October's Lesson: Covered Cording

This month we will be giving you instructions to cover cording in a number of ways. Included in the kit are different widths of cording, threads, yarns, beads, and ribbons with which to cover them. Many of the examples we describe can be used with any of the cording, so mix and match to suit your style!

Cording can be covered with thread. Try zigzagging over the narrower cords using your machine and different types of thread. You may have to reduce the pressure on your machine's pressure foot, use a cording foot, or use your darning foot in order to cover the cord. Experiement with verigated thread or mix your top and bobbin threads.



Tear strips of fabric, twist and cover with machine zigzags.



Cords can be covered by tying a half-hitch knot over them. Use embroidery floss or yarn.

Cords can be wrapped with ribbon or fabric. Hold the wraps in place by either machine zigzagging or by hand.

Use the ribbon to weave two yarns together.

Treat the cord as trapunto to create lines in your fabric.

The cord can also be covered with beads. Arrange the cording on the surface of your piece and baste in place. It will probably be placed onto a finished quilt as an embellishment and in that case, you would want to use a hoop that was large enough to contain the entire beaded cord. For practice, use the fusible web and pellon that is included in the kit and fuse them to the fabric for a stablized surface.

Bring up your double threaded needle next to the cording. String on the number of beads it will take to cover the cord from one side to the other. Come down on the opposite side, pull snuggly and come again next to the first stitch.

You will come back to finish this end, starting next to the last row of beading. When you get to the end, finish off by gradually decreasing the number of beads you put onto the needle.

Use several cords together to tie around a journal cover. Or use the cords to add texture and dimension to the finished piece. Or incorporate the cords as design elements. Try the different widths of cords in as many ways as you can imagine until you find a favorite.