Vogue Tunic Pattern #8733

The tunic top with short sleeves from Vogue pattern 8733 is on my list for a future project, maybe this weekend.

For this project I have dove into the large collection of fabric that I have collected over the years.  I found some raw silk that I thought would work nicely with this pattern.  But I was a bit short on the yardage to make it all in one colour.

I have two pieces of two meters of raw silk in a light mint green and vanilla colour, so I thought I would mix the fabric to make a two tone garment.

I cut the bodice yokes and sleeve in the light mint coloured raw silk and the lower front, back and tie pieces in the vanilla coloured raw silk.  The pattern calls for bias tape for the neckline and I do have an uncommon colour to match with the bias tape selection that is available in Winnipeg.  No problem though, bias tape is easy to make.

How to Make Bias Tape:

You'll need a bias tape maker, a ruler, dressmaker chalk, and a piece of fabric.

You'll likely start off with a rectangular shape of fabric which is perfect, working with a square piece of fabric works too.





To get started you will need to find the bias of the fabric, you can easily do this by folding up the corners to form a triangle.  The fold is the guide for the bias.  Mark the fold.  You can baste the fold line, mark it with chalk or press the fold line.  I prefer to press the fold line. The pressed line is your bias line.


Open up the triangle that you have created to reveal the bias line that has been pressed.  Using dressmaker chalk, a ruler, and the  marked bias line as your guide, your are now ready to mark off stripes from this line.

Since I need to make 1/2-inch bias tape I marked my lines 1-inch apart.  You will want to mark your strips twice the measurement of your desired finished bias tape.


Once you have the desired amount marked off you can go ahead and cut out the strips.  You will notice that if you tug at the ends of the strips that there is a bit of a stretch to them.  Perfect!

Trim the ends of the strips to that there is no longer a diagonal edge to them and that the corners have 90 degree angles.

To sew the pieces together line up two ends together at 90 degree angles so that the edges match up with right sides together.  Then sew them diagonally across.  When you open up the seams you will find that you have a straight piece of bias material.  Continue to the remaining pieces.

Now you are ready to insert the bias fabric into the bias tape maker.  This is the fun part because it so easy!  Feed your strip of bias fabric evenly through the bias tape maker.  It will come out the other end with press the folds down.

And there you go!  You just made your own bias tape.