How to sew piping into your bags - tutorial.

**UPDATE** If you'd like this tutorial (and any of my others) in PDF format click here.

 

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I'm still really loving your replies to this post and this post, thanks for your brilliant comments everyone!  Do join in, if you haven't already, you might get lucky!  It looks like we all do love our machines (or at least try to)  I wouldn't be surprised if some of you have named yours, and you say nice coaxing things to your machine when it's not in the mood (instead of swearing a lot - yes, I am def. guilty of that!).

Here is a little tutorial on PIPING as it is going to feature in the famously (...I say 'famously' because I've been saying it for bloody weeks!) up and coming tutorial.

Piping is a really yummy and professional looking way to trim your bags, cushions and collars etc.   Another benefit to adding piping to your bags is that it injects even more colour in a subtle but striking way, and piping also add a bit of stability to the opening and sides of your bags - Amy Butler's Weekender Bag illustrates this perfectly...

To make a piped (or as our US crafting cousins call it, Corded) edge you first have to get you hands of some bias binding tape.  Bias binding is cut on the bias so the binding can be applied to curvy edges without wrinkling up.  You can either buy packs of cotton or satin bias binding, or you can make your own groovy bias binding tape from your chosen fabrics, it's worth the effort because the results often look stunning.

After getting some bias binding tape together, you need some piping (cording). As a general rule the larger the bag, or bag detail that you are applying the piping to, the thicker the piping needs to be.

NB: PLEASE READ 1ST!!  Before we begin this little tutorial, I just wanted to say that on this occasion:

• I have not made my own bias binding.  I have used a piece of ribbon that I have been dying to use for ages because of the luscious colour. 
• It's also worth noting that the edge that I wanted to apply the piping to is straight so there are no curvy edges to apply the piping to - this is good because ribbon is not cut on the bias,
• Perhaps the most important thing is that this ribbon is really narrow (there's not much clearance left after it has a piece of piping inside it).  This will make my piping a bit of A NIGHTMARE to work with, but that's OK because I'm a lunatic, and I've used piping lots.  Your binding tape should be a bit wider than the ribbon I have used so you don't end up pulling your hair out!

Click on any picture to enlarge it.

Here is a pocket-to-be with a scrumptious piped edge on it.  I knew that piece of ribbon was going to come in handy...  The yummy fabric is this.

 

Here's How I Put It Together

Shopping list (as if you were buying from a shop, if not using stash fabrics)

• As much shop bought or homemade Bias Binding tape as you need to trim your pocket, the top & sides, etc. - use a tape measure to measure the length of the part of the bag you want to pipe and add another 5" (13cm) for luck.
• The same amount of Piping Cord (Cording) as bias binding.

1.  Make up your piping - lay your piping cord down the centre of your opened bias binding (or in my case ridiculously narrow satin ribbon, fold in half, and pin in place.

Wrap your piping and pin as shown.  How narrow is this???  'Gadzooks, is she insane???' I hear you cry...  Ideally your bias binding will have at least 3/8" (1cm) clearance from the piping to the bias binding edge.

2.  Baste the piping to the bias binding - get your zipper foot out to play.  Position the piping just under the foot like I have in the picture...

...right we want our piping cord to be tight and snug into the binding BUT when we baste the piping we mustn't stitch too close to the piping cord (i.e. too far to the left) or our basting stitches will show up in the finished product (you'll see what I mean later).  I have positioned my needle a couple of mms to the right for this very purpose, this way the piping is tucked in reasonably tight, but my basting stitches can now be concealed later on.

As I'm sewing my basting stitches I'm using my finger to keep the piping from escaping from under the zipper foot...steady as she goes; take your time.

This should be the result - I know you can't really see that well in the photo, but there is a 2mm space between the piping cord and the basting stitches, that's important for later on.  Normal people (like yourselves) will of course have used wider bias binding tape so you will have more tape to play with to the right of the basting stitches!

3.  Baste your piping to your bag part - in my case the top edge of my bag pocket.  Lay your basted piping onto your bag part, pin, and baste as shown.

I'm still using my zipper foot and I'm making my basting stitches just to the right of my previous basting stitches...oooeerr, tight fit isn't it?   Do the same, baste just to the right of  your previous stitching.

4.  Pin your lining (or other bag part, this for instance, could be the other half of the exterior bag if you wanted a piped edge between the front and back of your bag) to the basted bag part- lay your lining (or other bag part) wrong side up onto the top edge of your basted bag part (in my case the top edge of my pocket).  Ensure the top edges of the layers meet and pin as shown.

I'm getting rather nervous now, look how little fabric there is for my seam allowance; there's more room on rush hour Japanese subway train!    Lay your lining (or other bag fabric piece) wrong side up onto the top edge of the basted bag part and pin.

5.  Sew piping - still using your zipper foot, position your sewing underneath the foot as in steps 2 & 3.   

Get your finger out (as in step 2) to butt the piping close to your needle, this will make sure your stitching is as close to the piping as possible.  This time we want to position our needle as close to the piping as we can without actually sewing right thru the piping, this will hopefully ensure a snug fir for our piping cord and will conceal our basting stitches...now do you see why our basting stitches made in step 2 needed to be 2 mms away from the piping cord?

Use you fingers and feel your way thru to the piping, to make any adjustments to the position of the piping underneath our fabric, and take your time!  Flip your lining (or other bag part fabric piece) over and press.

 

Ta da!! One piped edge (and no nasty basting stitches in sight!)

I promise the tutorial that uses this piping technique will appear soon...at least now you've seen part of the bag I'm making for the tutorial, and that I'm not talking out of my bottom :)

Comments

[KarenV]

I didn't know you could use a zipper foot, I thought you had to have a special piping foot! I'm definitely going to have a go at this for bags and cushions as well - thanks!

[thimbleanna]

Can't wait for the rest of your tutorial! I have a tip for your step 5 -- if you flip your fabric over, you'll be able to sew right on top of your previous line of stitching. That way, you'll insure that no stitching will show when you turn everything right-side out! ;-)

[Beth H]

You make it look so easy. I've always been intimidated by that oh so cool looking piping.

[mary b]

I love your tutorials! I am also intimidated by piping but I was also intimidated by zippers until I tried your zippered pocket tutorial. It came out fantastic - thank you so much, your instructions are both super clear and super easy.

[Claire]

Excellent once again Lisa. I've always avoided piping because it always looked too complicated - not any more!!

[rhembein]

OH COOL! Thanks!!

You know... I think we have the same, or at least close to the same machine!! :) Good choice! :)

~gyl

[lori]

i buy premade piping from wright's. it comes in tons of colors and is perfect width (it's usually next to the bias binding in sewing stores).

[Jodie]

Great tutorial, can't wait to see the rest! I've always been a bit scared of piping, but not anymore...
Keep up the great work.

[Amy]

Bank Holiday weekend ahead and an Amy Butler weekend bag to make this tutorial is certainly going to help!
Thanks
xx

[İnanç]

wow! great tutorial i had thought doing this was so difficult!

[Janica]

hey, i really like your ideas, im from the Philippies, and I would love to make one of these . I get excited in making one. tc and God bless

[Kate]

Hello,
Thank you for your picture tutorials, they are wonderful.
I want to make a double folded satin bias binding tape, and satin being very slippery fabric, I was wondering - how to make the folds straight. Is there any sewing machine tool for that or any trick?
Thank you,
Kate

[katy]

I loved this tutorial. I have been looking everywhere for piping info. I didn't know there were so many ways to do it. This by far is the easiest and most common sense approach. It was so easy. Thank you. I can't wait to try some of the other things you offer. Beautiful work by the way!