Sewing piping starts with pinning it to your fabric edge, then stitching it down with a zipper foot or piping foot so the cord sits exactly where you want it
Piping is a strip of fabric wrapped around a cord, and it finishes seams with a neat, professional edge. You sew it into a seam before you join two pieces of fabric together — the piping gets sandwiched between the layers, so the cord shows on the finished edge and the raw fabric hides inside.
The basic steps are the same whether you use a machine or hand-sew: pin the piping to the right side of one fabric piece, stitch it down, then place the second fabric piece on top and sew through all three layers. The key is keeping the piping straight and the stitching close enough to the cord that it doesn't slip when you wear or wash the finished piece.
Key Takeaways
- Pin piping to the right side of your fabric with the raw edges aligned, then stitch it down before you attach the second fabric piece.
- A zipper foot or piping foot lets you stitch close to the cord without hitting it, which keeps the piping from shifting.
- Clip the piping seam allowance at corners and curves so it lies flat when you turn the fabric right-side out.
- Hand-sewing piping takes longer but gives you more control and works well for small projects or delicate fabrics.
- Test your stitch length and tension on scrap fabric first, because piping adds bulk and can jam a machine if the settings are wrong.
Prepare your piping and fabric pieces
Lay out the two fabric pieces you are joining. Place one piece right-side up on your work surface. Take your piping and lay it along the edge where you want it to appear on the finished seam, with the raw edges of the piping aligned with the raw edges of the fabric. The cord should point outward, away from the fabric.
If you are using pre-made piping, check that the seam allowance (the flat part of the piping strip) is the same width as your seam allowance — usually half an inch. If you made your own piping, trim the seam allowance to match. Uneven seam allowances will make the piping sit crooked or bunch up.
At corners, you will need to clip the piping seam allowance so it can turn the corner without puckering. Make small cuts perpendicular to the edge, about a quarter-inch apart, stopping just short of the cord. Do not cut into the cord itself.
Pin the piping in place
Starting at one end, pin the piping to the fabric with the raw edges flush. Use pins perpendicular to the edge, spacing them about two inches apart. Pull the piping gently as you pin so it lies flat and does not twist.
At corners, fold the piping to follow the corner angle. Pin it on both sides of the corner so it stays in place while you stitch. If the piping is bunching even after you clipped it, you may need to clip more deeply — but again, stop before you reach the cord.
For curves, pin more frequently — every inch or so — and ease the piping around the curve rather than stretching it. Stretching changes the shape and makes the piping pucker when the fabric relaxes later.
Stitch piping by machine
Attach a zipper foot or piping foot to your machine. A zipper foot is standard on most machines; a piping foot is a specialty foot with a groove on the underside that lets the cord ride in it. Either one lets you stitch very close to the cord without hitting it with the needle.
Set your stitch length to 2.0 to 2.5 millimeters — slightly shorter than your normal seam, because piping adds thickness and a shorter stitch holds better. Test on scrap fabric first. Thread your machine and place the pinned fabric under the foot so the needle will stitch right next to the cord, about a quarter-inch from the edge of the piping seam allowance.
Sew slowly and steadily, removing pins as you approach them. At corners, stop with the needle down, lift the presser foot, pivot the fabric to follow the corner, lower the foot, and continue. Do not backstitch at the start and end — you will be stitching over these ends again when you attach the second fabric piece.
Stitch piping by hand
Hand-sewing piping gives you more control and works well for small projects, heirloom pieces, or fabrics too delicate for a machine. Thread a needle with thread that matches your fabric and knot the end.
Starting at one end of the piping, bring the needle up through the fabric and piping seam allowance from underneath, so the knot stays hidden. Make small stitches — about an eighth of an inch long — right next to the cord, going through the piping seam allowance and the fabric beneath it. Keep your stitches parallel to the cord and as close to it as you can without hitting it.
At corners, take an extra stitch or two to anchor the piping securely before you pivot. For curves, take slightly shorter stitches on the inside of the curve and slightly longer ones on the outside, so the piping eases smoothly without bunching. When you reach the end, knot off on the underside.
Attach the second fabric piece
Once the piping is stitched to the first fabric piece, place the second fabric piece on top, right-side down. The piping is now sandwiched between the two pieces. Pin the layers together, then sew along the same seam line using your regular presser foot and normal stitch length.
You are sewing through three layers now — the two fabric pieces and the piping — so go slowly and watch for puckering. If the machine jams or the fabric bunches, stop, lift the presser foot, and back up slightly. You may need to loosen your tension or use a needle one size larger.
Sew all the way around, then remove the pins and turn the fabric right-side out. The piping should now form a neat cord along the seam edge, with the raw fabric hidden inside.
Clip seams and finish the edges
Before you turn the fabric right-side out, clip the seam allowance at corners and along curves. Make small cuts perpendicular to the seam, about a quarter-inch apart, stopping just short of your stitching line. This removes bulk so the seam lies flat when you turn it.
At corners, clip diagonally across the corner point to reduce the thickness even more. Be careful not to cut your stitches. Once you have clipped, turn the fabric right-side out and use a point turner or the blunt end of a chopstick to push the corners out sharply.
Press the seam flat with an iron on a setting appropriate for your fabric. The piping should sit smoothly along the edge with no puckering or twisting. If you see wrinkles, you may need to clip more deeply or ease the piping more as you sew.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular thread to sew piping, or do I need special thread?
Regular thread works fine. Match it to your fabric color, not the piping color, since the thread will be hidden inside the seam. If you are hand-sewing, use thread designed for hand sewing — it is slightly thicker and less likely to break under the stress of hand stitches.
What do I do if the piping twists or bunches while I am sewing?
Stop and remove the last few stitches. Unpin the piping, smooth it out, and repin it. The problem is usually that you stretched the piping as you pinned or sewed, or that you did not clip it enough at curves and corners. Ease it gently instead of pulling.
How do I join two ends of piping neatly?
Overlap the ends by about half an inch, with the end that will be sewn last on top. Stitch through both layers. When you turn the fabric right-side out, the overlap will be hidden inside the seam. For a less bulky join, you can unpick a few stitches from each end, trim the cords so they butt together, and wrap the fabric around both cords before stitching.
What if my piping is too thick and the machine keeps jamming?
Use a larger needle — go up to a size 16 or 18 — and loosen your tension slightly. Take shorter stitches and sew more slowly. If the machine still jams, hand-sew the piping instead, or consider using thinner piping for your next project.
Do I need to pre-wash piping before I sew it in?
If your fabric is pre-washed, wash the piping too, so it shrinks at the same rate. If your fabric is not pre-washed, you do not need to wash the piping. Shrinkage mismatch can cause the piping to pucker after the first wash.