Reversible Fall Placemat Tutorial - Part 8

The last section of the tutorial. If you're making as you're reading, almost there!

Now we have to sew on the binding. I explained how I make bias tape binding in a post titled 'Make your own bias tape binding'. After I finish this tutorial I'm going to figure out how to put in a link for that and then come back and edit! Just a reminder, you will need seven 1 3/4 inch pieces of the brown fabric to make enough bias tape to bind all 4 placemats.

  The first thing to do is cut the edge of your bias tape on an angle and finger press over about a quarter of an inch. See where the edge of the fabric falls over the edge of the bias tape? Fold that under and finger press down to be sure that all edges are hidden. Then let the fold up and carefully trim the corner you just folded so that you don't have multiple layers of fabric. Then sew the folder edge under.

Now place your binding about 2/3 of the way down one of your edges. I use quilter's clips to hold in place because I have them, but paper clips like the one I have in the picture work just as well! 

It's hard to see in the picture, but because we cut the bias tape on an angle, one side is shorter than the other. When you start to sew, you need to leave a section unsewn so that once you are all the way around you can tuck your raw edge in. Don't start to sew until at least an inch back from your shortest side. For me in the picture, I didn't start to sew until after the green clip.

As I said in an earlier post, when I have stitches that are going to be seen, I like to have control of where my threads are, so I bring my bobbin thread up to the top of my fabric by holding onto my top thread while the first stitch is being made. Then I pull both threads out of the way so that they won't tangle.

Do you want perfectly mitred corners? Of course you do! So, sew the bias tape on that side to the absolute end, but don't go off the edge of your placemat. Then backstitch a couple of stitches and cut your threads.

Open up your bias tape at the end of the seam, like in the top left picture above. Then while holding the placemat up with your left hand, put your thumb and index fingers of your right hand on either side of the opened up binding, and fold it back over the section you just sewed. You may have to pull your fold a little, but usually it just folds magically in place! While holding the corner, pull your binding into place over the next side of your placemat, and clip or pin in place. Beautiful!

I've tried several things to try to keep the mitred corner in place while I position under the sewing needle, and what works best for me is to pin it, being careful to check that I have both sides firmly in place with the pin. Then I draw the pin almost out and place it under my pressure foot. Once I am sure it is in place but BEFORE I bring my needle down to sew as close to the corners as I can, I take the pin out. Then I bring up my bobbin thread and sew. Easy right!

Keep sewing around all four sides and corners until you are almost back to when you started. You are going to cut your binding so that it can slip under the edge you didn't sew at the beginning. Be careful not to cut too short. It is easy to trim again, but very difficult to fit another piece in!

Once you are sure you have enough binding left to go under the edge, trim it off. I usually pull the edge of the already sewn part off to the side,  sew my raw edge down, then pull the first edge back over and sew both pieces, which means the bottom piece is sewn twice. You can just slip the raw edge under your start edge, pin both pieces down, and then sew both pieces at once. However, I've found my end result is a little neater if I sew twice.

 This is what was left from the seven strips of fabric that I used to make bias tape!

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial. I've learned enough about posting in a blog to know that I have a lot to learn! My first set of fall placemats are made. They will be gifted to my mother. Don't tell! My next set will be for my daughter and son-in-law, and then, finally, a set for me! Cheers!