What is the edging on upholstery called?

Author: Kirsten Wilkinson  |  Last update: Thursday, May 14, 2026

Welting: A cord enclosed by the fabric used to outline the seams of upholstery fabric on furniture is called welting. In Upholstery Glossary Welting is done to outline the edges and define the silhouette of the upholstery.

What is upholstery trim called?

Cord: Cording, also known as piping or welting, is commonly used to create a seam that stands out against furniture upholstery or throw pillows. A strip of folded fabric is inserted into the middle of a seam and sewn inside the fabric to define the edges of a textile.

What is the edge of the couch called?

The arms define the ends of a sofa and play a critical role in the overall look and function of the piece.

What is the edging around cushions called?

Piping is essentially a length of cord covered with a strip of fabric. The piping is inserted into a seam to strengthen the sewing line and provide a smart tailored edging. Piping is used for a variety of soft furnishing projects including cushions, tie-backs and loose covers.

What is the edge of upholstery called?

Selvage in Upholstery Glossary is the seam edge of a fabric that is tightly woven. It is the self-finished edge of the fabric. This selvage edge has inbuilt finishing to prevent the fabric edge from distortion or fraying and protect the threads in the fabric.

Upholstery Tack Strip Demo - How to Use

What is welting?

Welting, also called piping, is a fabric-covered trim commonly used on upholstered furniture. It outlines the fabric seams along the edges of furniture, highlighting the contours of the piece.

What is another word for fabric edge?

Most books on fabric define a selvage as the edge of a woven cloth.

What do we call the finish lengthwise edge of the fabric?

Selvages- Two, finished, lengthwise edges on fabric; usually stiffer that the rest of the fabric. Avoid placing pattern pieces over the selvage when laying out the pattern. Lengthwise grain- grain that runs in the same direction as the selvage; usually the strongest and sturdiest direction of the fabric.

What is the term for cutting decorative edging on the hems of the garments during the Middle Ages?

dagging. An extremely popular decorative edging technique created by cutting that reached its height during the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

What is edge roll in upholstery?

An edge roll creates the firm base to support a seat, the top edge of a seat back, or a firm sofa arm. It's quite a particular feel, since it is strong enough to retain a shape once sat on, but not so hard to be uncomfortable. Just firm, horsehair does this perfectly whilst being able to withstand years of use.

What do you put on the sides of a couch?

Adding a tall plant to the side of your sofa balances and frames the space. 'Opt for a vibrant all-green plant as it soothes the eye and provides a modern yet balanced look,' says Vanessa.

What are the four different kinds of cushion styles?

The four types are throw cushions, bolster, lumbar and box.

What is a fabric trim?

Fabric trim, or trimming, is an embellishment added to fabric primarily for ornamental or decorative reasons. There are many different types of trim available with some of the most common ones being braid, cord, lace, tassles and ribbon. Highly decorative or elaborate trimmings are sometimes called passementerie.

What is chair trim?

Chair rail is a trim usually made from wood and horizontally attached to a wall, wrapping around the entire perimeter of a room. It can be either painted or stained and finished. Typically, chair rail is between 2 – 3 inches thick, measured from top to bottom, making it one of the skinnier types of mouldings.

How do you attach upholstery trim?

Attach upholstery trim with glue

This will help to finish your upholstery edges neatly. Apply a thin line of glue on the underside of the braid and attach the gimp tightly along the edge of the fabric. Apply pressure to the trim for a few seconds and work on just a few inches of braiding at a time.

What is the finished edge of fabric?

What's a selvage edge? It's the edge of the fabric that's “self-finished” and won't fray. It runs lengthwise along the whole fabric & often has the fabric manufacturer name and/or artist on it. It's on two edges of the fabric that you get at the store – not the cut edges, but the finished edges of your fabric.

What is the narrow finished edge of a woven fabric known as?

Selvedge: A selvedge is the finished edge portion of a woven fabric that is parallel to the warp yarns of the woven structure.

What is the edge of the piece of fabric after it is cut but before it is hemmed?

The Raw edge

A raw edge is much like it sounds. It's the edge of the fabric unfinished or with nothing done to it, just as it comes from the manufacturer. You can leave the edges of your garment raw if you have a fabric that will not fray or rip on its own.

What is the finished lengthwise edge of fabric called?

A length of fabric has two edges that look finished; these edges are called selvage (spelled “selvedge” in the UK, but we'll use the more common American spelling). The main threads in a woven fabric run parallel with the selvage these main threads are called the warp threads.

What is a fancy word for edge?

boundary brink corner end fringe line lip margin mouth outskirt perimeter rim shore threshold verge. Strong matches. berm bound brim circumference contour curb extremity frame frontier hem ledge limit molding periphery portal ring side skirt split strand term trimming.

What do you call edges?

the line or relatively narrow space that marks the outer limit of something the design along the edge of the plate is badly worn. perimeter. edging. border. boundary.

What is a welted edge?

A welted edge tapers and includes a decorative border or trim such as piping or braiding. Piping is a trim or embellishment used to present a finished look on the seams or style lines of decorative pillows.

What is a Whelt?

: a ridge or lump raised on the body (as by a blow or allergic reaction)

What is welting on a couch?

We are referring to the decorative trim that is commonly sewn on the edges of cushions. You may have heard it referred to as piping or cording. Generally, the term welt is used to distinguish an upholstery piece, such as a cushion or pillow. Welt makes the edges and contours of a cushion stand out, like an outline.

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