Very simply, piping is cording that is wrapped with fabric to create a 3 dimensional embellishment on your quilt.Quilters generally use cording that is fairly small in diameter so it doesn't increase the bulk of the quilt in the corners.
The process is done in two steps. The first step is to make the piping. To do that, you simply place your cording in the middle of a strip of fabric.
To make this part of the process easy, the fabric should be about 1 1/2 inches wide. Lay the cording in the center, and then fold the fabric over the cording.
Using a zipper foot on your machine makes sewing the cording inside the fabric easier. To secure the cording inside the fabric, machine stitch through both layers of fabric near the cording.
You should have about 1/2 inch of flat fabric extending beyond the cording which will be used to secure the piping in your seam allowance.
Happy Quilting!
Penny Halgren
www.HowToBindAQuilt.com - for answers to your binding questions and video demonstrations showing 6 different ways to bind a quilt
