How to make a mitered hem - tutorial

*The tutorial for the mitered hem can be used with napkins, tablecloths, or on any project where you want your hem to look great on the corner.*

Today I made the crib skirt for the pink and grey nursery set and I thought I would pass on a few steps often not included in commercial patterns.  The first is to miter your hem corners on the skirt sides rather than just turning in the side and bottom hem allowances and hemming. 

A mitered hem makes the edges crisp and gives a professional look.  The secret is the bulk is trimmed away allowing the corner to be smooth and hang straight.

In these directions I am using a total of a 1 1/2" hem on the sides and bottom of each skirt side.  Press under 1/2" and then an additional 1" hem on each side you are hemming.  At each corner, open  the hem allowances.  Fold the right sides of the fabric together to form the following triangle:

You will be sewing a 90 degree angle from the point were you turned under your 1" hem to the 1/2" hem point.  Sew a seam between these two points.

Once you've sewn your seam, trim the seam allowance to 1/4" and cut the point at an angle.

Finger press the seam allowance open.

Turn right side out with the 1/2" seam allowance on the edge turned under.  I'm using a metal Dritz hem gauge with my steam iron  to get a crisp edge when pressing.

To sew down the hem, I used my blindstitch foot with my needle to the left.

This is the inside of the mitered corner.  Sure is nice not to have bulky crooked corners!  The blindstitch foot does a great job.

Once the side panels are attacked to the main piece, I serge or finish off the seam.  Then I press the seam towards the body of the skirt base.

The next trick is I get out my blindstitch foot again and use it to put a row of stay stitching along the seam.  Stay stitching is just important in home dec sewing as it is in sewing apparel.  Just like you don't want your facing to flip up at your neckline, you don't want the seam flipping around when the skirt is washed.

Just a few extra seams will give professional results to your project.

Make your own crib sheets tutorial...

Each sheet takes a little over an hour of time, but you'll love how these sheets hold up to washings compared to commercially produced nursery sheets.  Plus, you have the advantage of selecting fabric to match the decor you want for the room.

Each sheet will take 2 yards of cotton fabric measuring at least 44" wide.  Wash the fabric in hot water and dry on hot.  Shrink it now and not later!!  This is very important and it took a few sheets before I learned my lesson.

Now cut your washed fabric to 43" wide by 66 1/2" in length.

From each corner, cut out a 6 1/2" square.  This is for a mitered corner.

Serge or zigzag any raw edges.

At each corner bring together the right sides of the fabric (where you cut out the 6 1/2" square) and sew a 1/2" seam. 

Serge or finish off this seams at each corner.

Press the seams to one side and stitch the seam allowances down.  This reinforces the mitered corners for when monkeys are jumping on the bed.

Press a 1/2" hem around the entire edge of the crib sheet.

At each corner you'll make a casing for elastic to be inserted.  I use 12" total at each end.  

Stitch down the seam allowance.

Cut a 6 1/2" piece of elastic for each corner.  Put a safety pin at one end and thread the elastic through the casing.

At each end of the casing, stitch the elastic securely in place with your sewing machine.  Remove the safety pin.

Each corner should look like this.

After completing each corner, finish off each side by stitching down the 1/2" pressed hem allownace.

Finished! 

Looks like I finished this one just in time because UPS just brought the rest of the fabric for me to finish off the quilt.

For the pink and grey nursery.

P.S.  For a Pack and Play sheet:  Wash and dry a 1 1/4 yard piece of fabric.  Cut a 41" square from your fabric.  Cut out a 2" square from each corner.  Use 1/2" seam allowances and follow the directions for sewing the crib sheet.  Have fun sewing!