The Mom I Want to Be

Here is some basic information and supplies needed when making duct tape crafts.

Supplies

Cutting Board: Craft Stores sell self-healing mats with grid lines that help make measuring easy and protect the surface you are working on. Usually these are located in the paper crafting supplies aisle
Hole Punch: Although you can use any hole punch, I like the Crop-o-Dile. It is capable of punching through very thick materials, and it has a ruler depth gauge so you can punch several holes in a straight row.
Hot Glue Gun: I recommend a low temperature hot glue gun, but high temp will work too. Just be careful, either way, as the tape will conduct the heat.
Ruler: I prefer a metal ruler so you don’t accidentally slice bits of wood or plastic off when cutting with a utility knife, but some people like the plastic so you can see through.
Scissors: Any scissors will work. My choice when working with tape is a non-stick scissors. I like the Honey Bee scissors by EK Success (These may have been replaced by the EK Tools Precision Scissors) but any non-stick scissors would work well for cutting sticky materials like tape.
Utility Knife: Always be careful when using a utility knife.  They are very sharp.
Yardstick

Tips

Before starting a project, read through all the steps and be sure to gather all the necessary materials.

When building something long, it works best to cut shorter strips of tape and then join them together.

Some projects call for “Duct Tape Fabric”. To make this, first lay a strip of duct tape face up on your work surface. Then add a second strip by overlapping the long edge about ½ inch, as straight and evenly as you can (laying a yard stick down can help, as can a friend to hold the stick in place). Repeat this with more strips until the fabric is wide enough. Carefully lift the sheet from one end and flip it over so the sticky side is up. Now cover the back side with another row of duct tape strips – these should be laid perpendicular to the first row, to help hold it together better. A great photo tutorial can be found at Sophie’s World.

Folding the End: One of the biggest problems with duct tape is peeling the end off the roll. Duct tape sticks firmly to things, especially duct tape! You have to find the end and dig your finger nails under it in order to start peeling off the duct tape. You can avoid having to do this every time by folding over the end of the tape when you’ve cut a piece off. This might mean you’ll waste a little bit of tape, but using the duct tape will be a lot easier.

Parchment paper: If you need to prepare a number of pieces, set them on parchment paper. You can cut, rip or tear duct tape and press it down onto parchment paper. It will not stick. If you need to transport precut pieces to another location, lay out your tape on several pieces of parchment paper, then roll up and secure with a rubber band.

Tape sticking to scissors? If you weren’t able to find non-stick scissors, it might be easier to use a utility knife to make your cuts. Roll the tape out onto the self-healing craft mat, and cut with the utility knife.

If your scissors get gummed up, clean them with a bit of rubbing alcohol and a paper towel.

Don’t be afraid to tear off a strip of tape, unless you need a precise cut at that moment. Tearing is faster and easier and in many cases, you can just trim later.