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Detail Inspiration: Piping

Piping adds all kinds of interest to a garment. It can be made out of any fabric you like! From these inspiration photos you can see that piping not only adds a pop of color, it also shows the contours of a pattern’s design lines.

For your project, you don’t have to use a bright or contrasting color, you can use the same color as your garment for a more subtle touch.

How have you used piping in your creative sewing projects? If you haven’t used piping before, maybe now’s the time to consider giving it a go! Rachel has written an excellent tutorial showing how to add flat piping to one of our patterns. Check back for details this week!

Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Caitlin Clark

Caitlin is the Colette Patterns design assistant. You can follow Caitlin at her blog, the story girl.

Comments

Kerry

July 6, 2011 #

Such lovely images! Your inspiration posts are great. Looking forward to the tutorial too.
I used piping for the first time on the sweetheart neckline of my Crepe – a tricky first piping project but I was delighted with the professional finish it gave. I’ve also used piping on a cord Beignet skirt I made, putting it on the edge of the skirt beside the buttonholes and using the same fabric for covered buttons.

Caitlin

July 6, 2011 #

Thank you, Kerry! Your projects sound great, I bet the piping along the neckline really looked good. :)

liza jane

July 6, 2011 #

I love piping. It often adds a little special something to a project. I put piping in the princess seams of the beignet I made this spring.

Caitlin

July 6, 2011 #

liza jane, such a great idea to put piping in the Beignet! It really lends itself to piping details, doesn’t it?

Judith

July 6, 2011 #

Wow. Where can I find a pattern for the second dress with red pipping. Beautifull!

Caitlin

July 6, 2011 #

Judith, I’m not sure where you can find that pattern, but do try looking on such sites as etsy or ebay. I think there are also some sites that only sell vintage patterns. Good luck!

Haidi

July 6, 2011 #

This is a Dig for Victory dress.
http://www.folksy.com/items/1930221-White-and-Blue-Pinstripe-Linen-Sailor-Wiggle-Dress

Good luck with finding a similar pattern – I would like it too!

Caitlin

July 6, 2011 #

Oops! I misread your comment, thinking you meant the vintage pattern.

Lavender

July 8, 2011 #

Thanks for the info! No way I’m buying that, but I’d love to make something similar :)

Lizz

July 6, 2011 #

I love piping, too! I’ve been planning on adding piping to the neck and armhole binding of the Sorbetto. Perhaps that should be my next project – thanks for the push!

Teri

July 6, 2011 #

Thank you for posting about piping. I was just thinking that I need to try something beyond my basics and the piping is so striking! I am looking forward to the tutorial on it!

Molly

June 7, 2012 #

The piping adds so much to these garments–I had been thinking about this in some of my own creations lately too–it’s like you read my mind!

Accessory Boutiques

October 23, 2012 #

Very Creative! I want to learn how to make a fabulous dress like this. I love this!

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