Mitred corners create a neat finish on exposed corners, without any flappy bits that you might get by folding one edge over the other. It’s a lovely little extra detail to add to the kick pleat on the Etta dress, and can also be useful on other projects such as blouses, tablecloths and napkins. Here’s how to sew a mitred corner…
The first thing to do is ensure the two folds to be joined are the same width. On the Etta dress the kick pleat fold is 40mm (1½in) wide, while the hem fold is 30mm (1¼in) wide. So you can either trim down the kick pleat by 10mm (3/8in) or fold the hem up an extra 10mm (3/8in) so both folds are either 30mm (1¼in) or 40mm (1½in) wide.
Finish the seam allowances and, if you’re making the Etta dress, press the raw edge of the kick pleat under 10mm (3/8in) and topstitch in place. Press each fold to the wrong side.
So on the Etta dress what you’re doing is pressing and sewing the kick pleat following the pattern instructions, then pressing the hem to the inside of the dress over the kick pleat.
Using a chalk pencil or washable pen – or snipping small notches – mark the points where the two folds cross each other at the inside corner.
Unfold the corners, then refold the corner diagonally, right sides together, bringing the markings or notches directly on top of each other. Stitch diagonally from the pressed inside corner to the marking, back tacking at each end.
Trim off the corner, leaving a 10mm (3/8in) seam allowance. Now snip diagonally across the top corner of the remaining seam allowance – this will make the corner less bulky when we turn it to the inside of the dress.
Press the seam allowances open, then turn the corner right sides out. You can neaten up the corner either using a point turner if you have one, or gently easing out the fabric with a pin. Give the corner and the folds another press from the right side.
And there you have a lovely mitred corner!
Now you can secure the folds in place, either by topstitching them on a machine or hand sewing with an invisible stitch.
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