I bought a set of 3 sizes years ago. They are one of most valuable notions I own. The only tip I can offer is to lay your fabric strip the entire length of your ironing board right side down, feed the end into the bias maker and pin the tip to the board. Then you can slowly drag the maker down the board followed by the iron. This technique has proven to produce less distortion.

So much easier and faster to cut if you have or can afford the rotary cutter and mat.JMO
Kathi

I love my set of them. I was introduced to the idea when I worked in the costume studio at college, and when I left, I had to get a set of my own.

I agree with Kathi. If you're going to make your own bias tape, a rotary cutter is really really worth it. That's what got me started using mine. Cutting very straight lines on the bias with scissors is slow and tricky because the fabric moves so much, but it is so fast with a rotary cutter.

One of my favorite ways to use bias tape I've made is to replace facings around neck and arm holes. This may reflect my personal bias (yuk yuk yuk), since I have been at war with facings since before I started sewing. Mine never stay in right, and they always make me have to iron otherwise acceptable clothes. Sometimes I bind the edges, or if I don't mind having a visible line of stitching 1/2" in from the edge, I use it like a very narrow facing, left as single-fold rather than double-fold tape, turned all the way under, and stitched down. The bias makes it flexible enough not to distort the garment . Making your own makes bias tape is especially useful for visible binding because you are not limited to ugly polyester solid colors.

Making bias tape is a great way to use up fabric scraps. I especially do this when I've made a garment cut on the bias. They're great to have around for binding edges (you'd be surprised how often something left over is just the right accent for what you're working on) and tying around things (rolls of fabric, tomato plants, hair, whatever). This pretty much depends on having a roaty cutter, too, though. It's definitely not worth chalking and cutting bias strips to tie up tomato plants.

Bouche - you must have the best dressed tomatoes! ;-)

I would probably love to have the rotary cutter and mat, however... see my recent post 'Bankrupt, but happy'!!!

Only reason I got the bias maker, I was running some errands for my mother in town yesterday and she said I could buy myself a magazine - bias maker was same price as a magazine and probably more fun!!

I'll just have to keep buying lottery tickets, to fund my habit ;-P

Cheers,
AJ

Watch for the 40 and 50 % off coupons at Joann's fabrics,and buy them one at a time if you have to.You'll never be sorry,that's for sure.I don't know how i lived without mine all those years.
kathi

I got one size bias tape maker about 20 years ago, & have found it to be a great investment. all above comments/suggestions, I agree with......ironing down length of board, the many uses (other than tying tomato plants:)!). This is a no-brainer, but I find works better on natural fabrics as they, obviously, press down better.

Bouche
The selvages you tear off your fabrics also make good tomato plant ties,as do old nylons.
Kathi

Fair enough, AJ. I have to concede that your amazing haul is better than a rotary cutter and mat. Good luck with the lotto. ;) And my tomato plants thank you fo the compliment.

Kathi, thanks for the suggestions!

when pressing, use an awl to keep your fingers away from the iron or buy one of those teflon finger mitts in clotilde. your fingers are going to be close to the tip of a very hot iron.