A question for our American friends.....

[lejoueurdepipeau]

and this is a serious question although it may sound a bit daft....

Can someone tell me something about "painter's tape"?

I was given a lovely patchwork book published in the USA for my birthday which has added at least ten new quilts to the "must make" list!! I was browsing through the book yesterday and came across a tip saying that "painter's tape" is useful for providing a temporary line/edge to stitch along when quilting a patchwork top. I assumed that this is, what we would call, "masking tape" but then looked at the accompanying illustration and the tape shown was bright blue!

So is painter's tape the same as masking tape (a question that may prove difficult if you've never seen masking tape I suppose ), is it something used when painting your house rather than a portrait and has anyone used it on a quilt? I presume it wouldn't leave a sticky mess or it wouldn't have been recommended! Does it come in different widths?

Lastly, does anyone fancy listing some so that I can give it a try?

[bluebedouin]

I don't know for certain but,I would imagine it is .I've seen blue masking tape in B&Q & you can get it from screwfix.

[islandbuckman]

I'm not american, but I'll do. Painters tape is like masking tape but is not as sticky. It is designed to be peeled off after painting a room. It peels of very easily if you do it within 5 days or so. After that it tends to be harder to peel off. It does not leave any glue residue as masking tape does. It comes in widths from about 1/2 inch to about 1 1/2 inches.

[TexasAda]

I'm American and have seen the stuff. I haven't used it for actually painting anything but have used it for the same purposes as "masking tape" which is what I call the blue stuff also. It's easily removed, flimsy, apparently paper based tape. I had assumed it's the bright blue color to help you see where to paint, more easily than the usual beige masking tape.

I will buy several rolls today, in various widths, and list them here. No problem if nobody wants them, as I can keep them for future projects myself. If you see this before I go shopping, is there any particular width you'd like?

[iwiw60]

Yes, painters tape here in USA is a paper-based blue tape generally used for painting, but I have seen it used by quilters for the exact purpose you ask about. It temporarily 'holds' your layers together and then removal is easy.

[TiasTreasures]

The blue masking tape is a higher quality, I believe made by 3M Corporation (makers of Scotch brand tapes). It's thinner, easier to cut, easier to get in place, easier to remove, and a bit more expensive, than the normal tan colored tape. Very useful for any project where I need temporary tape that can be removed with no residue.

[lejoueurdepipeau]

Many Thanks to everyone for the replies and PMs - very useful information!! Think I'll definitely give this a try - sounds much quicker than drawing lines all over a quilt with a marker!! It is amazing how many things have an unusual dual purpose - maybe it should be marketed as quilter's tape as well!

[JudesNiceThings]

I always use masking tape for things like that, as it's 'low tack' - be sure not to get the one that is meant to last for a week, as there are different kinds. I wouldn't advocate using it on very light-coloured or very delicate fabrics though.