How to Finish a Facing with Bias Binding

Today I’m going to show you how to finish a facing with bias binding. If you’re making the Arielle skirt and leaving it unlined, bias binding will give you a pretty finish on the inside of the skirt (alternatively you can simply finish the inner edge of the facing with zigzag stitch or an overlocker).

You can make your own bias binding, which is a topic for another tutorial perhaps, or you can buy it ready-made, which TBH is what I usually do. You’ll need about 2m (2 ¼ yards) - best get a little more to be on the safe side. The width of the binding doesn't matter that much for this project, as long as it's not crazy narrow. (I got this polka dot stuff at Simply Fabrics in Brixton.) Before you begin, as with fabrics it’s a good idea to test your iron setting on a scrap of binding to check its melting point (yikes!).

Start by unfolding one side of the binding and align the raw edge with one of the inside edges of the facing, right sides together. Pin it in place. When you come to the curved corners, clipping short snips into both the facing and the bias binding can help you ease the curves together smoothly. Continue pinning the binding all the way around the inner edge of the facing - up one side, along the lower edge of the top, and down the other side.

Stitch the binding to the facing along the channel of the fold line nearest the edge of the facing.

Press the binding away from the facing and towards the seam allowances. Now fold the binding over to the wrong side of the facing and press in place, ensuring that the raw edge of the fabric is covered by the folded edge of the binding – you may need to trim down the seam allowance on the facing a bit first, depending on how wide your bias binding is.

From the right side of the facing, topstitch the binding close to the seam line, through all layers. Pause every so often to check that the other side of the binding is getting caught in the stitching.

Give it a final press, and you’re done!

If you’re making the Arielle skirt, follow the rest of the instructions in the pattern booklet to attach the facing, hem the skirt, and add the buttons and buttonholes. Speaking of buttonholes, that’s the subject of the next post… Until then, happy sewing!