding.
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Bias binding is much more forgiving and stretchs if need be. It does take a little more time and energy to make your own but it is worth the trouble. It also wears better than binding made from the straight of grain. If you should fail to catch some of the binding material in your seam when attaching it there is no worry about it raveling.
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Another advantage of using a separate binding is that the final sewing, if done by hand, is done on the back. From the front you see only a machine stitched seam, very even and strong. It is probably easier to make nice mitred corners when using separate binding. (I don't know how you make them when you fold the back over and hem it.)
I always make double-fold, or French fold binding, which is folded before being sewn to the quilt. I usually cut the binding strips across the WOF rather than on the bias, but bias binding does go around curves better and is supposed to wear better. |
Originally Posted by Candace
Rather than a single layer of fabric, binding usually is double folded. So, it would last longer around the quilt and is preferred by many. IMO, binding finishes the quilt better and looks more professional. It's preference.
Originally Posted by Prism99
(Post 5047729)
The method most quilters use is single-fold straight grain binding. It's not cut on the bias. Basically you make a long strip about 2.5" wide and fold it so it is only half as wide. This gives the binding two layers of fabric. The binding on a quilt is the area that takes the most abuse, so having a double-layer of binding on the edge helps the quilt last longer.
For me, there are no disadvantages to using this binding method instead of folding over from the back. I suppose it takes a little longer. |
Another advantage to a separate binding is that often a quilt will show more wear around the edges. If a separate binding was used it can easily be removed and replaced.
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It's true that a double-layer bias binding wears better than a double-layer straight grain binding, and that both of these wear better than a backing folded over to the front.
I think one of the reasons straight-grain binding has become more common is that it's easier for new quilters to work on the straight-of-grain than the bias. Also, these days we are often not so concerned about making a quilt that will last for several generations; we are satisfied with just finishing the quilt! So there is less concern about using the very best method for binding, and more concern about just getting it done. |
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