b.zang

Thanks for asking this. I'm also curious to know whether this is a worthwhile investment or not. I cut long continuous bias for all my binding and have used it often enough that I'm now able to do binding easily but still find myself spending way too much time over a hot iron making bias tape for other things.
While people are answering, can you talk about single and double fold bias tape as well? I would like to know if these machines make both. Thanks.

MZStitch

I have these too, and they are great to make stems for applique!

Ramona Byrd

I have 2 old metal ones that work nicely. I don't use much bias tape, but of course late at night I need some that I don't have, so it's easy to make it myself. Them being metal, I don't have to worry about touching the iron to plastic which gums up the iron. Don't ask me how I know that little fact....

BellaBoo

Wow! This answers why her quilts are made to perfection! I learned a lot watching this video.

Flying_V_Goddess

Then I might need it then. I'm doing a series of wall hangings replicating the stained glass windows of the sages found in the sword area in the game Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. There should be seven of them (seven sages) and I think two more two extra (I think one is depicting the evil guy, Ganon)...anyways, they have a lot of lead piping in different sizes.

Here's a link to the picture of the window depicting the Forest Sage:http://www.zeldawiki.org/images/thum...x-SariaTWW.png

BellaBoo

That's a lot of bias! You need the bias machine. You can also add any fusible tape to bias and have the machine fuse it to the bias for you.

MommaDorian

Silly question time...what is the difference between bias tape and binding? Is bias tape used for binding?

Flying_V_Goddess

I'm not sure if there is a difference either (gotta love being a beginner and forgetting all the technical stuff). However, what I do know is not all binding is cut on the bias on the fabric.

amma

I think we may be talking about two different kinds of bias strips here.

Most of us use a strip of fabric folded in half and sewn onto our quilts, turn over to the other side and sew it down by hand or machine.

The bias strip makers (like binding tape) fold the edges in to the middle of the strip. These work great for stained glass, vines and such.
However, these only put a single layer of fabric on the edges of a quilt. This will not wear as long as a double thickness of fabric will :wink: The double thickness is only on the sides of these. :D:D:D JMHO

amma

For this type of quilt, the bias tape makers that you use with your iron are well worth the few $$ they cost. They come in a multitude of sizes too.

If you lightly starch your fabric before cutting, and then roll the pressed bias strips around a toilet paper center, they will hold their shape forever. And they store easier and neater too.

You can make a LOT of bias tape in little time with these little tools :D:D:D