Bias
binding is, on your own most likely guessed, cut for the bias. The 'bias' means
across the grain with the fabric either from left right down to right or because
of left diagonally at a 45 degree angle. Being cut about the diagonal like this
provides the binding special properties over a normal ribbon or even a strip of
fabric cut around the grain or over the grain. Bias binding is able to stretch
or curve using the curved edge of the corset without wrinkling (to some extent
anyway - if your curve is extreme you will see some wrinkling). Often on low
cost corsets the very best and bottom edge is bound with plain ribbon which
puckers and creases, the harder you work with bias binding greater you'll notice
this sort of thing on badly made garments. You should buy bias binding in almost all sewing shops an internet-based. It comes in all colours and it is normally made of a shiny satin or cotton. Exactly why make your own? Well for those who have a patterned or luxurious fabric its often nearly impossible to find just the right colour or fabric binding and ultizing one that just doesn't quite look right can slow up the professional look of one's corset and detract all that tricky work. Don't misunderstand me, sho bought binding looks great against most fabrics and it is often nice to possess a contrasting fabric or colour binding for your main fabric. But also for those occasions when you simply can't locate the right match its reassuring to find out how to make your own from the fabric your sewing your corset from.
Firstly you will need a good half meter of your respective chosen fabric, a 45 degree angle (you receive one of these as a plastic triangle inside a kids maths set or you might Google it and print off a paper one), a couple of fabric scissors with an iron for ironing inside the folds.
Start in a high corner and using your 45 degree angle draw a line down at 45 degrees through the edge, now choose how wide you want your binding to get. If you want it small, say half a centimeter you will end up cutting strips 2cm wide, to get a 1cm binding you'll need 4cm strips. When measuring the width don't measure lower the grain line but vertically down at 90 degrees in the line you've just drawn. When you have drawn out all your lines trim your fabric strips out and sew them together. Do that by putting right sides together and sewing down the diagonal edge leaving a 5mm seam allowance, then opening out into one long strip and pressing the seam flat. Finish by trimming any seam allowance that protrudes within the edge of the strip.
Bias binding have their own edges folded in in order that they meet inside the middle and is also then folded by 50 percent again along this middle line. To produce your strips into bias binding you have to iron in these creases. Fold the strip in two down the middle and press. Now open it up up and fold and press one raw edge in in order that it almost touches this middle crease. Now perform the same with the other raw edge. You have your own custom made bias binding to fit your corset/sexy red lingerie! Well done!
Scarlet Sapsford is an experienced tightlacer and corsetiere with numerous years of experience both wearing and making corsets.
Additional information and pictures on how to come up with a corset bias binding.
