How to Cover Cording to Create Your Own Piping

By Debbie Colgrove

Sewing Expert

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Measure the Cording

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A photo showing a tape measure measuring cording that will be covered. - Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

Use a tape measure to measure around the cording. Photo Credit: Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

Choose the cording that you want to cover. Cording is available in a variety of sizes.

Using a tape measure

Lay the cording on the tape measure at the amount of seam allowance you will be using on what you are attaching the piping to.
Wrap the tape measure around the cording and back to the end of the tape measure.
Where the end overlays the tape measure is the width of the fabric you will need to cover the coring.

The length of the cording will be the measurement from the area you want to insert the piping. Add a few inches to be sure you will have enough.

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Cut Bias Strips

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Photo of cutting bias strips - Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

Cut Bias Strips. Photo Credit: Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

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Join the Bias Strips

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A photo showing bias strips being joined. - Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

Join the strips to create a straight continuous strip, using a 1/4" seam. Photo Credit: Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

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Covering the Cording

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A photo showing the fabric being sewn to cover cording and covered cording. - Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

Covering the cording with fabric. Photo Credit: Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

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Sew the Piping to the Item

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A photo showing piping being sewn on a pillow front and corners clipped. - Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

Sew piping at the seam allowance, clipping to turn corners where necassary. Photo Credit: Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

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Ending Continuous Piping

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A photo showing two methods of ending piping. - Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

Two methods of ending piping. Photo Credit: Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

Continuous piping is piping that does not end, as in the edge of a pillow or a cushion cover. There are two methods which are equally acceptable.

Heavy Piping

Sew the piping to the item stopping about a half inch before where you started.
Trim the piping allowing enough fabric to turn under and enclose the beginning of the piping.
Trim the ends of the cording so that they but up to each other.
Fold under the fabric to enclose the beginning of the piping and sew in place.

Narrow Piping

Sew the beginning of the piping with the end of the piping dipping into the seam allowance.
Continue to sew joining the piping to the fabric.
As you approach the starting point, place the ending of the piping over the starting point and dip it into the seam allowance. Allow for a continuous visual line of piping on the outside of the seam allowance.

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Ending Piping in a Seam Allowance

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A pocket flap with piping that will be enclosed in a seam allowance. - Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

Ending piping that will be in a seam allowance. Photo Credit: Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

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Enclosing Piping in a Seam

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A phot with details of sewing piping in a seam. - Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

Sewing a seam with piping. Photo Credit: Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

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Tips and Tricks

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A finished pillow with piping. - Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

A finished pillow with piping. Photo Credit: Debbie Colgrove, Licensed to About.com

Pat emailed a great tip: "Sandwich cord inside fabric and place stitch witchery inside close to cord. Iron up to cord as close as possible (on outside of fabric) This will eliminate a row of stitching when applying to project. Hope you like this tid-bit." Thanks for sharing Pat!
Experiment on your scraps to get the "feel." If you are having difficulty getting the "feel" of the piping through all the layers, buy a yard of large cording at the upholstery section of your local fabric store and practice with it.

Trim a little girls jumper with a contrasting piping at the arm holes, neckline, and pocket edges. Use a straight cut scrap to make a matching "scrunchie".
Compliment your Ruffled Pillows with corded pillows. Use the same dimensions listed, substituting cording for the ruffle.
Compliment your throw pillows with alternate trims. For example: If you make a denim pillow with bandanna trim, make bandanna pillow with denim trim.
Be creative with your scraps. Use them to make your own cording and "jazz" up a plain outfit by adding small piping at arm holes, neckline, and pocket edges.
Use piping in the seams of backpacks and pocketbooks to compliment an outfit.