Sewing piping onto a pillow requires marking a seam line, pinning the piping in place, and stitching it down before you assemble the pillow cover
Piping creates a finished edge that looks professional and reinforces the seam where two pieces of fabric meet. The process is straightforward: you attach the piping to one piece of fabric before sewing the front and back together. The key is keeping the piping's cord aligned with your seam allowance and stitching close enough to the cord that the finished edge sits exactly where you want it.
Most sewers use a piping foot (also called a cording foot) on their machine, which has a groove underneath that rides over the cord and keeps everything aligned. If you do not have one, a standard presser foot works, but you will need to be more careful about keeping the stitching line straight and close to the cord.
Key Takeaways
- Mark your seam line on the pillow fabric before you pin the piping, using a ruler and fabric pencil or chalk.
- Pin the piping so the cord sits exactly on the seam line, with the raw edges of the piping facing outward toward the edge of the fabric.
- Stitch as close to the cord as possible using a piping foot, which keeps the cord in the right position and prevents puckering.
- Clip the piping at corners so it turns smoothly without bunching, and overlap the ends where they meet by about half an inch.
- Sew the front and back pieces together with the piping sandwiched between them, using the existing stitch line as your guide.
Mark your seam line before pinning
Use a ruler and fabric pencil or chalk to draw a light line on the wrong side of your pillow front where the seam will be. This line should be the width of your seam allowance from the edge—usually half an inch. This marked line is where the cord of the piping will sit, and it keeps the piping straight and evenly spaced all the way around.
If your pillow has corners, mark all four sides and mark where the corners meet so you know exactly where to clip and turn the piping. A ruler makes this faster and more accurate than trying to eyeball it.
Pin the piping along the marked line
Lay the piping on top of the fabric with the cord sitting directly on your marked seam line. The raw edges of the piping (the flat part without the cord) should face outward toward the edge of the fabric. Pin every inch or so, pushing the pin through the piping's seam allowance, not through the cord itself.
At corners, you will need to clip the piping's seam allowance so it can turn without bunching. Make small cuts perpendicular to the seam line, stopping just short of the cord. This lets the piping fold smoothly at a 90-degree angle. Pin the corner carefully so the cord stays on your marked line on both sides of the corner.
Where the two ends of the piping meet, overlap them by about half an inch. You will stitch through both layers at this overlap, and it will be hidden inside the pillow once you assemble it.
Stitch the piping down with a piping foot
Attach a piping foot to your machine. This foot has a groove on the underside that the cord slides into, which keeps the cord in the right position and prevents it from shifting as you sew. Thread your machine and set it to a straight stitch with a length of about 2.5 millimeters.
Position the fabric under the foot so the groove rides over the cord. Stitch as close to the cord as you can without hitting it—usually about one-eighth inch away. Sew slowly and watch the cord, not the needle, to keep your line straight. Backstitch at the beginning and end to lock the thread.
If you do not have a piping foot, use your regular presser foot and position the needle so it stitches just to the left of the cord. This is harder to keep consistent, so go slowly and check your line every few inches.
Handle the overlap where the piping ends meet
When you reach the point where the two ends of the piping overlap, stitch through both layers. The overlap will be inside the pillow and will not show. Some sewers trim the cord at one end so the overlap is less bulky, but this is optional—the cord will compress slightly when the pillow is stuffed.
If the overlap feels too thick to stitch through comfortably, you can hand-stitch this section instead. Use a needle and thread that matches the piping, and make small stitches close to the cord. This takes a few extra minutes but gives you more control.
Sew the front and back pieces together
Once the piping is stitched to the front piece, lay the back piece on top with right sides together. The piping will be sandwiched between the two layers. Pin around the edges, then stitch using the existing stitch line as your guide—the line you just made when you attached the piping.
Stitch all the way around, leaving an opening of about 4 inches on one side for turning and stuffing. Backstitch at the beginning and end, and at the corners of the opening so the seam does not unravel when you turn the pillow right-side out.
Trim the seam allowance to about one-quarter inch, being careful not to cut the piping cord. Clip the corners diagonally so they turn smoothly without bunching. Turn the pillow right-side out through the opening, poke out the corners with a blunt tool, and stuff it. Hand-stitch the opening closed using a ladder stitch or whip stitch.
Troubleshooting common piping problems
If the piping puckers as you sew, you are probably stitching too far from the cord or pulling the fabric too tight. Loosen your grip and stitch closer to the cord. If the piping shifts out of position, you may not have pinned it closely enough—try pinning every half inch instead of every inch.
If the piping bunches at corners, you did not clip the seam allowance deeply enough. The clips should go almost to the cord but not through it. If the cord shows at the seam line after you assemble the pillow, your stitch line was too far from the cord—next time, stitch closer.
If the overlap is too bulky to stitch through, trim the cord at one end by about half an inch so the two cord ends do not sit directly on top of each other. Wrap the fabric around the trimmed end and stitch through the fabric layers only.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a regular presser foot instead of a piping foot?
Yes, but it is harder to keep the stitching line straight and close to the cord. A piping foot has a groove that guides the cord and makes the job much easier. If you sew piping regularly, a piping foot is worth buying—they cost between five and fifteen dollars.
What seam allowance should I use for piping?
Use the same seam allowance as the rest of your pillow, usually half an inch. The cord of the piping should sit exactly on your seam line, with the raw edges of the piping extending outward to the edge of the fabric.
How do I attach piping to a curved pillow?
Clip the seam allowance of the piping more frequently on curves—every quarter inch instead of every inch. This lets the piping bend smoothly without bunching. Stitch slowly and watch the cord to keep your line even.
What happens if I stitch the piping on the wrong side of the fabric?
The piping will end up on the inside of the pillow instead of the outside. You can prevent this by always marking your seam line on the wrong side of the fabric and pinning the piping so its raw edges face outward toward the edge of the fabric.
Can I machine-stitch the opening closed instead of hand-stitching?
Yes. After you stuff the pillow, fold the raw edges of the opening inward and pin them together. Stitch close to the fold using a straight stitch or a ladder stitch setting if your machine has one. This is faster than hand-stitching but requires a steady hand to keep the line straight.