A mitered corner is an elegant finishing touch, a crisp fold that tucks a hemmed corner in an engineering feat of beauty. There are lots of ways to create a mitered corner, but this video illustrates our favorite technique.  It’s easy, straightforward, and very tidy! Prefer to take it step-by-step? Skip ahead to our photo tutorial below.

Mitered Corners: Step-By-Step

Fold and press all edges ½ inch towards the wrong side of the fabric. This is the First Fold.

Sewn Mitered Corners | Purl Soho

Fold and press the edges ½ inch towards the wrong side again. This is the Second Fold.

Sewn Mitered Corners | Purl Soho

Unfold the Second Fold at one corner.

Sewn Mitered Corners | Purl Soho

Fold the corner so that its two legs measure 1 inch. The ½-inch seam allowance on the inside of the corner will meet up with raw edge of the First Fold.

Sewn Mitered Corners | Purl Soho

Unfold the corner and trace the crease with the fabric marker.

Sewn Mitered Corners | Purl Soho

Fold the corner into a point, right sides together, making sure that the ends of the drawn lines meet. Pin the corner into place.

Sewn Mitered Corners | Purl Soho

Sew the two sides together along the marked line, backstitching at the beginning and end of the seam. Clip the tip of the corner off, leaving a scant 1/8-inch seam allowance.

Repeat for the other 3 corners.

Sewn Mitered Corners | Purl Soho

Re-fold the Second Fold, inverting the corners into their neat mitered position as you do. Push the tips of corners out so they are pointy. Press and pin down the Second Fold.

Sewn Mitered Corners | Purl Soho

Edgestitch this fold around all four sides, backstitching at the beginning and end of the seam. You don’t need to sew the miters themselves. They’ll stay in place!

Use this great technique to create a beautiful set of napkins with our Classic Mitered Napkins project.

Sewn Mitered Corners | Purl Soho