Mitered corners on double fold hems two methods for garments or accessories...Maybe you've never sewn mitered corners because they look complicated, but there are two great reasons you should add this technique to your sewing skills.

Reduce bulk

Sewing corners on double fold hems can be a bit tricky, if you simply fold the seam allowance on top of each other it creates a bulky corner that can be difficult to sew over.

Maybe you've encountered those bulky corners where the sewing machine just won't sew over multiple layers of fabric, even when you are trying to pull the fabric through or are using the wheel. The issue is that enough of the fabric has to be in contact with the feed dogs so that the feed dogs can grip and move the fabric under the foot, otherwise the feed dogs have problems transporting the material.

By sewing a mitered corner you will reduce bulk, making it easier to feed through the sewing machine and get a better end result on your corners. Allthough it's still handy to keep a piece of scrap fabric handy to fold under your presser foot to keep it level when sewing bulky or narrow seams and corners.

Finishing Touch

Another reason to miter your corners is because it looks great. :) There are two methods that I like to use depending on the width of the double fold hem.

Both techniques for mitered corners are great to use on garments and accesories like napkins or the Tsuno Tie Bag. They might take a bit of practice, but it's totally worth it.

Method 1. Folded mitered corner

When to use this method for mitered corners? This method works best on narrow seam allowances and hems up to about a 1 cm / 3/8" in final width, because there will be a small gap after edge stitching your double folded hem and mitered corner. If you have a fabric that irons well and lays flat you can co wider but do a test first to see if you like the end result.

You can find the full tutorial here

Method 2. Sewn mitered corner

When to use this method for mitered corners? This method works best on wider hems starting at about 1cm / 3/8" and up. You can do it on narrower hems but it gets a little fiddly and it's harder to get a crisp result. In the case of the sewn mitered corner your won't have the gap in the end result so that makes it a better option for wider seam allowances and hems.

You can find the full tutorial here

Happy sewing!

Charlotte

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