How to Add Clean Piping Along the Curved Edge of a Costume Shawl
To add piping neatly to a costume shawl, use bias-cut fabric around a slim cord, attach it to the shawl edge with the cord just outside the seamline, then turn or face the edge to enclose the raw allowances. The key is to test the trim on the shawl’s fabric, ease it around the curve without stretching the edge, and finish the piping ends where they will be least visible.
Choose piping that suits the shawl
Piping is a narrow fabric-covered cord. For a curved shawl edge, make it with bias-cut fabric: bias strips can bend around curves more readily than strips cut on the straight grain. Choose self-fabric for a quiet outline or a contrasting fabric for a distinct border. A slim cord usually suits a lightweight shawl better than thick upholstery cord, which can make the edge stiff and bulky. The American Sewing Guild’s piping guide specifies bias for piping used on curved areas and straight grain for straight edges.
Check the shawl’s construction before cutting. If it is lined or has a facing, the piping can be enclosed between the outer fabric and that layer. If the edge will remain unfaced, plan to turn the seam allowances under and topstitch them, or use another suitable edge finish. Follow the pattern’s seam allowance where one is specified; do not assume it matches the allowance on ready-made piping.
Prepare and test the trim
Measure the edge where the piping will go, adding extra length for joins and handling. For homemade piping, measure around the cord and add two seam allowances to determine the strip width; the precise width depends on the cord and the seam allowance you intend to sew. If joining bias strips, sew the joins diagonally to reduce a bulky crosswise ridge. Fold the strip lengthwise, wrong sides together, around the cord, then stitch close to—but not so tightly that the cord is trapped—using a zipper or piping foot. These construction steps follow the American Sewing Guild guide.
Before applying it to the shawl, test a short length on fabric scraps in the same layers as the finished edge. Check the piping’s visible width, whether the fabric puckers, and whether the final seam can stitch close enough to the cord. Adjust the foot position or stitch line on the sample. The sample also reveals whether the cord is too heavy or the shawl fabric too slippery to handle comfortably.
Mark the seamline and pin the curve
Lay the shawl flat and mark the intended seamline if the edge is difficult to follow. Place the piping on the right side of the shawl with raw edges aligned. The cord should sit just beyond the seamline so it remains visible after stitching; the piping’s first stitching line should land on or just inside the shawl’s seamline. A zipper foot lets the needle sew close to the cord. Costuming-focused guidance from Historical Sewing also recommends keeping the cord just outside the garment seamline.
Pin or hand-baste in short sections, matching the edge and easing the bias rather than pulling it taut. Let the shawl lie naturally on the work surface. If the shawl edge is convex (curving outward), small clips in the piping’s seam allowance can help it spread around the curve; stop well short of the stitch line. Avoid cutting through the stitching or into the visible cord casing. Sew slowly, removing pins before they reach the needle.
Stitch the piping without shifting it
Machine-baste the piping to the shawl first, following the piping’s existing stitch line or a line immediately beside it. Basting makes it easier to spot a section that has slipped before the final seam encloses it. If the basting wanders away from the cord, unpick and correct that section rather than relying on the next layer to hide the gap.
For a lined or faced edge, place the facing or lining right sides together with the shawl, sandwiching the piping between the layers. Stitch the edge close to the cord, slightly inside the first attachment line if needed to keep the cord out of the seam. Turn the layers right side out and check that the piping shows evenly. The American Sewing Guild’s guide describes stitching the adjacent layer just inside the line used to attach the piping.
For an unfaced edge, finish the exposed seam allowances against fraying, turn them to the wrong side, and topstitch close to the piping to hold the edge in place. The appropriate finish depends on the fabric and the shawl’s design; test pressing on a scrap first, especially with fabrics that mark or flatten easily.
Handle the end and reduce bulk
If the piping begins and ends along one continuous edge, choose a discreet place—such as near a shoulder or under a collar—rather than a prominent front point. Where possible, arrange the ends to meet at a seam or another natural break. Trim the cord ends so they do not stack into a hard lump, while leaving enough fabric casing to cover the join. The American Sewing Guild guide describes folded-cover and overlapped-casing options for piping ends; choose a method that lies flat in your shawl’s fabric.
After stitching, grade the enclosed allowances by trimming them to staggered widths, leaving the layer nearest the outside longest. Grading reduces the ridge created when several allowances end at the same point. At an outward curve, notch small wedges from the allowance so it can lie flat after turning; at an inward curve, make short clips so the fabric can spread. Keep cuts safely away from the seam. Simplicity’s seam-finishing guidance distinguishes clipping inner curves from notching outer curves.
Check the finished edge
Turn the shawl right side out and inspect the piping from a short distance, then examine the inside. Look for an even cord reveal, skipped stitches, puckers, exposed raw edges, and thick spots at joins. Gently shape the curve with your hands and press only as appropriate for the fabric, using a pressing cloth or scrap test if heat may alter its surface. If a ripple appears, identify whether it comes from stretched shawl fabric, excess piping, or a seam that wandered; unpick and correct the affected section before pressing. A clean edge comes from a consistent seamline and allowances that can turn smoothly, not from forcing the fabric flat.