The Sewing Place

How is cushion piping made?

Hummingbird

Re: How is cushion piping made?
« Reply #15 on: October 28, 2021, 11:50:55 AM »
Agree about the wrapped (smoother) piping cord, much better finish, look for pre-shrunk if you want to wash the finished article.

I have a piping foot but always use my zipper foot as it gives you much more flexibility on how tight you can get the foot to the cord (and zip when you're attaching it to a piped piece), needle position, width of bias strip you use and the diameter of the piping cord (as it has to feed under a piping foot in a groove).

I find turning the corners on a cushion cover much more straight forward with a zipper foot too.


Renegade Sewist

Re: How is cushion piping made?
« Reply #16 on: October 28, 2021, 21:47:28 PM »
@JohnSnug we might have a language difference being on other sides of an ocean and continent or two but we tend to call decorative cushions pillows or toss pillows whether for bed or sofa or chair. My part of the US we most commonly use "cushion" to describe the box edged cushions that you sit upon or lean back against.

I bring this up as there are many types and sizes of piping depending on the use of the cushion, the type of cushion and the "look" you are going for. Piping feet work for basic standard sized piping. Smaller piping and a zipper foot works. The big upholstered furniture type piping is called a welt. Welting is made from special large welt cording similar in size to clothesline line but softer. It comes in several sizes. You can get a welting foot for some machines but again you can use a zipper foot.

There are a number of good books on making pillows/cushions, perhaps available from a local library. As previously mentioned loads of information on blogs, websites and YouTube. Just go to several sources and once you find the same info a few times try that. There is as much bad information on the net as good.
Hey Bill! Read the manual!  Hehehe.

Hummingbird

Re: How is cushion piping made?
« Reply #17 on: October 29, 2021, 08:40:53 AM »
Agreed - terms are different USA/UK. Here in the UK we don't tend to use the term welting in furnishings although I believe it's used in shoe making.....just piping whatever the diameter or application.

BrendaP

Re: How is cushion piping made?
« Reply #18 on: October 29, 2021, 11:33:06 AM »
I use the vintage versions of this for piping and for zips, including invisible zips.  The neat little foot moves sideways to be as snug to the needle, on either side, as required.
  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]    [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

Esme866

Re: How is cushion piping made?
« Reply #19 on: October 30, 2021, 07:58:49 AM »
@Syrinx Thanks for the video, that did confirm the ability to change needle position. I think I had my machine for 7 or 8 years before I needed and therefore realized it does not have that feature.Its no biggie for me.

@Bill I can see where someone newer to sewing may find a specialty foot a bit easier, but I've always simply covered the piping "nicely tight". Then when I stitch it to one side of the cushion I don't bother to make it tight at all, so that when I add the last layer for the final stitching I do apply a bit of extra pressure to get the stitching "snug tight" - and then no stitching shows.

I think I would agree with @Hummingbird that a zipper foot would be easier for turning corners, especially when trying to turn a tight corner (not usually occurring with home dec but quite common if piping a collar, cuff or pocket.)

One of these days, I'll pull out my Morse and play with those 32 feet! :rolleyes:

HenriettaMaria

Re: How is cushion piping made?
« Reply #20 on: October 30, 2021, 15:12:29 PM »
Adjustable zipper foot - one of those gizmos you didn't know was missing from your life until you got one!  I find it invaluable for lots of jobs where you want the needle to drop very close to the edge of something else and where the normal presser foot would either stop you seeing what's going on or prohibit the exercise entirely.

I have a 40-year old Calvin Klein coat pattern that is part-lined and part-bound inside with self-made bias binding.  I've used that binding pattern piece whenever I've needed matching binding.  The pattern piece looks a bit like this diagram (knocked up in Power Point, so not to scale!). 

The idea is that, having decided on the width of the binding that you want (circumference of piping cord + two seam allowances, one for either edge of binding) and the length of binding you will need, you get a sheet of paper (strip of wallpaper or lining paper is fine if you don't have dressmaker's pattern paper) and draw a series parallel lines equally distanced from one another by the desired binding width.  If you want a long binding fewer joins and you have fabric wide enough, you can make the parallelogram wider.  If you don't, you can make it taller.

Now you draw two lines at exactly 45 degrees from top to bottom as shown.  Then you put a matching-notch at the end of one row and at the other end of the row above.  Add a straight of grain arrow also at 45 degrees.  Now place this on your chosen fabric, cut it out and mark the rows with chalk, pins, whatever.  Match the two diagonal edges at the matching-notches, pin and stitch.  You will have a tube that's offset slightly.  Cut along your marked lines and you'll get a long strip of binding. 


