HELP.........

Does any one have a Bias tape maker? What is your opinion of it? Are they expensive?

I am making on average 6 quilts a month and I have made my own Bias tape from fabric; marking on it, making a tube, a real pain!

And I have spent way to much money on premade, I live in the mtns and either buy it here and it is expensive or have to wait(I am really not good at waiting) to go down into the valley, where it is hot and crowded and one trip down the hill means a whole day away from my sewing machine. (Plus I always spend a lot more money than I should on more fabric, that I really don't need (according to my husband that is) ;-)

So I am thinking I might want to buy a maker??? or at the very least find a good supplier online!

If my quilts are square/rectangular, I don't bother cutting bias tape - I just cut it on the straight grain and fold it in half before sewing it to the edge and folding over. I'll cut bias tape only if my edges are curvy.

Is there some reason you do not want to double folded fabric on the grain line for binding? I use bias binding only if I want a special effect with stripes.

I really like the non-mechanical simple bias tape makers that Clover has .. simple .. effective .. and inexpensive .. they come in many sizes. They do have them at JoAnn's.
Online
http://www.clover-usa.com/product/26...as_Tape_Makers

I was using Bias tape because for some reason I thought it had to be Bias tape! I will, if I am making a quilt for a grand child or relative use grain cut fabric out of backing or one of my borders. I thought Bias tape for customers! I am really glad to know that it is not necessary! Thanks

Are your quilts straight sided? If so, why don't you use straight cuts for binding? Much less trouble. I prefer WOF for binding, but you might like LOF better. Try it, you'll like it, as they say. No need for bias unless your quilts have curved edges.

Thanks so much! All this time I have been using it and didn't have to!

I need to find the "Rules" LOL But at least this is a great place to come and ask!

Thanks for the info, I will check it out!

The only time I cut bias binding was for a quilt with rounded edges. One time in 6 years. I don't need a bias tape maker.

Bias binding is supposed to last longer. If I were making a quilt that I wanted to be around for hundreds of years - an heirloom quilt - I would cut on the bias. However, for everything else (and that means everything so far) I cut either with the grain or across the WOF.