Mermaid - Fold-Over Elastic

For clean edges and zero drama.

Fold-over elastic wraps raw edges cleanly in a single pass — on mesh, clear vinyl, canvas, and everything in between. It stretches where bias tape fights you, folds perfectly in half thanks to the centre crease, and flexes around curves without puckering. Clip it, sew it, done.

✨ Why makers reach for Zipper Valley FOE:

• Smooth finish on the trickiest fabrics – mesh pockets, clear vinyl panels, structured bag interiors – FOE handles them all without slipping or bunching.
• One pass. Both sides covered.Fold it over your raw edge, clip, and sew. You get a tidy finish on the front and back without double-stitching.
• More forgiving than bias tape – the stretch works with your curves, not against them. No puckering, no wrestling your machine.
• Friendly on your domestic machine – straight stitch or zigzag, no special feet or industrial setup required. It's designed for the machine you already own.
• Colours matched to your project – our FOE colours are developed to coordinate with our Water-Resistant Canvas, DayFlex Bonded Poly-Nylon, and zipper collections. No more "close enough"– scroll down to see exact colour matches.
• OEKO-TEX® Certified

The bag-making community swears by it, but they're not the only ones. Fold-over elastic is the go-to binding for anyone working with raw edges that need a clean, flexible finish: garments, activewear, baby gear, swimwear, headbands, and more.

How to use it:

1. Position your raw edge inside the center crease of the elastic.
2. Clip in place (we recommend sewing clips over pins, especially on vinyl and coated fabrics).
3. Sew with a straight or zigzag stitch – stretching gently as you go on curved edges.

⚠️ Pro tip about shrinkage:

Like all elastic, FOE relaxes slightly after it comes off the roll. Two easy ways to handle it:

• Add ~10% extra length when cutting for a project.
• Pre-shrink with an iron on low-to-medium heat before cutting. Press it flat, let it cool, then measure and cut. This locks in the final length so there are no surprises after sewing.

Details: