No Sew Scrap Buster: Decorative Tape 💝

Last minute presents to wrap? Anticipate having some spare time to scrap book or make “Thank You” cards? This week we present a quick and dirty No Sew Scrap Buster tutorial on how to make one of our favorite supplies in the studio… decorative tape! It’s incredibly fun and easy, yet so impressive. And, all you need is your bin of scraps and some double-sided carpet tape!

Project Supplies

Small scraps of fabric about 2 1/2” to 3” wide and 1” to 6” in length
Carpet tape ** We use Duck brand indoor light traffic carpet tape, measuring 1.88” wide
Iron and ironing board
Cutting mat
Rotary cutter ** We recommend a rotary cutter designated specifically for this task, as the adhesive from the carpet tape can gum up your blade
Ruler

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: Preparing Your Fabric Scraps

Decide on a color scheme, mix and match patterns, or (gasp) go rogue! Fabric scraps that are about 2 1/2” to 3” wide and anywhere from 1” to 6” in length work best. Iron pieces that are wrinkled or creased. To ensure seamless transitions in your tape, make clean, straight cuts along the sides where the fabrics will join.

Step 2: Assembling Fabrics On Your Tape

a) Using a rotary cutter, cut a piece of carpet tape that is about 16-20” long. While you can use a longer length of tape, it becomes more difficult to trim the tape as the length increases. We recommend designating a rotary cutter specifically for this project, as the adhesive can gum up your blade.

b) Lay your piece of tape on your cutting mat (sticky side up).

c) Piece your fabrics (right side up) onto the tape. Leave a 1/2” to 1” tail of fabric at each end of the tape. This makes it easier when trimming the tape. Carefully lining up your fabrics will make your transitions more seamless. Repeat this process until the tape is covered with fabrics.

Step 3: Assembling Fabrics On Your Tape

a) Flip the carpet tape over (backing side up) and trim the excess fabric with your rotary cutter. It is best to trim the tape with your ruler resting on the excess fabric, NOT on the tape. This keeps the tape from slipping and pieces of fabric from getting caught in your rotary cutter.