How to join piping properly and professinally

I have seen many blogs and even most sewing books that show a way of joining piping that i just dont agree with! I found this recently again with my Weekender Bag. the Amy Butler pattern suggests that you cross over the tails of your piping at the bottom. this creates more oppertunity for the design to go wrong many times throughout the constructing, and also creates extra bulk when sewing.

My way ensures that the join looks neat, professional, and also you will never have to sew over the cording and therefore when you are sewing two seams together you can just follow the cording with your zipper/piping foot all the way round!


HOW TO:

You will be able to make all these maneuvers and adjustments whilst the work is still underneath the machine. Keep your needle down and also your foot down. then when you have played about you can continue sewing to give a 'seamless' look (sorry)

when you start sewing your piping on, start in a discreet area and leave a tail of about 7cm. Sew all the way round and stop about 10cm before the place that you started. You will have your 7cm tail and also the tail that you have no attached to anything yet. cut that at about 7cm too.

Cut the first tail down to about 3cm. Then carefully unpick it down to where it is sewed onto the fabric. Now you will have a piece of bias tape with the cord seperate and sticking out. Cut the cord so that there is only 1cm sticking out. Keep the flap of bias tape longer.

Now do the same with the other tail, but carefully cut the cording so that it lays down and joins up to the other piece of cord. Now you know, when you sew along this line, these two peices of cord will touch, or nearly touch.

Now get the flaps and re-place them wrapped around the cording. do one first, and then the other. On the one that goes on top, wrap it round the other cording, but be sure to fold the raw edge in on itself. Hold it taught and continue sewing on the line you were sewing.  It will match up like this!!

this is the finished join. It is no more noticeable than a join between two pieces of bias tape. A perfect professional finish.

I understand i am not the best in the world at writing down what i mean - it might be easier if i do youtube tutorials!