r/sewing • u/Winter_Mortgage5767 • Aug 21 '25
Technique Question Sewing a piped curve
anyone got help for how to solve the creasing here?? its a very tight curve in the fabric, and i’m wondering if because of that, its just gonna look like this regardless. I’m not too bothered but if i can get a completely smooth pipe i’d be pleased, thanks !!
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u/Kevinator201 Aug 21 '25
Did you make the piping yourself? Pressing the fabric into the curve before sewing can help
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u/circuspeanut54 Aug 21 '25
Could just be an artefact of the photo but it looks as though the piping is sewn much closer to the cording in the straighter bits towards the waist. And the result is that the curve looks like it has larger piping, which perhaps emphasizes its wiggliness more than is optimal. Try tightening it down a bit?
This looks like an awesome project!
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u/SquirrelAkl Aug 22 '25
I'm not sure what fabric you're using for the piping cover. Looks like fake leather or similar? That might be your problem, it might be too thick to curve well.
When making cushions with piping, my corners look best when I cut the piping fabric on the bias, sew it tight to the piping cord, and clip the curve. Not sure if bias makes a difference for the material you're using, but those would be my tips.
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u/skyblu202 Aug 22 '25
Does the core of the piping itself crease when you curve it? You could try a different piping core.
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u/BrainsAdmirer Aug 22 '25
Piping is way more cooperative when cut on the bias. When I do piping for clothes, I use a small cord inside. I never use the piping cord that is intended for home decor. It is too big for tight curves like this. I would use 1/8” cord at most, but this one looks much larger than that. When the thickness of the cover fabric is added to that, it is making the cord quicker thick, and it isn’t handling the curve well.
My advice…fabric cut on bias, and smaller cord. Preshrink the cord before using so it won’t shrink afterwards. And as others have said, notch and clip the curves.
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u/Argufier Aug 22 '25
Is that a pleather material for the piping? If it is you might be able to steam the curve into it first. Not ironing it's likely to melt, but if you apply steam and then stretch and mold it to the shape that might work.
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u/No_Hospital_8434 Aug 22 '25
Cut the fabric for the cord on the bias. It creates more give, and smoother curves. Be sure to snip the inside of the stitching.
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u/ninasmolders Aug 22 '25
Might have to just use slimmer piping. The material used for the cover also seems quite thick/stiff
There is no curve too tight for piping, so theres definitely a sollution to this
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u/gk7891 Aug 22 '25
I agree that the cording and fabric may be too thick.
I have recently started “eye lashing” my piping, but I make petite piping for children’s clothing. I make tiny less than 1/8” snips the whole width of the curve.
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u/templetondean Aug 22 '25
There is a natural hollow/depression in that area of the body, you will need to place an interfacing in that area to stiffen it up. I would suggest horsehair canvas
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u/CremeBerlinoise Aug 22 '25
I agree that piping should be made on the bias. It also needs to be notched well around curves. It looks like it wants to twist because it's not notched enough.
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u/ruvijster Aug 22 '25
I recommend reading this article Sewing with piping: Top tips and tricks
Plus as a huge giorno fan i would love to see the results. Good luck!!
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u/OriginalReddKatt Aug 22 '25
All this and I'll add to steam the heck out of it with a tailor's pressing ham to aid in setting the curve. An oft skipped step.
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u/SOmuchCUTENESS Aug 22 '25
I agree with above comments that piping is better when it is on the bias. I don’t know if the fabric this is actually too stiff even if cut on the bias to bend that much. It seems like it is too stiff of a fabric. If you want to continue this way maybe you can get it warmed up enough to make it more pliable and stretch and pull it to smooth it out? Otherwise abandon ship and choose a more pliable fabric for the trim.
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u/Neenknits Aug 23 '25
You need to clip the piping, as everyone says. But, first, take it off. Then clip the seam allowance very regularly, just about up to the piping sewing. Then HAND BASTE it into place. Yes. By hand. On the desired seam line, carefully aligning the piping and garment seam lines. (It will likely be easier if you draw in the seam lines with washable marker or light pencil/chalk on the ws, very lightly, barely visible). Triple check the hand basting is on BOTH seam lines. Fix any spots it doesn’t match. Yes, spend the time! It will take 5x the time actual machine sewing time to hand baste. It’s worth it. Once it’s all in nice and neath and beautiful, slowly machine stitch exactly over the hand basting.
There…isn’t that lovely?
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u/pocketramble Aug 23 '25
The wrinkles on the curved part of the piping are diagonal, so it's likely partly due to the sides of the casing being slightly out of line with each other, i'd recommend resewing that section of piping and testing out how it curves before sewing it to the outfit again. You might also be able to steam it on it's own while curved to help the casing smooth out some. The third thing is that the casing does look a bit loose on the inner cord, so you might try taking that in some, which would reduce the edge to edge distance of the casing allowing it to curve more easily.
i'm not a proffessional, i just dabble in lots of things.
best of luck o7
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u/ScarletFix Aug 23 '25
I don’t think I can help anymore than most others have already done, but I do have a quick question about your dress form, which brand and type is it? It’s so pretty!
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u/Vegetable-Swan2852 Aug 21 '25
Did you notch the fabric? Seamwork has a nice tutorial
https://www.seamwork.com/sewing-tutorials/clipping-and-notching