How to do a Fell Stitch

Create Perfectly Mitered Corners

June 29th, 2009 in sewing, design, tips & tricks, garment construction

Mary Ray, contributor

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A wide hem on the front and lower edges adds a crisp finish to this airy, linen jacket.

Turn in the edges the desired amount. Press.

A wide hem on the front and lower edges adds a crisp finish to this airy, linen jacket.

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Beautiful summer fabrics – like handkerchief linen – demand simple finishes. Here’s an easy way to deal with the edges of a loose-fitting boxy jacket. Start by adjusting your pattern to allow a substantial hem width and an equal amount on each front opening edge. Add ¼ inch on all sides for clean finishing. The vertical hems on the front take the place of the facings. You don’t need interfacing unless you want buttons and buttonholes. In that case, I’d suggest adding a layer of sheer silk organza to the fronts.

A mitered corner eliminates bulk.

To complete the miter:

Turn up the hem, turn in the fronts, and press.

Turn in the edges the desired amount. Press.

Turn in ¼ inch on all three edges and press.

Turn in 1/4 inch on all sides to clean finish the edges.

Fold the hems in place and mark the point where the inside edges meet with pins through each fold.

Mark with a pin through each fold at the inner corner where the edges intersect.

Open the corner.

Fold diagonally, right sides together, matching the pins.

Mark a diagonal line from the pins to the inside corner.

Stitch along the marked line through both thicknesses.

Turn up the hem to check the miter. It’s always a good idea to this before you cut – just to make sure you’ve stitched it correctly

Turn the corner right sides out to check the miter.

If the corner looks good, trim away the excess fabric to create a ¼-inch seam allowance. Press the seam open.

Go back and trim to a 1/4 inch and press the seam open.

Machine stitch the hem in place along the inside folds, pivoting at the corners.

posted in: sewing, design, tips & tricks, garment construction

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Comments (7)

Deborah1963 writes: Isn't it great to have technology inprove overtime with internet and computers to be able to talk and learn from anyone who has a good ability to be able to show in detail and give good advise about sewing and anything that we can give that maybe of help to someone else with an issue of sewing matters or anything in genral almost anything these days..Thankyou Maryray Posted: 3:51 am on September 21st

MaryRay writes: I would love to give Linda & Louise credit, but тАУ and IтАЩm sure they will both agree тАУ much of what we have learned, as writers and teachers about sewing, has come from our mothers, grandmothers, aunts, high school home ec teachers, design schools, and industry careers as well as our own experimenting and tweaking of various methods. We are simply conduits of useful information. I certainly take no credit in inventing this mitering technique and IтАЩm not sure where I learned it. But, I did some checking and found the same basic process in every sewing book that I own, including one that goes back to 1943. Posted: 12:09 pm on August 6th

sewingbeth writes: Didn't Louise Cutting and Linda Lee design this technique several years ago? Have they been given credit? Posted: 7:26 pm on July 23rd

Sewterri writes: This is the same technique that is illustrated in all Sewing Workshop and Shapes patterns with mitered hems. I always mark the point where the pin is placed with an air erasable marker, which is even easier and less cumbersome. Posted: 10:52 am on July 23rd

AmyCurrioman writes: I have bookmarked this page so the next time I need to miter a corner I can find this again to refresh my memory! Looking forward to trying it out! Posted: 7:36 pm on July 13th

OzAnnie writes: Thank you so much!!! Can't wait to try this out for myself using your wonderfully detailed and illustrated instructions. Posted: 8:05 pm on July 12th

textilefrek writes: and they tell us this is hard. You make it look easy! Posted: 5:47 pm on June 30th

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