Machine wrapped cording is a simple technique with a variety of applications, and you can apply many additional options to make the cording unique and interesting.
Supply List
- Sewing machine
- Machine Feet
You can use a standard sewing machine foot, however a foot with a “tunnel” underneath, such as a beading foot or cording foot is ideal. - Base Cording
Anything that is flexible and thin enough to fit under the foot of your sewing machine will work for this type of cording.- yarn – a great way to use up old, ugly yarn
- strips of fabric – a great way to use up that “what was I thinking” fabric
- string
- embroidery thread
- piping
- Thread
You will need a variety of threads in cotton, rayon, polyester and metallic. This is a great technique for using up any old thread that you have lying around.
Instructions
Use the same thread in the bobbin as on the top.
Cut your base cording to the desired length. Three strands of 8ply yarn will produce approx 1/8” diameter cording.
Set your machine for zigzag stitch wide enough for the needle to swing entirely over the yarn on either side. Length should be about 1.5 – 2.0.
Allow about 2-3 inches of cording to extend out the back of your machine, and holding the tail of the cord with your left hand and twisting the front section with your right hand, guide the cording under the foot. You may need to pull slightly in order for it to feed through smoothly. Zigzag along the length of cording.
Shorten the length of your stitch to about .5, or shorter if you are using fine thread, and holding the cording in the same manner as previous, satin stitch the length of the cording.
Using the same stitch length, change your top thread and bobbin thread, and satin stitch the length of the cording.
Lengthen your stitch to 1.5 – 2.0, change to a metallic thread in the top and bobbin and zigzag the length of the cording.
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Great tut! I will be using this one very soon. Thank you!!
Pingback: Embellishing with Machine Wrapped Cording | Linda Matthews: Textile Artist - Digital Mixed Media
Thank you Linda for the wonderful lessons, step by step, you’re the man with golden heart !!!!!!!!!
Okay! Now that I’ve made machine wrapped cording how do I attach it to my quilt?
Any way you like! By machine or hand is the most common way.
Oh yea! This looks easy! Thank you so much for the tutorial! I am off to twist some really ugly yarn to make something absolutely yummy!
(hey)Jude
I made these cords and my friend liked so much she asked me to put them into her dreads what do you think :O)
but I don’t know how to get the pic to you? :O)
That sounds like fun Pauline. You can upload photos over on my other website at Creative Textile Arts. I check in there daily.
http://www.linda-matthews.com/
Hi, love all your tutorials, I have learned so much. I would like to know where I can see the
Slow Work Manifesto”, it says it is offered to new subscribers, but since I already do, is it posted somewhere ? Thanks, Gaile
Hi Gaile, the only way you can get the Slow Work Manifesto is when you sign up for the newsletter. You can unsubscribe from the current newsletter and then resubscribe.
I’m loving your web pages. Machine wrapped cords are great! I made three today and love the process as well as the result.
I now have them hanging around my neck! Keep up your work. It is inspiring.
Best Wishes,
Joan.
Brilliant. i love making my own cords too. I keep all my cottons etc and they go down the middle. I especially like using materials with loose weave as they add exyta dimension to the finished product(my way). But I always wondered how they were really made and its the satin stitch that I was missing out on that gave it the depth I wanted. so thanks for the tutorial.
I would like to make some cording that shows the “lashes” on eyelash wool. Do you have any ideas please? Thank you for wonderful lesson on cording. Chris
The only way to do it by machine is to sew with a longer length stitch and then manually pull out the outlashes.