How to Cut Washi Tape Cleanly: Tearing, Scissors and Craft Knife
Three ways to cut washi tape and when to use each: tearing against an edge, scissors, and a craft knife on a mat, plus shaped ends and trimming flush with a paper edge.
Washi tape crafts, decorating ideas and practical tutorials
Discover easy washi tape projects, decorating ideas and practical tutorials for adding color and creativity to everyday items.
New to washi tape? These hand-picked tutorials are the friendliest place to begin.
Three ways to cut washi tape and when to use each: tearing against an edge, scissors, and a craft knife on a mat, plus shaped ends and trimming flush with a paper edge.
A buying guide without brands: what slim, standard and wide tapes are for, which patterns get used most, how to spot a poor roll, and a six-roll starter set described by type.
A plain explanation of washi tape: what it is made of, how its low-tack adhesive behaves, how it differs from masking and clear tape, and what it should not be used for.
Quick projects you can finish in one sitting with a few rolls of tape and a pair of scissors.
Three ways to dress a plain notebook: a spine strip with a corner accent, a diagonal stripe block, and full-cover stripes wrapped inside and hidden under a paper lining.
Cover wooden spring clothespins with washi tape, trim the overhang cleanly with a craft knife or a nail file, and use the clips as photo hangers, memo magnets, bag clips and place-card holders.
Two ways to wrap a wooden pencil in washi tape, lengthwise and spiral, plus a folded flag topper and where to stop the tape so the pencil still sharpens.
Removable ways to add color and pattern to walls, frames, furniture and everyday objects.
Small-scale party decor from two or three rolls: a mini flag banner on twine, flag toppers on picks, banded cups and straws, place cards, a table runner line and drink markers.
How to prepare glass so washi tape stays on, then wrap level bands, vertical stripes and a color-dipped base, handle tapered jars, and use the results as pen jars, vases and light jars.
Two frame projects: cover a plain flat frame with tape and miter the corners, or build a frame from tape alone around a print held with mounting putty.
Borders, tabs, dividers and page accents made with a few strips of washi tape.
Functional ways to use washi tape in a dated planner: block out multi-day events, color-code life areas, mark the current week, flag deadlines and move a priority strip from day to day.
Three ways to mark sections with tape: a quick fold-over flag, a stiffened tab with a card insert and an edge-strip divider, plus how to stagger and color them.
Frame a journal page, card or mat with straight washi tape strips and tidy corners: overlapped, mitered or a gap with a square accent, plus partial and double borders.
Handmade wrapping, tags and small presents finished with washi tape.
Three small-box projects with washi tape: a striped lid, a band that doubles as a light seal, and a tiny wrapped drawer box, plus the slit-and-fold method for taking tape around corners.
Cut a tag blank from cardstock scraps, reinforce the hole with tape and finish it with one of four simple designs, including a mini tag folded from tape alone.
Wrap in plain kraft or solid paper with a proper hold, then decorate with washi tape: a faux ribbon cross, band cluster, plaid, corner stripes, a tape tree or bow, and torn confetti.
Core skills such as tearing, layering, cutting clean edges and removing tape without damage.
Ten common problems with their causes and fixes: tape that will not stick or lifts later, wrinkles, crooked lines, show-through, torn paper, residue and cluttered designs.
Five repeatable patterns built from straight strips, with the measurements and angles written out: even stripes, chevron, plaid, diamonds and triangle rows.
Washi tape is translucent, so the order of layers matters. Learn the wide-and-pale to slim-and-bold rule, five overlap techniques and why three layers is the limit.
The newest washi tape tutorials published on the site.
Four Christmas projects from straight strips: a stacked-strip tree card, flat cardstock ornaments, a numbered countdown line on twine and a large tape tree for a wall or door.
An autumn palette from rolls you already own, then three projects built on it: a striped leaf garland on twine, taped pumpkins for indoor display and a banded jar, plus plaid place cards.
Ten common problems with their causes and fixes: tape that will not stick or lifts later, wrinkles, crooked lines, show-through, torn paper, residue and cluttered designs.
Small-scale party decor from two or three rolls: a mini flag banner on twine, flag toppers on picks, banded cups and straws, place cards, a table runner line and drink markers.
Three ways to dress a plain notebook: a spine strip with a corner accent, a diagonal stripe block, and full-cover stripes wrapped inside and hidden under a paper lining.
Turn a tin can, a box lid and a small carton into a matching desk set with three rolls of tape. Covers rim safety, vertical strips on ribbed cans and tidy corners on cardboard.
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