Painter's tape - Help
 

First try using blue painter's tape across quilt for straight line quilting! What am I doing wrong, the tape is coming off. It is a new roll. Am I making this up - that I have seen where people use this tape to mark quilting lines? Any hints/suggestions?

I never could get the painters tape to stick to fabric. It won't even hold up a flannel back table cloth to a wall at retreat.

It does come off easily. I only use it in small strips/areas at a time. Tried pinning it once but that didn't help much. Tried reusing the tape but it came off more easily after one use too. It helps, but is not a perfect solution.

I use masking tape, about the same as painters tape, to mark my quilting grid when I'm hand quilting. You don't want it to permanently stick to the fabric. Just long enough to get an idea where you are going to quilt. I've never used the tape for machine quilting.

I would maybe try marking the tape line, then removing the tape before quilting. After placing the tape, I would try using a long ruler and a sliver of leftover white soap to mark (old, dried out scraps of soap work best). If you don't have soap slivers, then white chalk would probably work. If possible, I would sharpen the chalk in a pencil sharpener.

I haven't used painter's tape as you describe, but am wondering if the tape may not be sticking because of starch in the fabric (or sizing, if the fabric was not washed).

Edit: I also think the tape stays in place best when the quilt and batting are quite flat. When I Googled, all the photos I saw were on very flat quilts -- such as those made with Quilter's Dream needlepunched cotton batting. There would be less flex in the quilt sandwich with a thin, stable batting; more flex with a fluffy, polyester batting.

I use painter's tape, and it seems to stick well enough for me. I only do one strip at a time...maybe that makes a difference?

Dina

I tried years ago and couldn't get good results. I personally like thicker quilting rulers better honestly. Or marking with rulers and either a blue disappearing ink pen OR chalk/soap

I've never been able to get it to stick for long especially if I was moving the quilt around a lot (which I tend to do).

Thanks everyone! I do move the quilt around a bit ;)... Was worth a try, but not very satisfactory. Back to chalk marking I guess.

I've always thought that regular masking tape sticks better than the blue masking tape.

I use the blue painters tape all the time. I only put it on when I am ready to sew and I only do one or two lines at a time. And I use it more than once.