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Marking quilting lines with masking tape

by Noreen
(Thornhill, Ontario, Canada)

I am about to quilt a very pastel one (lots of white fabric) and don't want to use a powder marker.

Anyone had any experience with marking the lines with masking tape. My aim is to do a criss-cross pattern.

Reply

Hi Noreen!

I haven't used masking tape to mark my quilting lines. So I hoping that perhaps some of our readers will respond.

In the meantime, in place of the masking tape, I like to use my channel guide for my walking foot for parallel lines. This attachment also goes by the names: ditch quilting guide, adjustable quilting guide, Edge/Quilting guide.

The picture below shows the guide attached to the right side of my quilting foot.

Walking foot with channel guide
It is held is place with a screw. There is also a guide for the left side of the foot.

Check the packaging your walking foot came in. These came with my foot.

Then all you have to mark is one line in each direction.

Stitch on that line. Move the quilt sandwich over so that the guide rides along the top of the stitching. Repeat.

It's a nice little tool to use for parallel straight lines of quilting.

But again, to our very helpful readers, if you've got experience with using masking tape for marking your quilting lines, tips, tricks or things to watch out for, just use the 'comments' link below. We'd love to hear from you. Thank you!

Piecefully,

Julie Baird
Editor

Comments for Marking quilting lines with masking tape

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marking quilting lines with masking tape
by: Anonymous

I do not use masking tape, but I use painters tape. I have had a great deal of success with the Green "Frog" tape and I have used the Blue tape as well.

I like it because I can get it in varying sizes and I use a strip multiple times.
THANKS
by: Anonymous

Thanks. Sounds like good advice. I'll have to look for that type of tape.

Noreen
Masking tape
by: Anonymous

Noreen,

I have used masking tape to mark quilt lines.

First, make sure that you use masking tape that doesn't have the new paint resistant adhesive. It is too sticky. I use drafters masking tape.

Second only tape one direction at a time, don't cross your tape lines. Otherwise you will need to stitch through the tape and gum up your needle.

Third make sure that your needle doesn't pierce the tape. The glue will make your needle gummy. I sew with the tape to right and my needle to the left. This makes my stitches just a fraction away from the tape.

Fourth don't leave the tape on too long. A few days is ok. I have left the tape on for a week with out problems. If you let the tape age it could separate from the adhesive leaving the dried glue on your quilt.
Quilting Lines
by: Elaine DeFoor

I use that tool a lot on my quilts and you can adjust it quite a ways out - from 5/8" to about 3" apart. It works at any width between those two. It is a handing little gadget.
thanks
by: Noreen

I might have one of those tools but I didn't want to make my quilting lines that close together. I'll wait for other answers and make a choice.

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