Folded paper strips for straps or binding

The brief explanation:

1. Fold a piece of card the width of your strip in half. Open and fold edges in to the middle. Open again.

2. Lay your strip on folded card and fold up into double folded strip of either bias or straight of grain.

3. Pull it through to press or directly to machine needle for sewing.

I’ve  spent the last hour or so hunting for a link to where I learned this technique this spring, but I can’t find it. Somebody somewhere called it a jig or something, seems that it is used in industrial sewing sometimes. In any case, I learned it in my mask/scrub cap making frenzy this year and it’s HANDY and I want to pass it on.

I imagine I’ve made several miles of folded strips, either bias or straight of grain, for binding or straps or some purpose through the years. I have used the metal  bias binding gadgets, I’ve used the old singer attachments you screw down on your machine to send it under the needle, and I’ve spent too much time folding and pressing and trying not to burn my fingers. Bag all that! Well, I might use 1 or 2 again but I hope not 3. THIS method is great because you can make it whatever size you want and you can make a new one and not have to hunt for where you put that sucker. Works great.

Doing this quick and dirty tutorial from my home health job not my house, with stuff I had already recorded for a possible upcoming post. So, meh on the quality of photos but I think the technique is easy enough to grasp.

I like card stock, flimsy cardboard, I used an index card. Cut out a piece 1 1/2” to 2” long by approx the width of your fabric. Fold the width of card in half , open it. Then fold the sides in to that inside fold. You will have 3 folds; the middle and two sides.

Then you can insert your fabric strip, and use the paper folds to manipulate the fabric into a double folded strip.

Send the folded fabric under the presser foot and sew if you are making straps.  Cord or elastic could be inserted along the middle fold if you desired. I imagine you might be able to guide one thickness of fabric enclosed in the fold (like the red fabric bordered by yellow behind the sewing machine) but probably not a quilt. Of course you could pull it through to an iron instead of sewing without a press, but if you can skip that finger risking process, why not?. This is a rayon/linen blend cut on straight grain. 100% cotton was much easier to slide through and sew. The linen blend wanted to flatten out very close to exiting the tube. Still, not much hassle at all.

I was so pleased to find the folded paper trick. I hope it can help someone else out.

Fix a poking wire in a bra

As previously promised. So easy it’s more of a tip than a tutorial really.  Start with the poking wire.

We all know this pain. Sometimes you can wiggle it back into the casing where it might stay for a time. Eventually it is back, stabbing, poking, scratching at you. The best cure is cheap, fast, and easy! That’s a recipe you don’t often get to work with!

Moleskin! Sold in the foot section of stores to cushion and smooth callous or bony areas on feet in shoes. Pictured is Walmart’s brand, Dr Scholl’s looks very similar. It is backed with a paper covered adhesive and has a cushy, fuzzy padding.

Cut a square a little wider than your channel and long enough to keep the patch down securely.

I had tried just zig zagging over this wire, a shoddy and brief repair before I picked up the moleskin.


Now I lay this patch over the hole. I guess lots of non sewers stop after taking off the paper and holding the adhesive down to set it for a few minutes. I much prefer to secure it with some machine stitches.

You can see the ugly zig zag stitching from the previous, ineffective fix. The two lines of straight stitching along the channel edge is barely noticeable. I promise it’s durable and very comfortable.

There are always more luscious bra kits from many venders. This beautiful one is from Brabuilders. A helpful person did not send the clashing elastic I mistakenly ordered and sent the correct shade of yellow instead. Thanks, Sue!

Incidentally, I was wearing one of my recent (and still unphotographed) tops this week for a sightseeing trip to DC with my visiting brother and family. I got complimented on it in a little candy shop by a hip, urban young woman! This is an unusual experience for me, well I guess being in the presence of a hip urban person is too. It felt really good to blurt out, “thanks, I made it”! She was really impressed!

Update in August: I saw a repair done with plush elastic over the holey wire channeling. Looked better than the moleskin on the inside of the bra, and much likely for you to have around your house.