How to make piping for your cushions

STEP 1 Working on bias, cut enough 5cm-wide strips of fabric for your project, adding 3cm extra to each length to overlap ends. STEP 2

Overlap strip ends at right angles (see diagram, right).

STEP 3

Stitch across corner and trim excess fabric (see diagram, right). Press open seam.

STEP 4

Fold 1cm of 1 end of strip to wrong side; press. Lay a 2.5cm-wide strip of Vliesofix along half of length, starting 2cm in from pressed end.

STEP 5

Lay a length of piping cord on top of Vliesofix strip, beginning 2cm in from pressed end, and fold raw sides of fabric strip together to enclose piping.

STEP 6

Using an iron, press to fuse edges together. Trim allowance to 1cm and pin length of piping to wrong side of cushion front, raw edges aligned.

STEP 7 Insert piping end into overlap. STEP 8

Using zipper foot, stitch piping to cushion front, sewing alongside piping cord. Clip raw edge of piping at regular intervals to ease it around corners (see diagram, above).

STEP 9

With right sides facing, use a 1cm seam allowance to stitch cushion front to cushion back, leaving an opening for turning through. Clip corners and turn through. Place cushion insert and slip-stitch opening closed.

Pin piping to cushion front. Clip into corners

Stitch across corner and trim

Overlap ends at right angles