How to make piping and insert it into a seam

One of my customers requested info on how to make piping and insert it into the waist seam of the Top.... Here we go. The first thing you need it the "stuff" that you're going to make the piping from--The cord you're going to cover and the fabric you're going to cover it with. In the photo above, there is 1/8" cotton cord and 1/8" rat tail. Either one works well, but I prefer the rat tail because it's smooth and works well with thin fabrics. (The braid of the cotton cord can show through thin fabrics after the piping is made.)

Next you need strips of fabric to cover the cording or rat tail with. To determine the width of the strip, you need to know the seam allowance you will be using when you insert it into the seam and the diameter of the cord.

Add the diameter of the cord and the seam allowance together, then double it. In this case, I'm using 1/8" cord and a 1/2" seam allowance = 5/8" doubled = 1 1/4" ...So, I need a strip that is 1 1/4" wide by the length of my waist seam. (That way, after you wrap the strip around the cord and sew in it, you'll have the same seam allowances on your piping as the seam it's getting sewn into!) ....and I'm not giving out my fluffy waistline measurement!

You need to cut your strips out on the bias grain of the fabric. That means you have to cut on the 45 degree angle from the salvage--If you need help with this, please let me know. Cut a strip long enough to go around the waistline, or piece a couple of shorter sections.

Wrap the fabric strip around the cord or rat tail. Make sure that the raw edges of the strip match up together exactly. Set up your machine to make piping. Put on a piping foot if you have one, or use your zipper foot. Pfaff and Bernina owners have wonderful zipper feet for making piping--I don't even own a piping foot! Select straight stitch and move the needle over to the left.

Position the cord with the strip of fabric wrapped around it--The raw edges of the strip should be even with each other. Snug the zipper foot up against the cord. Adjust the needle position so that it sews very close to the cord. (You don't have to get as close as you can to sew the piping--You'll want to get even a little snugger when you sew the piping into the seam.) Stitch all the way down the length of the cord to create your piping.

Here's how it looks after the fabric strip is sewn down right next to the cord. Notice that the fabric strip extends 1/2" from the cord--Perfect to match up with the raw edge of the waist seam on my top!

Align the raw edge of the piping with the raw edge of the waist seam. Reposition the piping under the zipper foot. Stitch the piping onto the edge, sewing right on top of the first row of stitching.

Here's what the piping looks like when it's sewn on.

Sandwich the piping between the top bodice and the peplum, matching up all the raw edges. Pin in place. Reposition the piping back under the zipper foot. Move the needle over just one more click closer to the cord. You will be securing the piping into the seam as you sew the peplum to the bodice.

Here's how the piping looks when it's inserted into the seam. (By moving the needle even closer to the cord when you sew the peplum onto the waist seam, you don't see any of the other rows of stitching that were sewn to make the piping in the first few steps.)

Get it a try, it doesn't take a lot of time, and it adds a lot of interest and style to your top! Stay tuned, inserting an invisible zipper in the side seam is up next!!