Reverse Applique Triangle Question
 

I am playing around with reverse applique with no raw edges and am running into problems with my triangle points coming out with little pleats. As you will see from the picture, each point has a little pleat or ripple of fabric at the point. This happens right from the start, when you turn the fabric right side out after sewing and it won't iron out. I am clipping it right to the very tip on the inside.

Is there a trick to getting perfect points on inside corners?

Thanks!

Watson

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I should likely explain that I am putting two pieces of white together, right side to right side, then sewing the triangles, cutting them out, then turning the fabric and ironing the triangles out. That's when the pleats appear. After that, I sew the black fabric behind the triangles, square up the block and cut away all the extra fabric behind.

Did you cut a triangle out? That would leave too much fabric at the point. If so you should have just cut a vertical slit like this. The first image is the shape you are aiming for, which is basically the fold lines. Then you cut a vertical slit and fold them back. This gives the fabric a place to go. You can then trim off any excess. if I were doing this for garment construction, I would first sew a line of stay stitching along the black line with matching thread then cut. This will reinforce the point area, but for a quilt there really is no stress on it so it's probably not necessary.
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The triangle isn't cut out of a single piece of fabric, it is sewn to a backing, trimmed and then turned right side out so there are no raw edges.
Does that make sense?

Watson

When you sew it to the backing, before you turn it, you have to clip the seam at the point right up to the machine stitching, being careful not to clip the stitching.

When you sew the two pieces of white together, at the end of the point stop and take 1 or 2 small stitches straight across and continue up the other side. Trim and turn like you did for the other ones.

This is what I was taught to do when sewing points also. I always thought that it didn't make sense to do that when you are going for a point but it seems to work.

This is how I was taught to sew a point, instead of pivoting on the exact tip to sew one or two small stitches across the top then proceed back down the other side.

Thanks, everyone. I'll try that.
Not sure where I'm going with this yet...but have done four practice blocks and so far it looks like this.
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Hmmmm.....

Watson