How to Sew Mitered Corners — 2 Ways

Mitering fabric corners is a great sewing technique to learn. You'd be surprised at how many projects can be improved by sewing mitered corners. In today's Tips & Tricks blog, we're going to teach you two different ways to miter corners. One technique is used in heavy canvas fabric, such as marine grade or awning fabric. Another technique uses lightweight home fabric. Whether you're a canvasworker or home sewer, you'll find this sewing tip incredibly useful. Let's get into it!

How to Miter Corners in Heavy Canvas

When you sew canvas or another heavy material, you may have to fold each edge of your fabric twice to create a double hem. But that also creates a problem: super thick corners that are hard to work with. Luckily, you can miter the corners to get rid of some bulk. In sewing, mitering is a technique that creates sharp, 90-degree corners in a double hem by removing extra layers of fabric. It’s a simple method that even beginner sewers can master.

Our finished mitered corner looks much more polished than a thick, non-mitered corner would.

Why are mitered corners a good idea? For one thing, mitered corners look more polished and professional than non-mitered corners. Second, they hold hardware such as grommets and snaps better than non-mitered corners. A non-mitered corner in a double hem contains nine layers of fabric — way too thick for most hardware pieces to fasten securely around. We recommend three layers as an ideal thickness to install hardware.

If you look up instructions for mitering on the internet, you probably won’t find many resources for outdoor applications. But don’t worry — it’s possible to miter thick outdoor fabrics. The steps are exactly the same for thick fabrics as for thin home décor material. You can miter corners on boat covers, tarps and other outdoor projects that may take a double hem.

Watch the video below to learn how to miter corners in thick canvas fabric.

How to Miter Corners in Home Fabric

Our next mitering video shows you how to miter fabric corners in lightweight home fabric or upholstery fabric. Mitering is a popular sewing technique in many home projects, including curtains, quilts, tablecloths and napkins. It gives your fabric corners a clean, sharp appearance. It's also a great way to hem and finish fabric edges for a polished look.

Take your home projects to the next level with this two-minute finishing technique. Watch the video below to learn more.

Mitering is a great way to remove extra fabric from a corner, but it’s not the only way. To see another option for reducing bulky corners, check out our video on corner reduction in a double hem. Just search #300359XHT in the search bar to find it.

Have you ever sewn a mitered corner? If so, what was your project and what type of fabric did you use? Share your experiences in the comments section below.