Because I'm going to teach classes on banding and cording at the 4th annual Sew What? Workroom Educational Conference this month, I thought I'd better check out what I'd been hearing about 3M's Millennium Tape. Guess what? I'm in love!!! This is a double-sided tape that will adhere fabric to fabric, and fabric to other surfaces, such as wood or metal. Being only recently converted to using glue to attach banding, I was skeptical that this tape could be as wonderful as claimed. But it is better than you can imagine!

Less than 2 months ago, I ordered a roll of 1/2" tape and also one of 1". I have since ordered ten more rolls! I find I use the 1/2" roll almost exclusively, as it fits the best along the top of trims, the edges of banding, is easier to handle, and is less expensive than the 1" tape.

The day my first order of Millenium Tape arrived, I had an order for six cornice boards which were to be covered and corded in black velvet. I have nightmares about spilling glue on fabrics like this, so I thought I would tape the cording onto the boards. It went on so neatly and quickly. We were done with them in half the time it normally would have taken us to sew or glue then on! According to other testimonials, the tape has also been used to attach the face fabric to the cornice board. 

My second project using the tape involved an inset in a 230" wide cornice, which had decorative cording all around it. We again taped the cording to the finished inset and then taped the wholoe thing to the face of the cornice. 

Lastly, there was a fringe to be applied to the top and bottom of the same cornice.  You guessed it...we taped it on!!! From then on, I was hooked (or should I say taped?)

We usually leave the side hems open on valances and hand sew them shut at the end of fabrication. This allows for some adjusting if the lining wants  to peek out of the sides. We now use the tape!

I always hated applying banding to a swag. No matter how carefully we sewed, it always puckered. Also, the stitching  line would be visible from the back of the swag. I applied  the banding to four swags the other day in less than 20 minutes using the tape! I put it on in 2" to 3" pieces to help follow the curve better. I find it best to apply the tape to the banding piece and pull the backing off, a little at a time, as I place it on the face fabric. When you  have the tape applied, before you remove the backing, run your fingers over it several times to really seal the tape to your fabric.  Be careful, it likes to stick to your fingers, too! This tape gets a stronger bond the longer it is on.

Millennium Tape is wonderfu for applying fringe of all sorts. We were making pillows from upholstery fabric, where two different fabrics were seamed together, with fringe covering the seams. This would have been so bulky to sew, and try to keep straight, but it went on very easily with the tape.  It looked so much better.

Normally when we make a mock Roman valance, we machine sew across the back folds to hold the lining and face fabric together. Then we hand sew the folds down to the lining to hold them in place. Not anymore! The last one we made, we stustituted Millennium Tape for the hand sewing and cut over an hour from the production time. There's not a day that goes by anymore that we don't use this tape in some way.

​Here are a few additional uses for the  tape that people have sent to SMC Direct:

... Use it to hold an inside-mounted Roman shade board in place until the screws can be inserted

... Insert it between the folds of cascades to keep them from flaring

... Send a roll with your installer to use on the job site when needed

... Use it to hold the face fabric and blackout joining together for Roman shades.....no pin holes!

... Mount covered buttons onto tab

... Attach ribbon to tiebacks

... When putting a zipper in fabric that is difficult to handle, tape the zipper in place before sewing

Kim Munson, a Sew What? subscriber, wrote that she throws "pillow parties" and lets the attendees decroate plain pillos with all kinds of trim using the tape. 

I  think that you will find this is one of the most innovative products to hit our industry in a long time. Every day you will discover new uses for this wonderful item. It is not often that something comes along that will save you more money than it costs to buy. It's nice that this product takes no special tools or skills to use. Just put your imagination to work!