Guest post: Attaching Bias Binding For Corset Making

I am happy to once again have Scarlett from CorsetTraining.net here! This time she will show you how to attach bias binding on corsets. There’s a few tricks for finishing the end, especially when the binding ends in angled shapes.

Thank you Scarlett for the tutorial!

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1 bias binding examples
I was so excited to find out I’d be guest blogging for Novita, I’m always in awe of all the beautiful clothes she makes. So I had a real think about what you, her readers, might find really useful. Something that could be applied not just to corsetry but to other items of clothing.

In corsetry, like with most home sewn garments, the finishing touches can elevate something to couture or make it stand out as homemade (we like to tell people we made it ourselves not have them guess!). With corset making the binding is one such ‘make or break’ detail; if you apply it badly it shows, especially at the centre front and back.

So I’ve put together this tutorial to show you exactly how to apply bias binding to a raw edge with a corner (which any garment with a closure has, the bottom edge of a button up shirt for example) and then I go over how to get those crisp corner edges, no matter what angle the corner is; for example at the front opening of the corset pictured above, the top edge slopes inward to meet the front and the bottom edge points out, creating two very different angles.

There’s also been a special 30% ‘Summer Fun Purple Discount’ in my store since last week when Novita kindly reviewed my corset making video course. It ends in the next few days so take advantage and learn corsetry this summer by clicking through and using the special PURPLE30 discount code before Monday!
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The first thing I want to point out is that this is ‘bias binding’ which, you guessed it, is cut on the bias so the grain goes diagonally through the binding allowing it to ‘bend’. Don’t be tempted to use any other kind as you’ll get wrinkles if there’s even a slight curve in the fabric edge.

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Place the binding with the opening face up, unfold one of its edges and line it up along the raw edge of your fabric, then pin as shown above. Leave about an inch hanging over the cornered edge.
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Now sew along the crease in the binding, staying just to the side of it that’s nearest the raw edge. When you’re done it should look like the picture below.
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Now fold the binding up along your line of stitching and flip the fabric.
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Cut off any excess binding so you have about half an inch hanging off the corner and fold it in as shown below.
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Now fold the binding down so it covers your line of stitching and pin. Do the same at the other end of the binding.

At this point you can hand stitch the binding to the wrong side of the fabric for a truly couture finish by taking a long stitch through the crease in the edge of the binding and then a tiny stitch through the garment fabric and repeating along the entire edge.

To machine stitch, turn back to the right side of the fabric and continue with the steps below.
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Butt your machine needle up against the edge of the binding, one stitch away from the corner edge as shown above. We’re going to sew through the binding that needs securing on the back. This is why we pinned it below our first stitching line, so check your needle will catch it if you don’t think you pulled it down far enough on the back.

Now backstitch to the edge and sew a careful line along the fabric where it meets the binding. When you get to the other end, backstitch once to secure. It should look like the picture below.
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And here it is from the back. I’ve used a very thick thread in a contrasting colour to make it easy to see but in a normal, colour matched thread it blends in nicely.

Perfect corners

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Here we have a pointy corner that needs binding, I’ve already sewn the first line on the front and flipped it over.
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The trick to getting perfect corners, no matter what the angle, is to fold the edge of the binding so that it matches the edge of the fabric. In the image above you can see my folded bias binding continues the straight line of the fabric edge. You can place a ruler next to the fold to check everything lines up if you don’t want to eyeball it.
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Now fold the binding down as before, preserving that folded edge by letting any excess flap out on the back (just make sure the binding fold looks nice and straight from the front). You can then tuck in any pointy bits on the back, as shown in the picture below.
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Once you have any excess binding tucked away at the back it should look like this.
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Flip back to the right side of the fabric and secure as we did before. Here is the stitching on the inside.
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And here’s the stitching from the right side with its perfectly pointy corner binding. I hope you’ve enjoyed this tutorial and learnt something new. A massive thank you to the lovely Novita for having me! 🙂

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