Esme866

Re: How is cushion piping made?
« Reply #21 on: October 31, 2021, 03:59:24 AM »
@HenriettaMaria That's the way I make bias tape, thanks for posting. Only I never make a pattern, I just mark the fabric and since I'm usually going to grade the seam allowances anyway, I'll use whatever is handy for marking, ink pen, pencil, fine tip permanent marker, whatever. It all gets trimmed off anyway.

Renegade Sewist

Re: How is cushion piping made?
« Reply #22 on: October 31, 2021, 04:11:22 AM »
I know some people love the method that HenriettaMaria outlined above and find it quick for them. That baffles me. I have repetitive stress issues in my hands and find all that scissors work tedious and freaking slow. I also start wobbling in my cutting because I just don't like the method.

I greatly prefer using a long quilting ruler and rotary cutter. Seaming the strips together is easy peasy quick. I'm done in less time than it takes to mark the fabric for the tube method. Point is experiment and find what methods suit you.
« Last Edit: October 31, 2021, 06:36:19 AM by Renegade Sewist »
Hey Bill! Read the manual!  Hehehe.

Esme866

Re: How is cushion piping made?
« Reply #23 on: October 31, 2021, 04:52:03 AM »
@Renegade Sewist I prefer a rotary cutter for bias binding from silk or anything slippery, but I wouldn't want to have to cut upholstery fabric that way. Many of the gizmos invented to help with carpal tunnel, or those that others find helpful actually aggravate my carpal tunnel. I'm stuck with "not so bad" arthritis 24/7, but rotary cutters "wake up" my carpal tunnel. Rotary cutters and those irritating  vegetable peelers that run perpendicular to the handle - designed when carpal tunnel issues were "trending". Those are the worst!

Renegade Sewist

Re: How is cushion piping made?
« Reply #24 on: October 31, 2021, 06:44:58 AM »
I hear you @Esme866 . I found a rotary cutter that has better ergonomics than most. It really helps. Plus I learned how to correctly use it and that greatly reduces the stress. Most people never read the info that comes with their cutter on how to hold it. I'm sure you've also read them.

That 24/7 arthritis. I'm old friends with it. My main problem with all of it occurs at the base of my thumbs, the part that gets a work out from any type of scissors or shears. Spring loaded scissors help a bit but not enough.

We all just need to experiment with different methods of how to do anything to find which ones work best for us.
Hey Bill! Read the manual!  Hehehe.

Lilian

Re: How is cushion piping made?
« Reply #25 on: October 31, 2021, 21:18:38 PM »
@Renegade Sewist I prefer a rotary cutter for bias binding from silk or anything slippery, but I wouldn't want to have to cut upholstery fabric that way. Many of the gizmos invented to help with carpal tunnel, or those that others find helpful actually aggravate my carpal tunnel. I'm stuck with "not so bad" arthritis 24/7, but rotary cutters "wake up" my carpal tunnel. Rotary cutters and those irritating  vegetable peelers that run perpendicular to the handle - designed when carpal tunnel issues were "trending". Those are the worst!

Have you not been referred to have a Carpal Tunnel Release operation?  I have had three all in all, it's a long recovery and uncomfortable but two of them worked for me.  :)
Willing but not always able :)

Esme866

Re: How is cushion piping made?
« Reply #26 on: November 01, 2021, 00:55:21 AM »
@Lilian Actually I'm trying to avoid that surgery. My carpal tunnel almost NEVER bothers me except when I use those screwy veg peelers or overuse a rotary cutter and a few other things. I probably only cause it to flare a bit 1 or twice a year.

I basically go with the, "Doc. It hurts when I do this." And Doc says, "Well don't do that!" prescription.

I graduated from uni with my degree in interior design just as all commercial furniture companies were designing furniture meant to avoid development of carpal tunnel - and I sat thru numerous training sessions on the subject. Usually when everyone jumps on the same bandwagon the talk is a bunch of hooey. So of course my first job requiring a computer sat me at a desk at standard height - typing. Only took two months to develop the problem as I didn't realize when I sit, I'm extra short - even though I'm 5'6". Once carpal tunnel starts, if you can avoid that activity or figure out a work around, it usually won't get worse and it will ease up.

I hope your third surgery worked well. A friend of my brother's had to retire 15 years early because of it - after numerous surgeries.

I have a very low threshold for pain, so I make allowances quickly!

Renegade Sewist

Re: How is cushion piping made?
« Reply #27 on: November 01, 2021, 04:46:50 AM »
@Lilian and @Esme866 the surgeon told me that ⅓ of the time it makes it better, ⅓of the time it stays the same and, you guessed it, ⅓ of the time you get worse with more problems. As Lilian said she's had 3 surgeries but unless she's extra special only two wrists.

I manage mine by not over doing certain activities.
Hey Bill! Read the manual!  Hehehe.