Sewing Tutorial: Easy Method of Evenly Sewing Bias Tape Bindings

I'm making baby clothes for my September-due granddaughter, and like to have a "finished" edge to them. Sewing tiny binding strips around edges of tiny clothes and having the binding come out straight and the sewing catch evenly on both sides (or without having to hand sew one side of the binding strip) was proving difficult, until I looked through my supplies stash and discovered a tube of Liquid Stitch. Putting these tiny bias tape bindings is now a simple job that takes only a few minutes!

Here is the outfit I'm working on - newborn size. It's a little hoodie with matching pants. The pants have a bit of rouching on the side.

You can see the bias tape trim on the mitten opening of the hoodie. I used the same method I'm about to show you.

Here's the pants bottom, still just roughly cut.

I evened them off, and then did a 1/4 inch hem on each bottom hem.

Here are my supplies: Liquid Stitch and pink bias tape. I cut the tape about two inches longer than I need, because I am a "better safe than sorry" kind of person!

I lay out the bias tape, and along one folded edge, I lay a line of Liquid Stitch a few inches long. IMPORTANT: Leave your binding tape FOLDED, even when gluing. Don't open it up as you would when adding a binding to a quilt, for example.

I then place the OUTSIDE edge of the pants hem exactly along the middle line of the bias tape. It's important to be as exact as you can.

I continue to place the Liquid Stitch along the bias tape for a few inches, then press the hem edge to the glued bias tape.

When I get about an inch away from the end (or where I started originally), I cut the tape about 1/2 inch LONGER than where it meets the other end. 

I snip the tape, then put a few dots of glue and fold the bias tape over on to the glue - to give it a finished end.

I add Liquid Stitch along the remainder of the bias tape (and folded end), being very careful to match that center line up EXACTLY, especially where the ends overlap.

The OUTSIDE edge now has bias tape binding - here's what it looks like:

Now I need to glue along the INSIDE edge. Again, it's important to do this evenly, so the middle fold of the bias tape stays along the fabric edge of the hem.

Continue gluing in two to three inch increments, then folding the bias tape down and pressing firmly with your fingers for a few seconds until it holds. Continue all the way around - and here's the result!

I do let the glue dry for about 10 minutes before I move on to my sewing machine. I don't want wet glue to get down into my sewing machine workings.

Next, I use a small 2.2 stitch length, and sew evenly all around the bias tape hem, using my open-toe foot as a visual sewing line guide.

No pins in the way, no bias tape moving around - it's all smooth and steady sewing!

And here's the finished edge!

The finished outfit:

I have also used this method on bindings for potholders and placemats, and it worked equally well with wider bias tape. The Liquid Stitch completely washes away, so there will be no chemical residue at all.

I hope you enjoyed my first tutorial! Happy Sewing!