Thoughts on zero waste bias cutting

The bias cut slip dress/pinafore I started last week is practically finished.

To re-cap, I’m exploring bias cut & zero waste for the September instalment of A Year of Zero Waste Sewing, a book I’m publishing as zines.

I tried out some ideas I had using the slip dress pattern from Birgitta Helmersson’s new book, Zero Waste Patterns.

Instead of cutting it on the straight grain, I first made some fabric into a bias tube:

Then I drew the pattern out as per the directions in the book.

The slip dress took exactly the same amount of fabric on the bias as it did on the straight grain. It used a mere 101cm x 133.5cm of fabric.

Bias cutting has a reputation for using extra fabric and creating a lot of scraps, and in most cases this is true. Typically, regular pattern pieces are used and a new 45˚ grainline is drawn on the pattern. When these are placed on the fabric, there are often unused triangle-y shapes around the edges.

However, zero waste bias cutting can be even MORE economical than regular non-bias cut clothes.

I think we could be onto something here!

An Instagram friend alerted me to this YouTube video showing the same technique (10:33min), showing how to convert a length of fabric into a bias tube to cut (regular) pattern pieces. She has some good tips. If you’re familiar with the Xanthea dress pattern, the fabric is sewn in the same way:

There are several ways to convert a rectangle into a bias tube. I used a different method from the above one which I reckon is easier. Here’s a preview from the September zine:

I’m keen to try this idea out on more patterns. Good candidates could be the Lillypilly dress, the Ursa dress, the tessellated dress/coat in the Zero Waste Sewing book and any bog coat styles.

So…back to the shift dress/pinafore.

The original pattern had binding around the armholes and neck, and I dug out these possibilities. I ended up choosing the red linen on the left.

Actually I had decided to have no binding – I was just going to bag out the edges with the satin lining, but it looked so boring and apron-like I changed my mind. My teen sat at the kitchen table doing her homework and offering brutally honest opinions (which was exactly what I needed to hear). She also said very positive things, such as You’ll get it right in the end, Mum, you always do.

I made a few alterations to the pattern: lowered the front and back neck 4.5cm, and took in the sides a bit to reduce the flare. I wish I’d cut the armhole higher by, say, 2.5cm, but it was too late.

The wool tweed (which came to me in a bag with other ex-stash fabrics) turned out to be superb. It sewed and pressed like a dream.

I lined it with satin, which made it very easy to slip on and off over my head. The tweed is very grippy! I cut them the same length to start with, and you can see how much more the satin dropped.

Pockets. Realistically, I’ll never wear this if it doesn’t have good pockets (am I voicing the same feelings as the rest of the sewing community?) Possibilities considered were these in-seam ones (with this tutorial) but Teen thought it needed detail on the outside. I’m thinking of welt pockets, running parallel with the fabric’s straight grain, so I’ve made some welts and they’re just pinned on there for now while I dither.

The straps have to undo to get the pinafore off, but buttons looked too kindergarten-ish (Teen agreed). Maybe the solution is hooks or something on the inside so it does up invisibly?

Nearly there with it, and very thrilled with the zero waste bias cutting experiment.

Cheers!