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You are here: Home / Tutorials / Knit Skinny Binding Tutorial

Knit Skinny Binding Tutorial

May 6, 2015 by Jodi 25 Comments

I’m in a desperate sewing frenzy right now. It suddenly feels like summer and I have discovered that I have no summer maternity wear. Last week, I cracked down and sewed myself five Jalie racerback tanks. Unfortunately, my photographer-in-residence is busy with end-of-the-semester stuff anyways and we haven’t had a chance to photograph the tanks being worn yet. Although I wear them every single day.

Knit Skinny Binding Tutorial

I had so much fun sharing the sewing process on Instagram. I feel a bit lonely in my garment sewing here and you people get me. So thank you for enjoying it with me.

I have to say I am really pleased with the method of neck/armhole binding that this Jalie pattern uses. It uses “self” fabric instead of ribbing and I think the narrowness of the binding looks very feminine. Based on the comments I got on my in-progress photos, you all are loving it too. So I thought I would take pictures and share a tutorial with you.

This post contains labeled affiliate links. See my affiliate link policy for more details.

  • The fabric I used for my tanks is Robert Kaufman Laguna jersey knit. The pattern calls for knits with at least 40% width-wise and 20% length-wise stretch and this lovely stuff is perfect for it.
  • I used my Brother 1034D serger (affiliate link) for this project, but if you don’t have one available you can sew those seams on a conventional sewing machine using a stretch stitch.

Skinny Binding Tutorial

  1. Sew and finish the side and shoulder seams.
    Knit Skinny Binding Tutorial
  2. Cut out a 1″ wide strip of the jersey knit width-wise from the fabric. How long? Based on the lengths given on the Jalie pattern, the binding strips should be 95% the opening measurements.
    Knit Skinny Binding Tutorial
  3. Sew the strip into a loop.
    Knit Skinny Binding Tutorial
  4. Divide the length of the strip into quarters and mark the quarters. Divide the garment opening into quarters and mark as well.
    Knit Skinny Binding Tutorial
    Knit Skinny Binding Tutorial
  5. With the right side of the binding against the wrong side of the shirt, match up the quarter marks of the binding to the marks on the shirt and pin at each marking. The binding is  a little bit smaller than the opening.
    Knit Skinny Binding Tutorial
  6. With the shirt on top and the binding underneath, serge the two together, stretching the binding gently to match the length of the shirt opening.
    Knit Skinny Binding Tutorial
  7. Next insert and thread a double needle onto your conventional sewing machine. I recommend using twin needles that are labeled for use with jersey or stretch fabrics. Universal twins can have problems with skipped stitches on knits. I used Schmetz Stretch Twin needles (affiliate link) for this project and they worked well.  You will have to consult your sewing machine manual on the particulars on how to properly thread your machine.
    Knit Skinny Binding Tutorial
    Knit Skinny Binding Tutorial
  8. Before sewing the binding down, flip the binding around the seam to the right side of the shirt. The wrong side of the binding is against right side of the shirt. Line up the unsewn edge of the binding with the serged seam. Then fold the binding the rest of the way over to the front along the seam, wrapping the serged seam with the binding in the process.
    Knit Skinny Binding Tutorial
    Knit Skinny Binding Tutorial
    I pin the folded binding in place just to start, but then continue to fold and tuck under the binding as I sew slowly. No need to iron or pin in place.
  9. Edgestitch the binding down along the folded edge using the double needle.
    Knit Skinny Binding Tutorial
    When using the double needle, the bobbin thread is zig-zagged along the back which allows this seam to stretch!

Knit Skinny Binding Tutorial
The first couple of times I tried it I had a hard time keeping my edge stitching tidy, but it was a pretty friendly learning curve and by the time I sewed 5 tanks I was a pro. Try it! I think you will like it!

knit skinny binding

Knit Skinny Binding Tutorial

Filed Under: Tutorials Tagged With: jalie, maternity, racerback tank, sewing, tank, tutorial, tutoriall

Previous Post: « The Better-Than-Basic Bag – Call for Testers!
Next Post: Rainbow of Tanks »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lauren says

    May 6, 2015 at 4:27 pm

    Genius! I want to try this with my coverstitch machine as the binder attachment isn’t always so consistent.

    Reply
    • Jodi says

      May 7, 2015 at 12:39 pm

      I sooooo wish I had a coverstitch to use.

      Reply
  2. Monica says

    May 7, 2015 at 6:18 am

    Oh, this looks so great! Maybe I’ll attempt a double needle again…I had a horrible time with skipped stitches and breaking threads, but I probably just need to play with the settings (and not be so laaazy). You are a sewing machine (heh).

