Many of you will say “what the heck is a piping foot?” — for a couple of reasons. Number one, piping is not commonly used anymore. Number two, if people do use it, they usually just go buy some piping ( comes in a package like bias tape does). I use it quite a bit on heirloom quality doll dresses— but the commercially made  is too heavy and thick for most doll dresses, so I make my own. See a sample of piping on a dress here.  

Piping, if you are not familiar with it, is bias fabric folded over, ( similar to bias tape) encasing a cord or string. The size of the cord/string determines how heavy, light or delicate the piping is. I have a ball of plain white  cotton string that is just the right thickness for doll dress piping that I have used for years. You also have to use a lightweight fabric to cut your bias strips to avoid making it too bulky.

I usually use the piping on the waist line although it also makes a nice finish on the neck on a dress with a lined bodice as in the Cissy dress pictured here.I have usedpiping the same way to finish the bottom edges of straight sleeves. It can be a very effective and charming embellishment on your doll dresses.

In a later post I will have a video demonstrating this foot,  but in the picture above you can get an idea.

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