TPiB: Washi – The Kinder, Gentler Tape
We’ve all done the Duct Tape thing. Stone simple and super fun, right? Yeah. But…
We’ve all wrestled with it when it doubles back and sticks on itself. We’ve all despaired when a kid wraps a whole five dollar roll around his pant leg because he’s going to be the Tin Man, then realizes that it’s a bad idea and cuts it off and throws it all away. We’ve done it.
If you’re looking to capitalize on the simplicity and flexibility of Duct Tape programs but want to change it up a little, meet its kinder, gentler cousin: washi tape.
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From Just Something I Made |
Washi tape was popularized in Japan where it was made from natural fibers. It’s much more similar to masking tape than duct tape, though thinner and more delicate. It’s papery, and comes in a variety of widths. Like masking tape, it is not strongly adhesive, so it can be removed and replaced if your design needs to be changed. Also like masking tape, you can get those little rips that spin around the roll, so watch out and start unpeeling carefully! It is slightly translucent, which makes it a nice material for covering glass. The translucency also lends itself to being creative with overlapping different colors of tape to an interesting effect.
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Source: Apartment Therapy |
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Source: Crafterly |
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Source: The Etsy Blog |
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Source: Silver the the City |
-Heather

About Karen Jensen, MLS
Karen Jensen has been a Teen Services Librarian for almost 30 years. She created TLT in 2011 and is the co-editor of The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services with Heather Booth (ALA Editions, 2014).
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