Of course you can buy piping. It comes in different colors and sizes. But it's still limited, and many times, you just want to stomp your feet like a two-year-old and shout, "Don't like it!" Wouldn't it be much nicer to have exactly what you want instead of "close enough." It takes a little practice, but making your own piping is really kind of fun.

How much fabric do I need?

Depends on what you're making. Do you want piping around the edge of a pillow? Then measure the perimeter of the pillow. Are you thinking of using piping to accent the hem on a set of curtains? Then measure the length of the hem. Whatever you're working on, measure the total length of the seam you want to accent, and then add a few extra inches for safety. For most simple projects, like a pillow, you should be able to get away with about ½ to 1 yard of 45" wide fabric. You'll be cutting it into long strips.

How much piping cord do I need?

You'll need as much cord as you need fabric length. For example, if you are going around the edge of an 18" pillow, you need 18" x 4 sides for 72" plus a few inches for safety, say 75" total. That's just a little over two yards. Get 2¼ yards. Piping comes in various widths: ¾", ½", ¼", etc. The thicker the cord, the more prominent your piping will be. You get to decide.

How wide do I make my fabric strips?

There's a formula you can use that depends on the width of your piping. You'll have to go back into your fourth grade brain cells and remember how to add fractions. The formula is double the width of your cord plus double the width of your seam allowance. Say we have ½" cord and we're using a standard ½" seam allowance. Your formula would be (½" x 2) + (½" x 2) or 1" + 1" which equals 2". Go to the head of the class and make your fabric strips 2" wide.

Can I start cutting now?

Almost. First you need to draw some nice straight lines to cut on. Lay your fabric out flat on your cutting surface right side up with the selvage running along one side.

The selvage is the woven edge of your fabric where is was originally attached to the loom. The fabric's pattern does not continue onto the selvage, but there is likely to be some information printed there that identifies the manufacturer or designer.

1. Fold the fabric back diagonally so a straight edge is parallel to the selvage.
2. Press the fold and use this crease as a guide to mark your parallel lines.
3. Use a straight edge to make continuous parallel lines at the width you figured above.
   
4. Cut along these lines with good, sharp scissors or a rotary cutter and straight edge.

Joining the strips

1. Take two of your strips and place them right sides together at right angles to each other.
2. Stitch straight across
   
3. Lay flat, press the seam open and trim off the overlapping edges.
   
4. Repeat until you have one long fabric strip. You just made your own bias tape.

Inserting the cord

1. Place your nice long fabric strip, right side down on a large flat surface.
2. Lay the cord in the center.
3. Fold the fabric over the cord, keeping the cord centered and matching the raw edges of the fabric.
   
4. Pin to hold in place.
5. Carefully move to your sewing machine and adjust the piping so the raw edges line up on your seam allowance marking (½" in our model) and the cord pokes out to the left of your foot.
   NOTE: We highly recommend using a zipper foot so your can get as close to the cord as possible.
   
6. Stitch slowly, staying close to the cord and keeping your seam allowance consistent. Remember to remove your pins as you go so you don't sew over them.

Attaching Piping

You now have your own beautiful handmade piping. Better attach it to something!

Remember you always sew your piping to just one layer of fabric before joining together the two final layers that will enclose the piping. This helps prevent any shifting that can can result in an uneven edge.

Straight edge

1. Pin piping to the right side of your fabric, matching raw edges. Make sure you start with enough to leave an approximate 1" tail free at the end.
2. Start stitching about ¼" - ½" from the raw end of the piping (to facilitate the clean finish outlined below).
3. To turn a corner, clip the seam allowance on the piping up to, but not through, the piping's line of stitching.
4. This gives you the flexibility you need to turn the corner. We call this "easing" around the corner.
   
5. Pin in place.
6. Stitch along your seam allowance, removing the pins as you go. Again, we highly recommend the zipper foot for this application.

Curved edge

1. Place piping on the right side of your fabric, matching raw edges. Again, make sure you start with enough to leave an approximate 1" tail free at the end.
2. Pin in place, clipping the seam allowance as you go to make the fabric lay flat. Clip up to the line of stitching, but not through it. Clip as you go, making as many clips as you need to make a smooth curve. This is called "give" – the little cuts give the otherwise rigid line the flexibility to curve.
   