    Reply
    • Jodi says

      May 7, 2015 at 12:39 pm

      were you using a ballpoint needle?

      Reply
  3. Abbey says

    May 7, 2015 at 6:46 am

    Thanks for an incredibly timely post!! I tried this binding on the sleeves of a t-shirt last night after admiring how good it looked on your tanks. I missed the binding-shorter-than-garment part in the Jalie video, though, and ended up with funky bell sleeves–cute, but not really what I was expecting. This clears up what went wrong!

    Reply
    • Jodi says

      May 7, 2015 at 12:36 pm

      yes. these were 95% of the opening, but when putting in a regular knit binding it is like 90% https://www.pinterest.com/pin/194640015121570710/

      Reply
  4. Carey says

    May 8, 2015 at 12:39 pm

    Very useful tutorial. Thanks!

    Reply
  5. Charity says

    May 8, 2015 at 3:44 pm

    This technique looks beautiful! I need to finish up the woven projects I’m working on so I can sew some knits! =)

    Reply
  6. Tanya. Woll says

    May 8, 2015 at 7:02 pm

    Thanks for the tutorial. What foot are you using?

    Reply
  7. Cheerful Homemaker says

    May 8, 2015 at 9:02 pm

    This looks amazing! I’d love to sew with knits, but I’m intimidated.

    Reply
  8. Shirley says

    May 9, 2015 at 11:17 am

    What a fantastic tutorial! I have this pattern, so now I have pulled it out to give this a try. Thank you for the tutorial! I just read through your blog; it is lovely.

    Reply
  9. kathryn rife says

    May 10, 2015 at 1:38 pm

    Great tutorial! Thank you so much! This will come in so handy.

    Reply
  10. Beth – Sew DIY says

    June 2, 2015 at 10:46 am

    Thank you for sharing this! It looks really easy. I’ll have to try it out.

    Reply
  11. Melinda says

    June 6, 2015 at 8:43 am

    So do you actually turn the overlocking over as well, after enclosing it in the binding? Or does the binding just wrap the overlocked edge?

    Reply
    • Jodi says

      June 6, 2015 at 11:47 am

      The overlocking is folded along the overlocked seam, and the binding wraps around it.

      Reply
      • Melinda says

        June 6, 2015 at 6:22 pm

        Thanks Jodi. I’ve always been confused by the skinny binding, couldn’t figure out how it worked. And that’s why, I wasn’t folding the overlocked edge over! Doh! Thanks for the tutorial and the detailed photographs.

  12. Dora says

    July 1, 2015 at 5:15 am

    Great tute! But please help! Why does my twin needle sewing strech the binding?

    Reply
    • Jodi says

      July 6, 2015 at 8:49 am

      you probably need to lengthen the stitches.

      Reply
  13. Mary Ann says

    July 22, 2016 at 8:13 am

    just stumbled over this while struggling to understand the binding – your photos were like a giant lightbulb – thank you so much. I can now finish my first Jalie racerback! Bought a bunch of knit fabrics to try and get better with sewing knits so I am now ready to cut into the good stuff.

    Reply
  14. Sharon says

    February 19, 2017 at 7:15 pm

    Thanks so much for sharing..and such a terrific blog..previously used other style add on binding this looks so much neater and feminine

    Reply
  15. Laura says

    April 19, 2017 at 5:09 pm

    Thank you SO much for making this tutorial!! You completely saved me and I learned a LOT. This is really well done. Cheers!

    Reply
  16. Romy says

    August 19, 2017 at 8:11 pm

    Would it also work to serge the binding into a loop but then fold it in half lengthwise (wrong side together) and serge both long edges to the shirt edge at once? That way when you top stitch, it wouldn’t be as fiddly as wrapping around. Just a thought.

    Reply
    • Jodi says

      August 20, 2017 at 9:00 pm

      NO reason you couldn’t try it out and see if you like doing it. I personally think folding as you go isn’t as fiddly as it might seem before trying it, but the great thing about sewing is there are so many ways of doing things you can keep trying them until you have a method you really like.

      Reply
  17. PsychicSewerKathleen says

    August 21, 2017 at 9:46 am

    I tried this once but I see here what I did wrong! I folded the band before serging it to the top which led to too much bulk when it was brought to the right side for twin needle finishing! Thank you for this fix 🙂 If I’d sewn up my Jalie pattern I would have known to do this correctly 🙂

    Reply
  18. Mary says

    October 31, 2018 at 11:58 am

    wow thank you so much for posting ……love it will try……..

    Reply

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Jodi - Sewing Advocate - Mother of 7 - Lover of Swings and Deadlifts - Catholic

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