How to Make Fabric-Covered Corded Trim
Fabric-covered corded trim can add interest and a professional finish to a slipcover, throw pillow, upholstery project or even a large tote bag. Making your own fabric-covered cording can allow you to customize your trim to match your project. Choose a classic solid color or experiment with stripes and prints when you cover your corded trim. Use the same technique to make smaller piping for garments and handbags.
Things You'll Need
- Cording
- Fabric
- Rotary cutter
- Cutting mat
- Clear plastic gridded ruler
- Iron and ironing board
- Sewing machine
- Coordinating thread
- Zipper, cording or piping foot
Instructions
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1
Press your fabric. Pre-wash the fabric if you expect it will need to be laundered in the future. Fold the corner of the fabric over at a 45-degree angle, bringing the selvage edge to the cut edge. Press a crease along this angle and use this crease to mark the bias.
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2
Place your ruler firmly against the fabric and cut along the crease. Continue cutting bias strips. Size your bias strips according to the size of your cording. Cut 1-1/2 inch bias strips for standard fabric covered cording or piping, but allow additional width as necessary. Allow 1/3 yard of fabric for every 7 yards of narrow cording.
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3
Attach the strips together. Fold one end of a strip at a 90-degree angle and press. Line a second strip up with the pressed crease in the fabric, placing this bias strip perpendicular to the first. Sew the two strips together with a diagonal seam, then trim away the excess, pressing the seam allowance open. Continue until you have a long continuous strip of fabric on the bias.
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4
Install a zipper or cording foot on your sewing machine. Invest in a cording or piping foot if you frequently cover corded trim; however, a zipper foot will also work well.
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5
Wrap the fabric around the cording. Stitch close to the cording with a medium-to-long stitch length.
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Tips & Warnings
Try cutting continuous bias to save on seaming.
You may cover cording with fabric on the vertical grain if it will be applied to a straight, uncurved surface.
Trim away the piping, but not the fabric to keep seams from being overly bulky.