3. As above, start stitching about ¼" - ½" from the raw end of the piping (to facilitate the clean finish outlined below).
4. Stitch along your seam allowance, removing the pins as you go. Again, we highly recommend the zipper foot for this application.

Finishing

1. Continue sewing your piping in place until you are back to where you started. Using that "tail" you accounted for at the beginning, cut off any excess piping so you have about 1" to work with.
2. With a seam ripper, peel back the fabric to expose the cording underneath.
   
3. Trim the end of cording tail so it exactly meets the end of the sewn-down cording. Fold under the end of the loose fabric to create a clean edge. Lift up that little bit of the start of the piping you left loose at the beginning and wrap this folded end under and around, overlapping about ½".
4. Stitch in place, matching your seam line.
   
   

Comments (28)

MelissaJ said:

... Thank you for this tutorial! I have been looking on-line at numerous articles on how to do this and yours was the easiest to follow and understand. The text explanation with the pictorials is so helpful!!

January 29, 2012

Beti said:

... Thanks for the tutorial. I love the "Don't like it!" analogy. That's a great description.

January 19, 2012

Kira said:

... Thanks! Simple & easy to follow.

December 29, 2011

Sew hot in Kona said:

... Love your tutorial. I know this an old, yet useful posting. I am making a cover for a serger and the pattern calls for piping. Aloha

December 28, 2011

Liz Johnson, Editor, Sew4Home said:

... @ carol o. - it's always hard to troubleshoot from a distance, but it sounds like it may be a struggle with your presser foot. Make sure you are using the zipper foot that came with your machine. Your model may even have what is called a "narrow base zipper foot" or an "adjustable zipper foot" -- both of these types of feet allow you to get as close a possible to the piping. Also, your machine may allow you to adjust your needle drop to either the right or left of center, this also will allow you to get another fraction closer. Other than than -- it's just patience and practice.. both of which can be a real pain -- trust me, I understand that one ! If you keep having trouble, I could recommend you bring your machine to your local dealer for help - perhaps it needs adjustment.

November 16, 2011

carol o. said:

... i cant seem to get close enough to the piping to make it work. im actually using a trim. i have to keep ripping it out. very depressing. what am i doing wrong?

November 16, 2011

Liz Johnson, Editor, Sew4Home said:

... @ SaraBellah - yes -- 2-1/4 yards thanks for the catch. I've fixed it above.

November 02, 2011

SaraBellah said:

... I have a question about the How Much Piping Cord Do I Need section. The example goes through the calculation for an 18" square pillow and comes up with a total of 75" needed or a little over two yards. Why does the next sentence say to get 1 1/4 yards? Is this just a typo & should be 2 1/4 yards? Thanks for the tutorial. I have a pillow that has needed something like this to finish it and I've just been putting it off since I didn't want to ruin it while figuring out the process.

November 02, 2011

JF said:

... Thanks and double thanks for this article! I've had fabric for my wicker furniture cushions laying here for over a year -- haven't started because I wasn't sure how to make the coordinating fabric strips to make my piping. Now I can start!

October 08, 2011

ilovetosewpweoples said:

... love it thankyou

September 29, 2011

Robin in oklahoma City said:

... thanks for such easy to follow instructions! Your drawings are awesome, too!!

September 27, 2011

Paige W said:

... Thank you! I'm making a canvas picnic blanket, and this is very helpful. Paige

September 13, 2011

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it said:

... I am in the process of making my first project with custom cording. This article has been a Bible for me as usual. This truly has been a God sent and will pass it on to my sewing friends.

September 07, 2011

Toille Pillows said:

... Thank you for the post, I gingerly made mom a piped pillow last year with this expensive toille fabric she'd bought. I was afraid to even make the first cut for fear of ruining the fabric! Now I'm getting around to making the matching pillow and this was a great refresher (along with all the notes I kept)... Namaste, Lisa

August 20, 2011

WestMI said:

... My mother did the exact same thing years and years ago. She'd be glad to know someone's passing on the simple, and practical, instructions for this.

May 19, 2011

BeckyJH said:

... Thanks so for the great instructions. Simple and clear-- you are a DEAR to share. Becky

May 03, 2011

Bonnie W said:

... Thanks so much for this great tutorial! I had a lady ask me if I could sew pillows and I of course said yes! Little did I know the pillows she wanted me to copy had piping. I was pretty sure I could figure it out with a little direction - then I found your site. The directions were very easy to follow and you're right, the piping is easy and kind of fun to sew. Now I am thinking ahead to what I can make for my own home with custom piping. Thanks again!!

