tapper

Hi everyone.

When you make placemats, do you use mitered corners on the binding? I'm not good with miters and would rather not do them. How would I do squared corners?

Thanks for any help.

Jennifer23

I use placemats as practice on mitering corners. They're going to get washed so much, they don't have to be perfect.

If you don't like doing them, I think squared corners are fine also. It's hard to explain how I would do them... back when I didn't know any better, square was just how my corners would turn out, and I didn't worry about it. I don't recall exactly how it happened, though. Hopefully someone else can give you some better guidance.

charsuewilson

I usually do placemats by the birthing or pillowcase method. With right sides together and any batting included on the outside (usually the bottom), stitch almost all the way around, leaving a small part unstitched to turn the placemat.

AliKat

You can do what you want.

However, I always considered the smaller quilted pieces the best place to learn or sharpen up skills.

MaryMo

I, too, practice mitering corners on placemats. I'm still not good at them and sometimes give up and just make the corners curved and/or squared. It's been fun playing with them and trying new techniques with placemats and mug rugs. My miters are better on some corners so still practicing .... mug rugs and placemats always come in handy at my house.

ckcowl

you could round your corners & use bias binding to go around the curve instead of miters- or to do square binding without mitering- you will need 4 pieces of binding- apply binding strips to top & bottom of placemats from edge to edge- then turn under the ends of the side binding strips so the ends are finished, apply the sides with the finished edges covering the ends of the top/bottom bindings. you can apply all 4, then turn to back & stitch down- or you can turn each to the back & stitch as you go. I have a good friend who has been making fabulous quilts for 30+ years- sells them to an Interior Decorator in a big city for big bucks---she never miter's her corners- she rounds every one of them.

Iamquilter

If you go to Missouri Star Quilt Co. she has a tutorial that shows you how to do it. Otherwise PM me and I can tell you how I do all my corners which are mitered.

tapper

Thank you to all that replied. I appreciate the input. I am going to check out the Missouri Star tute. Maybe I will do the mitered corners..we'll see.