Date: 10/6/09 3:37 PM

Hi all
I am making cushions for a client. she has provided the fabric and cording. The cording is stiff and thick
It has a flange like piping but is that twisted rayon stuff with 3 or 4 cords.
I have a feeling my machine wont like to sew over 2 layers of the stuff if I just lapped it and took it into the seam. So I probably need to join it somehow.
Anyone have any ideas on how to deal with this problem?
cheers
Jan

Reply to ricstew
Date: 10/6/09 8:42 PM

Jan,
Can you do something like below, where the thick piping is butt-joined, with the butt joint wrapped (covered) with a piece of the fashion fabric? Don't forget to fold in the raw edges of the fashion fabric wrap. Hope that helps, Lily


Here's the finished outside of the pillow, with the fabric wrapped butt joint:



Here's the sewn inside of the wrapped butt joint:

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Lily

Reply to lilyofthevalley
Date: 10/6/09 9:42 PM

oooh, that is SO beautiful!

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I finally have a blog!
You can visit it at

www.zigzagthesewingrag.blogspot.com

Date: 10/6/09 11:30 PM

I have been working for a custom sewing workroom for the past 3 1/2 years. Here is how we join cording/twist cord so it looks continuous. Check out my tutorial for some pictures.

Sew the cord to the cushion and leave about 2" free on each end (each loose end should overlap the other).
Cut the threads that are holding the twill flange to the cording on those two ends. Now you cording can be unwound, about 1" on each end.
One side of your cording will unwind and lay flat against the fabric, this will be the bottom layer. Try not to unwind too much and arrange the ends downward into the seam at a 45 degree angle.
Lay the other end over the bottom layer and unwind one cord at a time until the two layers "lock" together. The loose ends of the top layer should also be angled down into the seam at a 45 degree angle, this mimics the look of a continuous twist cord when the seam is sewn. You can now sew over the two layers, I usually do all these steps with the fabric already under my presser foot a couple inches before the join so I don't have to move it once I have the ends in place. It's also advisable to serge over the raw edges after you have sewn the seam to keep the cording from ravelling.

Good luck!

Reply to ricstew
Date: 10/6/09 11:35 PM

Oh, I forgot to add that if your cording is the multi-color kind you should try to match the pattern if you can. I can usually fudge one or two more cords into the open space to make the match, that way it's truly seamless looking, but don't stress yourself out if it doesn't work. With cording, less handling is better than more, it really degrades if you keep redoing the join. I feel your pain with the chunky thick cording No FUN!

Reply to Selina
Date: 10/7/09 3:17 AM

Perfect Selina! I will give this a go!
but first tell me how you get the needle up to the edge of the cord!............
My needle wont shift over far enough!!! I have a zipper foot on the machine but there is no way it is close enough! The foot just pushes it out of the way!
urghhhhh
cheers
Jan

Reply to lilyofthevalley
Date: 10/7/09 3:19 AM

Wow Lily! That is lovely! I have done this on garments but it would never have occured to me to try this on a cushion!
This will be plan B if I ever get over the needle problem
cheers
Jan

Reply to ricstew
Date: 10/7/09 9:39 AM

If you work with piping or cording often I HIGHLY recommend investing in a welt foot for your machine. It's well worth the money to save you time, and your sanity! Other than that you can try an adjustable zipper foot (one that has the foot on a slider bar, you can move it left and right of the needle and try to get as close to the cording as possible).

Reply to Selina
Date: 10/7/09 2:25 PM

Quote: Selina

the money to save you time, and your sanity! Other than that you can try an adjustable zipper foot (one that has the foot on a slider bar, you can move it left and right of the needle and try to get as close to the cording as possible).

That is what I used when it was just me & my Kenmore (no industrial machine, yet then.) I bought the one from Sears online for the concealed zipper. It worked much better than the zipper foot included with my machine! Nothing's better than an industrial welting/zipper foot, IMO. My cushions look way better these days.

Date: 10/7/09 3:51 PM

phooooey........I have a small welt/piping foot but this cord will not fit under it, I will have to see what else I can get locally NOW or hand whip the cord on
phoooooey :(
cheers
Jan

edited to add
double phoohey! I bought a narrow zipper foot and an attatchment thingo to fit my machine ( that cost almost as much as a small car!)......and I still cant get close enough to the cord.........its about 1/8 " too far away
Looks terrible so will contact my lady and see what she wants to do!
-- Edited on 10/8/09 2:44 AM --