Pro tip: cutting bias tape on a fold instead of flat fabric

I kept messing up my bias tape on a silk project last week. The strips kept coming out uneven and it was driving me crazy. Then my friend Jess told me to fold the fabric in half before cutting, so both layers line up perfectly. It saved me like an hour of re-cutting and the tape actually lies flat now. Has anyone else tried this trick for slippery fabrics?

3 comments

3 Comments

ross.river2mo agoTop Commenter

Oh man, I totally feel your pain with silk! @sagesingh is right, ironing the fold first makes a huge difference.

sagesingh2mo ago

Had a friend who tried this on satin and said it stopped the fabric from sliding around as much. Did you iron your fold first or just eyeball it?

linda_clark27d ago

Oh I saw that comment from @sagesingh about ironing the fold first. Actually, I think that might be a bit backwards for satin specifically. The heat and pressure from an iron can actually set those crease lines deeper into the fabric, making it slide even more when you try to work with it. I've messed up a few satin projects by ironing first and then the fold was basically permanent. What works better is using pattern weights or even just some heavy books to hold the fabric in place while you cut. That way you don't have to wrestle with a hot iron and a slippery fold at the same time.