How to Apply Bias Binding as a Facing to a V-Neck (an excerpt from my Refashioners 2016 “Jeanius” project)

It’s my turn today in Portia’s August spectacular blog series “The Refashioners”. This year the theme is “Jeanius” and I’m not going to give the whole game away here, so hop over to Portia’s blog http://www.makery.uk to see the whole shebang.

However, what I did end up doing with my project was, without even planning to, write a detailed step-by-step tutorial for how to achieve my favourite edge finish on a V-neck. So I’m going to just share that bit as a mini self-contained tutorial. Here goes:

 1.  Position the end of the bias binding beyond the intersection of the two seam allowances at the point of the V neck on the right side of the garment and pin in place. (I also tacked mine in place to make sure I was super accurate at the point of the V – start your tacking at the intersection of the two seam allowances at the point of the V and tack along the crease line in the binding.)

2.  It helps to pin the overhanging end of the binding back on itself so that when the other end of the binding reaches the intersecting seam allowances at the point of the V you can place it in exactly the right place.

3.  Your tacking should stop in exactly the same position at the point of the V as it started on the other end of the binding. Machine in place.

4.  Snip into the seam allowance of the garment as close as you dare to the point of the V.

5.  Let the bias binding fold back on itself to cover your stitching and then fold it around completely to the inside of the neck.

6.  The two ends of the bias binding will overlap each other.

7.  Wrap one end of the binding around the other.

8.  Cut off the longer end of the bias binding that isn’t tucked under and pin and tack the whole of the binding in position close to the loose edge.

9. Machine the binding in place from the right side of the garment following your tacking.

NOTE: some people like to understitch the first line of machining (after step 4). It can help to keep the binding on the wrong side of the garment. I don’t always understitch, only if I’m working with particularly bouncy fabric.

Ta-dah here’s how it turned out on my Refashioners project:

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If you fancy having a go at making your own bias binding, you can find my tutorial for making continuous strip bias binding here, it’s quick and a really thrifty way to use up leftover fabrics – a 47cm square can make 7.5m of bias binding!!