Finishing piping - Cushions

[MyDecozo]

Start by making your strips of fabric by cutting your strips in the bias, lay over your length of piping and sew a line of stitching, leaving one end open..

see also: bias tube

When you start sewing the piping onto your cushion cover, leave a good three inches loose - ie. start attaching the piping 3" down the piping.

Go all the way around your cushion and stop when you arrive at the piping, leaving the original 3" open.

You now have both ends loose and flapping about. Pull the fabric back and reveal the piping cord..

Pull the piping around the cushion and ensure it isn't too tight and then cut the piping cord where they meet - you can use tape on the join to hold it in place. DO NOT CUT THE FABRIC - ONLY THE PIPING CORD

You now have both ends meeting with the fabric flapping.

Pull the first side of fabric over the piping and cut level with the piping.

The second end of fabric should be pull over the end and onto the fabric you have just cut.. Fold that piece of fabric back on it's self to neaten and sew.

Hope this helps..

Philip

[The Blue Gonk]

Re: Finishing piping - Cushions

I am having problems joining the piping and making it neat. I usually do it the way you describe but I was reading Wendy Shorter's book Professional Soft Furnishings and she has another method but I can't get the hang of it. It would be so much neater if I could.
here is what she says:

"attach the piping to the fabric leaving 10cms free at each end
Cut one end of the piping off square.
Lay the other end of the piping over this piece, measure a 4cms overlap and cut off the excess.
(she says earlier that her fabric is cut 4cms wide for the piping so this may have a bearing on how much overlap you have?)
You should now have a 4cms overlap.
Unpick the piping at each end, back to the stitching. (think she means back to the 4cms on both overlapping parts)

With right sides of the fabric together and at right angles to each other, join the piping fabric together, stitching along the diagonal.

Once you are happy that you have stitched in the right direction, trim back the seam allowance and open out flat.
Cut the two pieces of piping cord so that they butt together nicely.
Place back under the machine's foot and stitch in place"

Sorry I can't put the diagrams in. Its on page 53 if you have the book.

Julie B

[The Blue Gonk]

Re: Finishing piping - Cushions

Another question folks,

How long does it take you to put together a piped cushion 48 x 48cms square from start to finish.

I have loads to do for an interior designer and its taking me forever.
She thought I could do 10 a day!!!! It took me seven hours to make 2 for goodness sake
I thought I would be able to fit this in with my own customers but its a hard slog and I don't want to end up getting bogged down and not enjoying it.
I have watched all the videos on here an they have helped me hugely but I am so slow.
Maybe I'll get quicker as time goes on.
I have been told I'm too particular but I just like things to be done right and look right.

Julie B

[Quiney]

Re: Finishing piping - Cushions

Hi BG
With practice you should be able to do 10 in a day, especially if they are all the same, because you can work them like a production line.

Proportionally it take longer to do 2 than 10!
Make all of the piping in one go. Mark all of the squares and cut them out in one go, apply piping in one go, etc.....

One thought, how do you mark out your squares? do you have one of the large clear plastic templates with all of the sizes marked out? can't remember the make, but they save a lot of time.

John

[Jules]

Re: Finishing piping - Cushions

I had 90 cushions to make for a lady back in the summer.

I set myself up like a production line. Did all the cutting, did the overlocking on the edge where I'd set my zip, piped, stitched the ends leaving the zip gap, put in the zips, stitched the remaining 3 sides, overlocked. Then sat and turned them out.

I didn't do all 90 in one go but worked in batches. This way I had small milestones to achieve by the end of each day.

To make one complete piped cushion followed by another and another was so wasteful of my time due to changing feet for piping and zipping and completing cushions.

John just got there before me but I'll post anyway...

[The Blue Gonk]

Re: Finishing piping - Cushions

Hi John, I don't have the template you mention but sounds like something I'll have to get.
Thanks

[thecurtainmaker]

Re: Finishing piping - Cushions

Hi Julie,
re joining the piping.
When making up the piping (if you do this as a separate stage) use a long machine stitch.
Cut the end of the piping square to the long edge.
Stitch on to cushion front, leaving 10cm free. Overlap the second end over the first. The amount of overlap depends on the width you cut your strips. If your strips are 5cm then overlap them by 5cm. If strips are 6cm then overlap 6cm etc. Cut off the excess.
Unpick each end about 10cm.
Open out the tubes and place right sides together, short ends matching.
Turn one end through 90 degrees so that the ends are at right angles to each other.
You will then stitch from the corner that is underneath one long edge to the corner opposite that is on top of one long edge. You will be leaving a triangle of seam allowance.
Check that the piping lays flat before trimming the seam (if it doesn't you have stitched across the wrong way!!)
Trim seam and stitch remainder of piping to cushion front.

Hope this helps.

[The Blue Gonk]

Re: Finishing piping - Cushions

Thanks Pen I'm going to try this till I get it right.
What I've done in the mean time is to fold the ends over on the diagonal and butted them up together and hand sewn them after I've machine stitched along the edge. It gives the same finish as the technique you describe but lots more hassle.
Time consuming but not as bulky as the method I previously used.

I bought a piping foot, the one that goes over the piping and sews close to the piping but it won't go round the corners.
It is a 1/4 one and I can't find a bigger one for my Brother Super Ace (alas my old frister and rossman has decided to retire and I'm back to the plastic light weight).

Julie B

[thecurtainmaker]

Re: Finishing piping - Cushions

If you clip the piping cord seam allowance at the corner, before you get to it, then stop with the needle in the fabric at the corner, turn the fabric round then give the piping a good 'squash' you should be able to get round the corner.

Re the piping, try a practise with two pieces of paper (till receipts are good!!) Have them flat and at right angle to each other to see which way you should stitch.

[sewityourselfslips]

Re: Finishing piping - Cushions

I finish off the end of my piping similar to Julie. Makes for a nice neat finish.

I can usually cut and sew a cushion in about 75 minutes. But there is now way I would try and do 10 a day. My poor hands won't work right for a week!

[Jules]

Re: Finishing piping - Cushions

I use a 1/4" piping foot and do my corners ok, I think.

You have to snip through the piping to make a 90 degree corner. There's a really good pic in the Maureen Whitemore book.

[The Blue Gonk]

Re: Finishing piping - Cushions

Thanks
Never thought to use paper to test the direction Pen

My piping is 4mm and the foot is 1/4 but it was velvet I was using and I think it was just too thick especialy when I met a join.
Maybe I should use narrower piping when I'm using a thicker fabric then the foot might go round the cushion easier?

Angie, I agree I think 5 or 6 at a push would do me a day and I was thinking 60 min a cushion but only if they are all off the same order.
I just don't want to lose the chance to make them for the designer. She might find someone who could do them all for her in the time she wants them.

Julie B

[thecurtainmaker]

Re: Finishing piping - Cushions

With thicker fabric, yes you will have a bit of a challenge, but it can be done. Persevere, you will get up to speed!!

[Quiney]

Re: Finishing piping - Cushions

Hi John, I don't have the template you mention but sounds like something I'll have to get.
Thanks

Here the link for the template. They may appear expensive for what they are, but will same lots oftime over the years!

John

[thecurtainmaker]

Re: Finishing piping - Cushions

Can I just say, we also have the templates, at £18.00 which includes VAT.