Sewing Tip: Iron To Shape A Bias Strip Before Sewing It To A Curved Edge
One of the trickiest aspects of sewing a bias-faced curved neck finish is aligning the bias facing strip to the curved neckline edge. Even if the bias-cut fabric strip has a good amount of stretch and flexibility, molding a straight edge to curved edge will most likely feel a bit unnatural and uncomfortable.
A simple trick you can use to make the alignment and overall construction process easier and a lot more comfortable, is pre-ironing the bias facing in a curved position to imitate the neckline curve. This should be done after the bias fabric strip has been folded and ironed down the center.
Ironing a bias strip in a curved position is called shaping and is often used when clean finishing curved edges (such as neckline and armholes) using bias facings, binding, and any other bias-cut strips used to clean finish these edges.
Ironing a bias strip in a curved position is called shaping and is often used when clean finishing curved edges (such as neckline and armholes) using bias facings, binding, and any other bias-cut strips used to clean finish these edges.
If you utilize the pre-ironing trick shown here, you'll notice a big difference in the ease with which you can align the bias facing to the curved neckline edge. With some shaping, the bias strip lays flatter and molds smoother to the curved edge it finishes.
The difference can also be felt when the bias facing is attached and flipped to the inside of the garment. In this final position, the bias strip lays flush against the wrong side of the garment surface which naturally, encourages a smoother finished edge and a tension-free application.