March 31, 2011

Momof2Girls said:

... This was SO helpful!!!! I'm attempting to reupholster both an antique rocking chair and an ottoman, both of which have piping on them. THANK YOU!

March 06, 2011

Kat P said:

... I am so thrilled with this entire website and was happy to run across this set of instructions today. I'm working on a set of valances for my toddlers room. I followed the instructions on the width of fabric to cut so you can create the piping and was terribly frustrated when it came to sewing the piping closed. I feel that the equation used above may work out great for advanced sewers of piping, but my suggestion to those people just starting out on this task is to cut the width 2 times the number you come up with using the equation above. So, if the equation says to use a 2" width actually cut it at 4". This will allow you to appropriately use your zipper foot to sew the closing around the piping without wanting to throw your machine out the window. I know I am no advanced sewer, but I am hoping to help the next person trying this out for the first time! Happy piping.

February 07, 2011

Liz Johnson, Editor, Sew4Home said:

... Hi Leela -- this post is an oldie, but definitely a goodie. So glad it is helpful to you. You are correct; you sandwich the piping in between your layers. Stitch with the layer to which the piping is attached on top, then you can follow right along on your previous line of stitching. Check out these tutorials - they have some good pictures to help wrap your brain around it: http://sew4home.com/projects/pillows-cushions/506-nature-brights-kitchen-pet-mat http://sew4home.com/projects/bed-linens/602-fathers-day-pendleton-wool-cunningham-plaid-silhouette-pillows http://sew4home.com/projects/furniture-covers/558-turquoise-2010-ottoman-slipcover

June 15, 2010

Leela said:

... I realize this is an older post, but it has really helped me as I am about to sew a bench cushion and have never used piping before. Thank you! When you attach the other side of the cover, I assume you face right sides together so the cord is in the middle - do you just stitch again over where you stitched the piping to the other piece? How do you make sure they are lined up? thanks

June 15, 2010

Elle Jacob said:

... VERY helpful! I have always made clothing, this was the first time I had made a cushion with piping and I was scratching my head wondering how to join the piping! Thank you!

June 01, 2010

Liz Johnson, Editor, Sew4Home said:

... The closest thing to a window seat cushion that we have at sew4home is our patio party chair cushions: http://sew4home.com/projects/pillows-cushions/338-patio-party-sitting-pretty-chair-cushions But these would be a bit of a challenge to make in a super big size. If the seat isn't too big and you are okay with a the thinner NuFoam insert, you could adapt these to your dimensions. We also have instructions on how to make a box floor cushion, which you could adapt to a larger size: http://sew4home.com/projects/pillows-cushions/257-asian-box-floor-cushion We have some similar projects scheduled in the coming months, but nothing else I can link to today. Better Homes & Gardens has a pretty good tutorial, although I don't know that I'd categorize it as super simple. http://www.bhg.com/crafts/sewing/basics/how-to-sew-box-edge-cushions/

January 05, 2010

chasenanny said:

... need simple instructions to make a window seat cushion. Help!

January 05, 2010

liz.johnson, sew4home Editor said:

... Hi everyone ... as promised, we've added some additional illustrations and instructions to hep you better understand how to finish off your piping projects. Let us know if this helps!

July 15, 2009

liz.johnson, sew4home Editor said:

... I'm so glad you're finding this article helpful. Piping is such a great accent. Good point on the finishing. The short answer is: you need to peel back a bit of the covering, clip the end of the cording tail so it fits right up against the opposite end, pull the covering back over the cord, tuck the end of the covering under for a clean edge and stitch in place matching your seam line. Now - that all sounds well and good, but I think some additional drawings would help. So -- I'm going to put that on the top of my to-do list and will add those ASAP. Check back often. Thanks for your comment; this will help everybody.

July 01, 2009

christy said:

... These are good, clear instructions but need to show how to join the ends of the piping where they meet. I purchased piping for a pillow that's made of 3 separate strands of piping twisted together. It's beautiful but I'm not sure what to do with the two ends where they meet.

June 30, 2009

cjferrence said:

... This was a very helpful article. I just made new cushions for my porch furniture and used piping all around the cushions and the seating. A HUGE job!!! I can see where I could have done it easier with your info. Thanks.

June 22, 2009

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