The machine comes with a 1in bias tip maker as standard, but you can get four other sizes as optional tips: 3/8in, 1/2in, 3/4in and 1 1/4in. These tips are what Simplicity refers to as "single fold"; the fabric is cut twice as wide as the finished size indicated on the tip. When it feeds through the Bias Tape Maker, it goes over the top and halfway down the sides, which results in the two raw edges meeting in the middle on the wrong side of the pressed bias strip. Just like using a Clover Bias Maker.
The other two tips available are the 1 1/8in and 1 1/4in quilt binding tips. These also use strips cut at twice the size indicated on the tip, but they differ as they direct the fabric through the side of the tip, forcing it to press directly in half, as required for the binding on a quilt.
To use the machine, you still need to cut bias strips for your project and join as required, pressing the seams open. The length of bias is then wound around the spindle on the right side, fed up over the guide bar and pulled through the selected tip. You will need to pull through at least 10cm to make it from the tip to the rollers. This section does not end up as uniform as the rest of the strip, so take this into account when calculating quantities.
In the middle on the left is the metal iron plate, which is covered by a plastic housing with a ceramic piece inside. The iron-plate cover is removed to feed the end of the bias strip over the iron plate and onto the rollers, then replaced. This needs to be very firmly clicked into place, or the fabric will not feed through easily.
Once everything is set up, the machine is turned on. A green light comes on to indicate that the iron plate is hot. You can hit the "run" button and the machine feeds though the balance
of the strip, creating a perfectly folded bias strip. You can vary the heat setting of the iron plate to work on different fabrics.
While the instructions said to use bias strips everywhere, I tried running through a strip that I had cut on the straight grain in the 1 1/4in quilt binding tip. It worked just as well as the bias strip. So, I cut the eight strips needed to bind my most recent quilt, joined them together and fed them through the machine in half the amount of time it would have normally taken me. By now I am convinced I need one of these machines!
The extra bulk of a large amount of fabric on the spindle on the right can cause drag against the foam in the bottom. I found the fabric just needs to be feeding through unobstructed, so it can actually sit to the right neatly, not necessarily on the spindle.
The Simplicity Bias Tape Maker has a recommended retail price of $127.99. The optional tips sell for a RRP of $10.99 and there is also a storage box available for the tips at a cost of $8.50. A demonstration video by Simplicity can be found on YouTube, or visit your local quilt store to have a look at this fun labour-saving device.
