mitred corners - a how to

 

I had these napkins as a WIP for quite some time.  I had gotten around to cutting up the fabric and cutting out the bias binding but that's where it rested for quite some time. I finally got around to turning them into their rightful form and followed this video on youtube for instructions on how to make mitred corners.  But I also want to document the process here as a cheat sheet so I can refer back to it the next time I'm making up something that requires this method!

1. Fold your bias binding in half (ignoring any previous folds) - I ironed this in place.

2. Pin your binding half way along one side of the fabric you want to bind.  Make sure you double the binding back onto itself at the start so the raw edge is folded in to the inside of the folded tape.

 

Here's an upclose view.

 

3. Sew to within 1.5cm of the corner.  This is so you can fold it over for the mitred corner.

4. Make a diagonal 45 degree angle with the binding.

5.  Then fold it back on itself and pin along the new side.  Sew from 1.5cm from the edge until 1.5cm from the next edge.  Repeat until the last side.

6.  The video recommends folding the end of the binding in on itself but I didn't bother as it was going to be covered by the other end and would only add bulk (and make it harder to sew neatly).

 7.  Once one side is done. 
Turn your fabric over, fold the binding over it and pin along one side. 

8.  Again in the video it suggests to sew on the sewn side in the ditch (along the line you've already sewn) but this was a little too messy for me - possibly an issue with my sewing skills.  I sewed along the pinned side at the distance I wanted (in this case about 1.5cm) which gave me plently of clearance of the ditch line on the other side - in other words, I was sewing on the binding on that side. 

9.  This method gives a neat corner but depending on the size of your binding can be untidy - it worked really well for me here.  I sewed from the overlap on each side to the other and it came out very well.

I got 'real fancy like' and quilted a leaf onto each napkin.  I only had my cheapo sewing machine at the time so did it without a walking foot (yet to figure out what this actually does and I have one on my new machine).