How to Make Piping for Sewing Projects with Zipper Foot

Sewing your own piping can look intimidating, but once you learn it, it is quite simple. Piping adds a lovely professional finish to a garment or other sewn items like pillows, cushion covers, blankets, quilts, and other upholstery projects.

Pre-made piping is available in the trim section of your local fabric store, but there is a limited selection, and it may not match your project. Making your own custom piping from the fabric of your choice is quicker and easier than you may think!

What does piping mean in sewing?

Piping is a trim or edging formed by sewing a thin strip of folded fabric such as bias binding into a narrow tube and attaching it to the edge of a piece of fabric to define or reinforce the style lines of a garment or project.

A cord, such as yarn, cording, crochet yarn, or another piece of rounded cord, can be included within the edging to give it extra body and shape.

What is the difference between cording and piping?

The major difference between making cording and sewing piping is that with piping, the cording is enclosed in fabric, allowing it to blend nicely into a sewing project.  On the other hand, cording is more versatile and can stand alone, not needing to be sewn into fabric for a project.

What sewing machine foot is best for piping?

Sewing piping with a zipper foot, pintuck foot, piping foot, or cord foot is possible.  This tutorial will show how to make piping with a zipper foot.

If you own a pintuck or piping foot, check out our tutorial, How to make Piping with a Pintuck or Pipe Cord Foot.

Watch our video or read this full tutorial to learn more about sewing piping using a zipper foot.

INSTRUCTIONS for how to Sew Piping with a Zipper Presser Foot 

STEP 1: Cut the Piece of Fabric

The cord will be encased within a piece of fabric. Measure the cord to determine the width of the fabric strips.

First, measure the cord's width and add the seam allowance's width. Then, multiply that number by two.  This will be the width of the fabric strip(s).

Width of Fabric Strips = (Width of Cord + Width of Seam Allowance) * 2

For example, if I have a 1/4" wide cording and will be using a 1/2" seam allowance, the calculation will be:

(1/4" + 1/2") * 2 = 1-1/2" wide fabric strips

The length of the fabric strip will be the same as the length of the cording needed. You may need a tape measure to measure your project.

Cut the strips of fabric needed to make the piping with a rotary cutter, quilt ruler, mat, or scissors. If you need more than one fabric strip, join the strips at a 45-degree angle and right sides together into one continuous strip. Add about 4" to the length for each additional strip required.

If the piping will be sewn onto a curve, the fabric must be cut on the bias.  Straight-edge piping fabric can be cut on a straight grain.

Step 2: Prepare the sewing machine to make piping

Attach the zipper presser foot to the sewing machine. Move the needle to the right so it is up against the cording and won't hit the foot. Set the sewing machine to a straight stitch and normal stitch length.

For this tutorial, contrasting thread is used so that the viewer can see the sewing. When making piping, a thread coordinating with the fabric color should be used.

Step 3: Begin to Sew Piping

Lay your strip of fabric with the right side of the fabric facing down (wrong side up) on a work surface and the cording across the center. The end of the cord should start at the end of the fabric strip. Wrap the fabric around the cord, matching the long raw edge of the fabric strip.

Place the cording inside the fabric strip under the presser foot with the cording on the right side of the foot. The cording should be up against the side of the presser foot but not under it.

Sew with a straight stitch along the edge of the cording. Be sure to backtack at the beginning and end. The stitching line should be close to the cording inside the fabric.

Keep sewing close to the cording within the fabric, keeping it in the center of the fabric while stitching.

It is important to go slowly or even stop periodically to be sure the cording is right up against the center of the fabric and the raw edge of the piping is even.

Continue to sew to the end of the cording, keeping close to the cording inside the fabric.

When the piping is sewn to the end, backtack. The piping is finished and the seam allowance of the piping will allow it to be sewn into the project.

That is how to sew piping to add interest to sewing projects!

I hope you enjoyed learning how to sew piping using a zipper foot. Now you can use a common presser foot to add beautiful piping to your garments or other sewing projects.

Here are some other useful sewing techniques:

• Sewing Techniques
• Mother's Day Pillow With Piping
• Piping With a Pintuck Foot