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.

have you tried marking with a Hera marker. just plastic with a side you use to "mark" lines. just makes indentations in fabric. need good light to see them but you stitch on the lines and nothing to wash out later.

I was recently told that the green Frog tape sticks better than the blue painters tape--haven't tried it so not sure.

I have also had a number of issues with blue painters tape - so I changed to Floriani's Embroidery Perfection Tape. (best known as Pink tape) It looks like painters tape colored pink but it is so much better at sticking to fabric that I actually use it several times before replacing it. It leaves no residue and I think it is absolutely great!

I'm with Peckish --- masking tape works much better!!!

Be aware- the big box DIY stores sell painters tape but NOT the original!! The 'new/improved' sticks to zero. Not even to stick & immediately paint. Go to a hardware store & request the Original painters tape. This is the tape that works!I use for household, machine emb. as well as anything that needs a temp. tape edge & it is well worth tracking down. My local Ace store has it in both narrow & wide.
sewverybusy1

I had the same problem. The tape curls and comes unstuck. I managed to keep it attached long enough to quilt straight lines on a small quilt but it's not ideal and I stopped trying to use it.

I LOVE Floriani "pink" tape! Absolutely the best! But if you do want to use the next best, it would be the Blue "Outdoor" painters tape. Yes, it is made be the original "Blue" company. It has a plastic feel and when you tear it, it tears straight, no ragged edges.

I have found that when it comes to quilting straight lines I do best when using a piece of computer paper. Usually when doing straight lines you go from corner to corner diagonally across the quilt or you parallel a line. Doing straight lines I generally use my walking foot. I lay the piece of paper from Point A to Point B and sew along the edge of the paper. Then I move the paper to Point B and C. Across the quilt. If I am doing lines parellel to that the first line of stitching I cut the paper strip the width that I want (1 inch, 1-1/2 inches, etc). You can pin the paper if you feel it slipping on you. Also if you have lots of seams to sew through it might be helpful to pin in several places.

I've never had any luck with the blue tape on fabric and it really ain't all that great for painting either. It either won't stick or you can't remove it. It's like the glue is not evenly applied. I always buy 3M tapes but the blue is a failure. The white is super but you have to remove it from fabric asap and OH yea never ever use an iron near it on fabric- a nightmare I never want to go through again.

Just depends on the size of the project in my neck of the woods.

The mom and pop hardware store here had no idea what painter's tape was. Never heard of it. When I asked about the Frog Shape Tape they acted like I was crazy. I had to pull it up on my phone to show them (no internet in the store ?) Urrg. Give me the big box store anytime.

I have used the Frog decorative edge tape to mark lines. It comes in chevron, wave, and scallop. I use the scallop tape a lot. http://www.frogtape.com/products/sha...scallop-282548

the good thing about painter's tape is that it doesn't have a super stick. Try using a quilter's skinny tape (looks like the pinstriping tape used to mark surfboards or car detailing).

The hardware store might have just known it is the blue tape. At least I hope that is the excuse, I can't imagine them not knowing what it is. Frog Tape would work because it has the 'extra' stuff to it that regular painter's tape doesn't.

Try this product; even though it's for embroidery for holding fabric to the back of the hoop when doing "in the hoop" projects; it works great and it sticks well for embroidery to hold fabric onto the stabilizer so I would think it'd work great for this. And I have used my pieces more than once.

~http://www.qualitysewing.com/embroidery-perfection-tape-frac34-x-20-yard-roll.html

I use the blue painters tape, but found you have to use the 3M or a good brand name. That seems to stick until you need it to come off. The cheaper, less expensive no name brand didn't work for me.

Try the Tiger Tape. It is marked with lines for even hand quilting stitches and is designed to stick to fabric with no residue. I use it several times before I must replace it.

You'd think. LOL I went to Walmart bought the Blue Painter's tape and a roll of the Frog tape. I took it to the owners of the mom and pop to show them I wasn't crazy. The man just shook his head and said people will buy anything. And he wonders why his store is losing business. :D

I've used more than my fair share of various kinds of tape, and from experience, the tackiness of the tape varies *greatly* across brands. When I was a student, I used all kinds of low-tack, removable tape (artist's tape, masking tape, painter's tape). I'd often try to save a few dollars and bought the cheaper brands. But, I found that only the tape that costs more had enough stickiness and could be removed one one piece without rips.

If one kind of painter's tape is giving you trouble, it could be a variation in quality from different brands, not necessarily the category of painter's tape in general.

There's not really a solution to not enough stickiness, but if you do find something that's got too much stickiness (hard to remove), an easily solution to decrease the stickiness easily is to gently stick it on your clothing before you use it. It'll pick up a few fibers to lower the tackiness.

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[TD][h=1]I use the following works better than painters tape
3M Transpore Clear Plastic Surgical Tape[/h]
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I tried the blue painters tape too and it does not stick well and I always wash my fabric first with no fabric softener
I use plain old masking tape but only put it on when I am ready to actually ready to sit and quilt. I pull it off immediately after stitching and never leave it on longer than I have to. Nice straight lines, works with walking foot and makes me look good.

I use regular masking tape. It does stick but I never leave it on over night. So I only tape what I can get done that day. Regular masking tape is cheaper and so far I have had good luck with it. Just don't use it and leave it on for days. Some of the glue on the tape could come off on your quilt if tape is left on.

Be sure you use GOOD painter's tape. When I used some from the Dollar Store it didn't stick. Better quality tape was wonderful!

i only use painter's tape to put under the line on my ruler to mark the size I want to cut a strip. Like 4" line or whatever. I never mark lines on my quilts.

I use blue painters tape all the time for diamond cross hatching. I use one strip (approx. 1 3/4" wide) on the 45 degree angle and pin in the middle, before sewing along both sides. Then before removing, use a spacer strip abutting on one side, before removing the first strip and reapplying next to the spacer. Pin, then remove the spacer. This way you can again sew on both sides of the second strip. I save the spacer and use it again and again.