Bias Binding Confusion

[Mary]

I'm trying to make some rugs for my ponies and yearlings and am getting rather frustrated with the bias binding, desperate for some tips if anyone has some! I do a nice row and then get annoyed and go back and start again.
Could I glue the bias binding or would that look awful?

Could I be struggling cause I'm doing it by hand and not by sewing machine?

[kits]

Can you post some photos of the stage you're getting stuck at? I cheat a little with mine I think but still have to sew it on in the first place. I don't have any glue that's strong enough to do a good job but wouldn't soak through or make the binding all stiff and nasty.

[EG]

Bias binding is one of those things that seems super difficult until suddenly it isn't and it finally just clicks! I'd like to see where you're getting stuck too, that might help!
I always keep the edge I'm sewing parallel to the outside edge of the fabric, if that makes any sense?

[astudyinscarlet]

How are you trying to sew it on, with visible or invisible stitching?
If it's with visible stitching have you tried pinning it in place first before stitching? Although pinning it can work with the invisible stitching method but then you only pin one side of it (you start with the side on top of the fabric sewing along inside the fold of the binding and then you go around and stitch on the underside binding afterwards).

I mostly do mine with invisible stitching, hardly ever the other way (which I think does work better and look much neater with a sewing machine, which I don't have) but it's not easy to just explain how to do it neatly without pictures. Although I'll say that method is a LOT easier with two layers of fabric and fairly impossible to do neatly with just one especially if the fabric is quite thin. I line my rugs with felt so the second lot of stitching when I do the underside of the binding only goes through the felt layer and is guaranteed to be concealed. (Plus a white felt lining ensures no colour will 'bleed' off the top layer of fabric onto lighter coloured horses)

[Mary]

I'm attempting invisible stitching, one side is fine but the other I get confused.

[Jan]

I found a few photos I took of one of my rugs - don't know if they're any help... I handsew the binding using the method described by astudyinscarlet.

Binding sewn to the right side of the rug:


This pic shows (I hope) the beginning of the stitching on the lining side of the rug, the needle goes into the felt lining (not through the outer fabric layer) and just catches the binding.


The finished binding

[Mary]

That's a big help thank you Jan!
I think my problem is I do try to do the invisible stitching, maybe it would be easier for me to do visible till I get the hang of it

[Mary]

I'm making slow progress