Have you seen them??The ad says it will make 250 ft of bias for you! I just ironed some the old fashioned way w/ a clover bias maker and an iron...and, I was 'thinking'.......if that puppy really works...that could be a great thing!! Could have oogles of stems ready to be appliqued!! It also says 'not for professional use'....now that does scare me?! Does that mean 'good for one use only'??LOL Skeat

Don't know the 'who' these people are, but, here's a pic of what I am talking about....not sure you could go ahead and make your own tape by the time you loaded this..again, not sure...anyone? Go to: http://www.allbrands.com/products/abp22656-2366.htm if you want to see what it looks like

Don't ask me why that isn't working now....!!

Why isn't that working now? (sorry, couldn't help myself) :lol: :lol:

Still not working for me...shows 'in error'...so, I am trying again...can anyone else see this??Go to: http://www.allbrands.com/products/abp22656-0094.html

Is this the one?
http://www.allbrands.com/products/abp22656.html

I'm thinking it would team up nicely with this strip cutter:
http://www.allbrands.com/products/abp22657.html

Pricey, though.......

When I use the Clover thingie I place large pins in the ironing board to guide the strip as it comes out (so I don't burn my fingers too). Basically my iron sits between the pins and I just pull the strip under the iron. I honestly don't find it hard to do that way. Are you by any chance ironing the tape straight out of the thingie without pin guides?

You know Prism99...I live on the edge!!:)The iron's edge that is for sure!!:)No....I didn't know anything about a pin guide!! Great idea!! I don't have any fingerprints left!! I have been making bias for a class in stain glass...:)I did watch their video on this on the next page....very intersting! But, they don't have any tips except the 1"....who needs just one size??Should be sold w/it at that price! Oh, well....One can wait to hear the testimonials:)Skeat

Well isn't that just the bees knees!! Too pricey for me though I am sure that it would be handy for some.

Okay, that explains the burned fingers. BTDT.

I use long straight pins. Basically you have to nip a little of the ironing board cover, expose enough of the pin so that the folded bias tape will fit under it, and nip a little more of the ironing board so the pin remains secure. Place your iron so you know where to place the second pin. You do have to iron the first foot or so that comes out of the bias tape maker with the finger-burning technique; however, once you have enough bias tape, you just thread it under the two pins, place your iron on top, and pull the bias tape underneath the iron; it will be coming under the iron right out of the bias tape maker. You can lift up your iron if necessary.

Assuming your bias strips have been sewn together, you can make yards of bias tape this way very easily. The hardest part is getting that first foot of tape ironed. I just make sure to pull the strip through steadily -- not so fast that anything is going to get out of shape, but not so slow that I risk burning the fabric.

Oh. I should mention that I also heavily starch the fabric before cutting it into bias strips. However, you don't have to do this. If unstarched, I would probably be lifting up the iron more to make sure I wouldn't be stretching the bias out of shape; might work without doing that, though.

Very helpful tidbits on this!! I admit it!! I am a 'V' bias tape maker!!:)Hey...first for everything!! Do I baste my made bias tape??I debated this in my very own and long conversation at the ironing board once I removed my fingers from the iron!! I spray starched as I went...oops...:)Such great and helpful hints!! I did wrap it on a cardboard to keep it flat....Skear which migh be my new name as it hurz to hit that key w/that darn sore finger!

Oh, and a foot of bias??I was proud of my 12"...:)Do you press seam open??I am thinking this would work better then the way I did it....to the side