How-to Make Your Own Piping Video Tutorial

Follow this video tutorial to make your own custom piping to match any sewing project. Piping is a crisp, classic way to add structure and define the edges of a handmade bag. The Wholecloth Patterns Fairmount Bag uses piping to define the bottom curve of view A, that might otherwise be easily crushed out of shape. It's also used on the Logan Bag to strengthen the circular bottom seam, and help hold its bucket shape. You could buy piping, but it's easy to make and gives you complete control over the look and quality of your finished bag. 

Tools for Making Piping

The only semi-specialty tool you need to make piping is the zipper foot for your sewing machine. The zipper foot allows you to sew right up against the edge of the piping cord when you're sewing the piping and when assembling your bag. The foot I use in the video is the Bernina #4. You'll want to find the foot that works with your sewing machine.  A zipper foot is essential for sewing bags, and is included with most sewing machines. 

In addition to the zipper foot you'll need a few very basic sewing tools. We'll use scissors, a marking tool, and a ruler. 

Supplies for Making Piping

Piping is basically a string wrapped in fabric. From light weight cotton lawn to upholstery fabric, any woven fabric can be used to make piping. Keep in mind that heavy fabrics will work best with thicker piping cord, and lighter fabrics will give the best coverage to thinner piping cords. In the video I'm demonstrating with light weight denim from Joann. I've also made bags piped with corduroy, or canvas. 

Of course, the filler in piping isn't actually string (although I've used yarn in a pinch). For the most predictable results use the specialty product called piping cord. My favorite is a cotton filler cord surrounded by polyester braid. The cotton is sturdy but easy to work with, and the surrounding braid allows the cord to move smoothly inside the finished fabric cover. The piping cord in the tutorial is from Great Lakes Cordage on Amazon. You can buy small quantities of many sizes of cord, and variety packs of multiple sizes. This variety pack has all 3 sizes discussed in the tutorial. It's a great way to experiment with the scale of your piping to the fabric and project. Once you try piping cord you'll never improvise with yarn or string again. 

DIY Piping is used on the Wholecloth Patterns 

Fairmount Bag & Logan Bag 

sewing patterns. 

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How-to Add a Lining to the Wholecloth Project Bag

Today we're going to hack the Wholecloth Project Bag sewing pattern by learning how-to add a lining to the bag. I love the simplicity of making a bento bag from a single piece for fabric, but it does take a little extra time to finish the hem, and seam allowances to perfection. Giving the Project Bag a full lining creates a fully reversible bag. It also makes finishing the bag even easier. If you're a new sewist, this is a great place to start with Wholecloth Patterns. 

The video tutorial of this pattern variation is a bonus track to the Wholecloth Project Bag sewalong. After learning how to sew a thoughtfully finished bag, we use the pattern as a base to mix up the finishing.

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Wholecloth Project Bag

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How-To Knit a Single Row Buttonhole Video

I am a pretty big fan of the single row buttonhole. It's the buttonhole technique used in my Simple Ribbed Pixie Bonnet knitting pattern. I have knit that pattern hundreds of times, ergo I have knit hundreds of single row buttonholes!

The beauty of the single row buttonhole is that the whole thing fits within a single row. This is a great technique to learn because it's strong and doesn't take much planning. I use it a lot when I'm improvising sweaters for dolls or little kids.

The technique has a lot of steps and can seem a little complicated to new knitters. I know I prefer a video when I'm learning a new knit stitch or technique so I made one to help you through the single row buttonhole.

TEXT INSTRUCTIONS
With right side facing, move yarn to front, slip a stitch, move yarn to back and leave it there. *Slip another stitch, pass first slipped stitch over second. * Repeat part between * two more times for a total of 3 cast off stitches. Slip last slipped stitch back onto left needle. Turn work. Move yarn to back and use the cable cast-on to cast on 4 stitches on the left needle.  Slip first stitch from right needle to left needle and pass last cast on stitch over it. Slip first stitch on left needle back to right needle. Turn work, move yarn to back, continue to work the row.

You can cast off more or less stitches depending on the size of your button. Always cast on one more stitch for the top of the buttonhole than you cast off for the bottom.

How-To Knit Twist Yarn Together : Making a Color Change Along a Vertical Line

Intarsia knitting is when you use multiple colors to create a shape with in a ground of a different color. It's often used when creating a picture on a knit, like the vintage Christmas stocking I knit for my family. The color change technique is also used in fair isle knitting patterns (also called stranded knitting), which is usually a small repeat of geometric shapes in different colors. While both the classic Intarsia shapes, and Fair Isle repeats are beautiful, it's not the only reason to switch between yarns. In my Shape Shifter Scarf pattern I use the blocks of color to define different shapes within the scarf. It's a simple pattern, and here is the technique to make the simple color change along the same row without leaving a hole in your fabric.

I've made a short video tutorial to help demonstrate the technique. Check out the video above, or the photo tutorial below!

I'm going to demonstrate on the wrong side of the work so you can see what is going on. I have already purled across the dark pink, which is the color we are stopping.

Before taking the first stitch of the light pink, which is the color we are starting, I'm going to twist the dark pink over the light pink.

 Then I make the first stitch.

As you can see, the first stitch of the light pink, has captured the working end of the dark pink, locking the two colors together. Now I can continue working the light pink, when I come back to the dark pink on the right side of the work, I do just the same thing.

A few tips:
- You can also use this technique when the color change slants to the right. When it slants to the left, there is no need to twist, just drop the yarn and go on with the next color.
- Always do the twisting on the wrong side of the work. If you are working a stitch pattern where the working yarn is on the right side of the work, move it to the back to execute the color change. As you can see in the last photo, the twist creates a vertical line of stitching, which may be unsightly on the right side of the work.
- Be sure to pull the first stitch of the new color firm. Loose stitches create a ladder effect along the color change.
-Twisting the yarn together causes the working yarn of the two colors to twist. Take a break every few rows, and untwist your working yarn.

This skill is used in the SweetKM pattern:

Shape Shifter Scarf

Knit Button Loop Video

You can easily add a buttonhole to any finished knit. This video describes how to attach a button loop along the edge of a garment using the buttonhole stitch. It's a great technique because the alignment and spacing can be determined after you are sure the garment fits.  These buttonholes can be added to the edges of any finished knit. 

I love to use this technique for baby sweaters like the Shawl Collar Baby Coat (pattern here), or as mitten loops on the Simple Ribbed Mittens (pattern here) so I can string the mittens through the coat sleeves.

Check out the SweetKM youtube channel for more knitting video tutorials.

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This skill can be used in these SweetKM patterns: