How To Sew Cording Without Lip
Alright, my crafty comrades and DIY dreamers! Have you ever looked at a beautifully finished pillow, a dapper-looking jacket, or maybe even a swanky pair of curtains and thought, "Wow, that little extra 'oomph' around the edges is just chef's kiss!" That, my friends, is often the magic of cording. And today, we’re diving headfirst into the wonderful world of adding that fancy-pants trim without all the fuss of… well, the ‘lip’ part. Think of it as getting all the sophisticated sizzle without the side order of unnecessary steps. It’s like ordering a magnificent steak and getting it perfectly cooked, without having to grill it yourself for three hours!
Now, I know what you might be thinking. "Cording? Sounds complicated! That's for the folks who have sewing machines that hum like a tiny jazz band and patterns that look like ancient hieroglyphics." But guess what? You, yes YOU, can absolutely master this! We’re talking about making your projects sing with a touch of professional polish. Imagine your handmade tote bag looking like it stepped right off a designer runway, or your favorite throw pillow finally achieving peak fluffiness and style. It’s all within your reach, and we’re going to tackle it with the grace of a seasoned seamstress and the enthusiasm of a puppy discovering a squeaky toy.
Seriously, this technique is like finding a secret cheat code in your favorite video game. You get the awesome results without needing to spend ages figuring out the tricky bits.
So, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. Imagine you’ve got a lovely piece of fabric – maybe it’s going to be the star of your next cushion cover, or perhaps a chic border for a handmade skirt. You’ve also got your trusty cording. This is essentially a string covered in fabric, giving it a nice, rounded shape. You can buy it pre-made in all sorts of glorious colors and textures, or if you’re feeling extra adventurous, you can even make your own! But for today, let’s assume you’ve got some fabulous pre-made cording ready to work its magic.
Now, here’s where the magic happens. Instead of wrestling with trying to attach a bulky ‘lip’ of fabric that’s supposed to somehow create a clean edge, we’re going to simplify things. Think of it as a culinary shortcut. Instead of making a complex sauce from scratch, you’re using a really good quality store-bought stock that’s almost as good, if not better, and saves you a ton of time. We’re just going to let our beautiful cording be the star of the show, peeking out just so.
What you’re going to do is take your main fabric piece. This is the canvas for your masterpiece. Then, you’re going to place your cording right along the edge where you want that lovely decorative line to be. Imagine drawing a perfectly straight line with a ruler – that’s the kind of precision we’re aiming for, but with fabric and thread! You’ll want to make sure the little fabric tail of the cording is pointing towards the inside of your project. Think of it as the cording giving a polite little wave to the rest of your fabric, saying, "Hello there, I'm here to make you look amazing!"
Now, here’s the crucial part. You’re going to take another piece of fabric – this will be the piece that gets sewn to the first one, enclosing your cording. Lay this second fabric piece right-side down, on top of your first piece, with the cording sandwiched snugly in between. It’s like a fabric sandwich with a special surprise filling! Make sure the raw edges of both pieces of fabric and the raw edge of the cording are all lined up perfectly. This alignment is key, folks. It's like getting all your ingredients prepped before you start cooking; it makes everything else a breeze.
Then, with your sewing machine (or even a needle and thread if you’re feeling wonderfully traditional and have the patience of a saint!), you're going to sew along the edge, very, very close to that cording. We’re talking about a stitch that hugs the cording almost like a best friend. You want to be stitching through all three layers: the bottom fabric, the cording’s little tail, and the top fabric. This is where the cording gets securely anchored. It’s not just sitting there looking pretty; it’s becoming a fundamental part of your project’s structure and design. And because we’re sewing right next to the cording, we’re skipping that whole ‘lip’ situation. We’re letting the cording do the heavy lifting for that lovely, raised effect.
Once you’ve sewn that seam, and you’ve gone all the way around your project, you’ll flip everything right-side out. And behold! That beautiful cording will be proudly sitting on your edge, looking absolutely divine. It’ll be perfectly positioned, giving your project that professional, finished look you’ve been dreaming of. It’s like the grand reveal after a spectacular makeover. Your plain fabric has transformed into something truly special, all thanks to this simple, clever technique. You’ll be so chuffed with yourself, you might just start sewing cording onto everything. Your socks? Your tea towels? Why not!
This method is fantastic because it’s incredibly forgiving. Even if your stitching isn’t perfectly straight (we’ve all been there!), the cording tends to mask minor wobbles like a seasoned diplomat smoothing over a slight misstep. It’s the ultimate confidence booster for anyone looking to elevate their sewing game. So, ditch the fear, grab your fabric and your fabulous cording, and let’s get sewing! You've got this, and your projects are about to get a serious style upgrade!