Save more! Make your own bias-tape!

Sew, if you have been reading my blog or Facebook page, you may know that I have recently purchased a Singer Bias Tape Maker on O.co ($61.99-free shipping).  I have been loving it for making bias tape out of those donated bottom sheets that kind of get hacked into odd shapes. 

However, just went to Joann's this week and got a decent deal on quilter's cotton prints for under $3/yd.  Bought a yard of 10 different printed fabrics in all colors.

Yesterday, I spent a few hours cutting two fabrics into 2" strips to make bias tape.  This doesn't take as long as it seems as I have a large self healing mat and clear straight edge ruler for quilting.  I sewed all the strips into one long one and fed it into my bias tape maker to get a ridiculously long single bias tape.  Then I cut into 2 yard strips (enough to do a single dress) and ran it through the bias tape maker folded in half to press into a double bias tape!

The result is the cutest bias tape!!!  Can't wait to do more!  I may even cut up some sheets that are printed to use for bias tape.  I wasn't going to-I plan on using all prints for dress material-but the bias tape is so cute!  Will really dress up those rather unsightly plain pillowcases or darker solids!

Pretty purple paisley

Sew pretty!

Light blue with black & white flowers

Sew far-cut 4 yards off this "roll" of single bias tape, pressed into double bias tape.

I made 24+ yards of 1/2" double bias tape from a single yard of cotton quilter's fabric.  To buy plain or solid color bias tape, I pay $2 - $2.49 per 3 yards!  I bought this yard of fabric for $2.79.  That's like buying one package of bias tape and getting 7 more for free!  I saved $14 on just this yard purchase in making my own tape.  I will have paid off my bias tape maker in ($62/$14=4.42) just over 4 yards of make-your-own tape!  Forget how much I am saving by using donated sheets at no cost to me!  Love it!  Imagine if I used even less expensive fabric!  I will post more pics as I cut up the pretty fabrics I picked up!

One pink bottom sheet yielded me way more that a yard of fabric-closer to three yards!  I didn't count how much yardage I got from that sheet but there is tons!  I'd estimate I saved about $50 from one sheet!  I may never run out of muted pink bias tape! LOL!  I guess if I consider this, I have already paid off my tape maker!  Yay!