Can anyone help me with mitred corners?
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: York, PA
Posts: 9
Can anyone help me with mitred corners?
I am just finishing up my first quilt and I can't get my mitred corners to look right. I've watched lots of videos on Youtube and they make it look so simple. I follow step by step but when I fold them down at the corners it seems like there is too much fabric and batting underneath the quilt top that it won't make a nice flat corner. It look horrible. I can even see the back corner area bulging up when I look at it from the front side because it just seeems to me there is too much stuff under it. I have 1/4" seam allowance the entire way around so I don't think it can be that. If anyone would have any ideas on how to remedy this I would be very grateful. Thanks
By the way, this is the first time I have ever posted a thread also. If I did it wrong or something isn't right I apologize. It wasn't intentional.
By the way, this is the first time I have ever posted a thread also. If I did it wrong or something isn't right I apologize. It wasn't intentional.
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 548
As I have learned in the last 7 days, as I am new to this too, is that there is no right or wrong. No question is stupid (or so I'm told LOL) so not to worry about that. While I can't help you with your corners as I am working on them myself, I can tell you that there are a host of wonderful people who can and who will answer you very soon. Good luck! Oh and what you think is horrible may not really be. We are most critical of ourselves. I know I am.
#3
Did you trim your back and batting and top so they are all the same? There should be no batting showing. I am sure someone can help you. I am rather new also and someone here always has the answer. Good luck with the corners.
#5
I have trimmed the batting a bit closer. However, since I hate mitering anyway, I make all of my quilts with rounded corners now and use bias binding. No mitering-I love it. And as a bonus, the bias binding goes on more nicely. If you do want to miter (sometimes I have to on non quilt projects) bias binding also miters a lot more easily IMO.
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Upper Michigan
Posts: 8,248
1- make sure backing n batting are cut even with front.
2- sew to 1\4 inch of end . Cut thread. Turn quilt. Fold binding straight up then fold down there is a step by step tutorial on you tube may seem bulky at first. cut corners after sewing. there is also a link on this site to a guy who sews to 1\4 inch of end but then turns and sews 45 degree to corner. he says gives you perfect corners. i just did lap quilt 2 corners the way I ususally do it and 2 his way to compare. havent sewn it to back yet though. good luck. pm me if you need more help!
2- sew to 1\4 inch of end . Cut thread. Turn quilt. Fold binding straight up then fold down there is a step by step tutorial on you tube may seem bulky at first. cut corners after sewing. there is also a link on this site to a guy who sews to 1\4 inch of end but then turns and sews 45 degree to corner. he says gives you perfect corners. i just did lap quilt 2 corners the way I ususally do it and 2 his way to compare. havent sewn it to back yet though. good luck. pm me if you need more help!
#7
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 41,538
[ATTACH=CONFIG]429646[/ATTACH]I use Hobbs 80/20 batt and I get a nice corner. They do have a little more bulk than the rest of the quilt. I use a pin to help with doing the fold in the back for hand sewing. I will see if I can post a picture but don't look at the weird fabrics as they are out of the scrap bin.
Last edited by Tartan; 08-10-2013 at 07:46 PM.
#9
First, congratulations on finishing your first quilt. Binding takes a lot of practice
to get it right. So don't be too hard on yourself. What kind of batting did you use?
If it's polyester it tends to fluff up more. Also, did you square up your
quilt before applying the binding? If the corners are not perfectly square you
won't get nice mitred corners. And my favorite tip when stitching the binding
is to stop just about one short stitch before the 45 degree line. If you go
over...there goes your mitre. Here's an excellent tutorial on binding.
http://pileofabric.com/2013/08/06/ma...ecise-binding/
Practice, make lots of potholders, placemats and study each corner carefully and
you will learn how to get it right. BTW, my mitres are not always perfect but I
think I've improved over time.
to get it right. So don't be too hard on yourself. What kind of batting did you use?
If it's polyester it tends to fluff up more. Also, did you square up your
quilt before applying the binding? If the corners are not perfectly square you
won't get nice mitred corners. And my favorite tip when stitching the binding
is to stop just about one short stitch before the 45 degree line. If you go
over...there goes your mitre. Here's an excellent tutorial on binding.
http://pileofabric.com/2013/08/06/ma...ecise-binding/
Practice, make lots of potholders, placemats and study each corner carefully and
you will learn how to get it right. BTW, my mitres are not always perfect but I
think I've improved over time.
#10
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: York, PA
Posts: 9
Thank you so much for your encouragement. I see you are from PA. I've only lived down here in TN for going on five years now. I was born and raised in PA, had my kids there, and now my kids and grandkids are there. If you don't mind my asking, what part are you from? I'm just so homesick and I miss my kids. I'm from York County. Thanks again.
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