How To: Make Piping

What is piping?

Piping is a folded strip of cloth, often enclosing a cord, used to decorate the edges of clothes or furniture or crafts.

Contrasting fabric can add more colours and style to your piece!

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What you need

Cord
Fabric
Scissors / Rotary Blade
Piping Foot / Zipper Foot
Tape / Lighter / Candle
Sewing Machine

Tips before you start

It is recommended to pre-wash and press your fabric before you start to avoid shrinkage. Be sure to check the care instructions for your chosen fabric. Natural fibres are more prone to shrinkage.
When using cotton, press using a pressing cloth to prevent damage.
For testing purposes, try pressing with the iron and sewing a scrap piece of fabric before starting your project.
Adjust your tension, stitch length, and needle type accordingly.
Decide approximately what length you want your piping to be before you cut your fabric and cord. Estimate lengths generiously. It's better to have too much then to be short.
If the cord is thick, add additional fabric to the width.

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the cord

Determine how thick you want your piping to be and find a cord that matches that desired thickness.

Depending on your project you might want to cut the cord smaller than your fabric strip and align it to allow tucking in the ends of the fabric. In most cases, cut the cord 2” (5cm) longer than your fabric strip. On each side of the fabric strip align for 1” (2.5cm) to be sticking out

Step 2: Finish the end of the cord

To prevent the cord from unraveling, burn or tape the edges.

Step 3: Create the fabric strip

Cut the fabric into a strip

The piping length should be bigger than the amount of space you want to cover. Making extra piping is recommended.

The width of the strip depends on the thickness of the cord you will need to cover. For small to medium size cord a 1.5” (3.8cm) width for a strip of fabric is a good start

Step 4: Cord inside of the fabric

Place the cord along the centre of the fabric.

Fold and pin the width of the fabric strip in half, keeping the cord inside the centre.

Step 5: Sew the fabric strip length

Put a piping foot or a zipper foot on your sewing machine.

Baste stitch the fabric close to secure the cord.

Step 6: Cut off extra seam allowance

Cut down the raw ends of the piping to leave only extra for seam allowance. The seam allowance depends on the project. Some projects require a wider seam allowance

You have now made the piping!

Note: All products might not be available at all store locations. To find a suitable product alternative for your project, please ask a store team member for assistance.