17 July 2013

Pipe, pipe, piping

Do you know what piping means?
I'm not thinking about tubular rigid material, I'm thinking about fabric ones. You're reading a crafty blog after all and plumbing is not something I yet took a liking to.

Piping (uncountable noun) is bias stitched in a seam, usually with a cord inserted to give a more rigid apect. Piping can be seen on handbags, macs, cusions covers, sometimes bed spreads...
You can buy already-made piping, however you're limited with regards to texture, colour and width.

The idea was to make new covers for the futon. By the way, when I stopped into the futon shop, I was looking to gather information about how much would a new mattress cost. The sales person being a bit busy, I sat on a futon and waited. This was the catch - Do Not Seat On The Futon! Then you're hooked and you come out of the shop with not only the mattress (3-panel, no buldge under the knees), but the 2 rectangular cushions (short seat base, more comfortable) and the wooden base. 
Later on I dropped the idea to make my own mattress cover and went back to the shop and bought the damn thing. Life is too short, even for some sewing projects. 

The cover (mattress and cushions) is a light shade of mushroom. I had the foresight to plan something would happen to these cushions.

A trip to Ikea later, where I didn't intend to buy fabric and here was I with 3 lovely upholsterly pieces: a strippy, white and new age one.

The first step is to measure the actual cushion covers and make allowances (as I always cut things too short...). Then measure the quantity of piping. For these cushion covers, it was pretty easy: 4 times the main rectangle.

The fabric had a lovely drawing, and when the cushions are next two each other the full picture is revealled. 

Then it is all about making bias. This link gives a great explanation on continuous bias cutting and pictures means you don't neet to read French either!

More traditional look and a bit more colours in a rather monochrome living-room.

Piping gives a nice definition to corners and edges. Great for  separating two very different fabrics too.

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