Bias tape tutorial (without a bias tape maker)

Maybe you find yourself in the same position as I am - having to make do with the tools that you have (which in my case are VERY minimal.) I have been postponing some of the projects that I want to do because I need bias tape and therefore need a bias tape maker. I finally had the opportunity to go look for one in Seoul, last week. I bought one and being my distracted self, I bought one that was WAY too narrow. After kicking myself I decided that it was not actually the end of the world, and that I might be able to borrow one somewhere. Shortly after this a friend of mine told me that her professor had taught her how to make bias tape without the maker thingymajig. REVELATION!!

Many of you may know how to do this already - but here it is for those of you that are also in desperate need of bias tape :)

You need: 

Fabric, cut into strips (if you don't know how - here is a good link, from that girl that quilt, to teach you)

An ironing board

2 Pins or needles

A fabric marker

An iron

Instructions:

Make marks on your ironing board with your fabric marker (as wide as you need your finished bias tape to be) 

I made mine 3cm in this pic. (sorry for the blur, its a combination of bad lighting and...well...me:)

Now insert your needles/pins like I have done below: (the needles go back into the fabric at the bottom even though it doesn't look like it) 

Your needles don't need to be an exact distance apart, so you don't need to get too technical :)

Now cut your fabric strips (double the width of your final bias tape) and start off the process by folding the fabric in half and just ironing the first few centimeters:

And then fold the outer edges inward and iron. 

 Thread the first part of your soon-to-be-bias-tape under your needles:

Now all you have to do is pull it through, SLOWLY, and iron it flat as you go. 

 Keep watching the fabric on the right as you pull it through to make sure that it doesn't become bigger on one side than another.

Obviously it is better to use a bias tape maker but HAVING bias tape is better than not having it.

I hope this helps you as much as it has helped me. 

A lack of tools does not mean you have to sit on the side while all the other kids have fun :)