Joining Piping

I am working on some Easter Clothes right now. I wanted to share with you how I join two pieces of piping together.


Before you start thinking "Boy , she is using strange combinations for an Easter dress". All the materials I am using for this tutorial are scraps that I have put together for photographic reasons.



The first step on joining piping is to decide where I want the join to be at.


I do not or at least try not to join piping at the seam line for two reason.

1. It would add more bulk to the seam line.
2. It would just be one more thing that you need to line up perfect. Why add stress to your life?

I usually pick a spot beyond the seam line...about 3/4 inches. It is not an exact science. I just want the join to be where it is not very noticeable. If this was an arm hole that I was adding piping to, I would make the join towards the back of the dress.

I have marked my join line with a blue wash away marker. You do not need to mark the point as dark as I have done for this tutorial.







When I cut my piping I want to have about an extra 1/2 inch or so on each end (1 inch total +) so I have working room.

I stitch the piping down, stopping about 1/2 inch from my target point for the join. I am using two different colors of piping for photographic reasons .......Honest! :-)

I trimmed down my piping on the right to about 1/2". I then unpicked the stitching threads on the blue piping so that the piping is exposed.

The piping cord on the blue piping is trimmed down to about 1/8-1/4 " beyond my target point for the join.

The raw edges of the blue piping are turned under and pressed. I want the fold line to match up with my target join line. You could also add a touch of water soluble glue to keep the folded edge turned under.

The pink piping is placed on the inside of the blue piping. It is trimmed down so that the piping cord of the pink piping kisses the piping cord of the blue piping. I do not want any gaps or for the cords to overlap.

Pin the two pipings together with the pink piping sandwiched in between the blue piping..

Stitch the joined piping together.

And I'm done. It is slightly off my target point but once I wash out the blue marker who is going to tell? I certainly am not. :-)