Original stripe of Three colors of silk and velvet mitred

I love to work with stripes! Mixed with other patterns and solids , they are a great way to create interest and detail into a room design. I use them to make interesting trims or accents on drapes pillows and table cloths.

Pattern after first fold

How to mitre a stripe

Cut a piece of lining a few inches larger than you want the finished product.

Fold the fabric diagonally-corner to corner. Press it with an iron.

Fold the piece diagonally again-opposite corners to corner-Press.

Pattern after second fold and lined up for cut

You will have a triangle shape about 1/4 the size of the original piece. This is your pattern.

Place your triangle pattern on the striped fabric. Make sure the
bottom of your pattern is aligned with the bottom stripe. Also
It is a good idea to position the pattern so that the top point of
the triangle is over a large stripe. This will make it easier to get
a neat square when you sew the 4 pieces together.

Cut your first triangle shape with the folded white lining pattern.

Two pieces sewn together

Then use the first striped triangle shape you cut as the pattern
for the next 3. This helps assure that all four pieces will be
exactly alike.
Seam together two triangles, then seam together the other two.
Press the seams flat.

These pieces need to be turned face to face before being sewn

Place one set of sewn together triangles face up. Put the other
set on top with the face down. Be careful to perfectly align
the center seams. Pin together.
Starting at the middle seam sew toward the outside point .

Then starting at the middle seam again sew to the other outside point.

Stripe trim being cut

Often I make a trim by cutting a stripe from a fabric.

It is much easier to mitre the entire pillow than to just try to sew the trim on and mitre the corners.

Many times the grain of even a solid fabric can give an interesting subtle effect when mitred.

Velvet triangles cut for two pillow faces

On these pillows the fabric is velvet which has a nap. If done properly the differing directions of the nap when mitred will give a nice subdues effect.
To save on waste I have cut the triangles two directions. With the velvet I must use all the triangles with the point up as cut for one pillow and the other, point down triangles for the second pillow.

Trim being applied to solid velvet

Measure an sew the trim stripe on each triangle at the same place.

Solid velvet and velvet stripe - red for covered button

Finished pillow

As my pictures show you can even mitre a plaid. I have mitred pillows using floral prints.   You can
even use the same technique on round pillows.   Just cut the lining a few inches larger than you want
the finished circle. Fold the circle in half-press, fold it in half again-press.   Repeat the process
until you have the size triangles you want. A round looks best with 6 or 8.

Mitred trim frames dog prints

Mitred dining room chair seat

"Explosion" pillow and small mitred pillow

Another type of mitre I have done is when a stripe is used to trim the outside edge of a pillow or table cloth. If the stripe is used parallel to the edge of the item the methods described earlier work.

If however, the stripe is to be applied perpendicular to the edge of the fabric another issue arises

Fabric on the right is being aligned to be mitred

.
With a smaller multicolor stripe like shown here you will be able to mitre 3 corners at the same point in pattern and one mitre that will be at a different point. With a stripe like this it is not so noticeable as with a bold 2 or 3color stripe.

For a project like this cut the large center piece of fabric and add a welt or trim on the edge.

Cut your stripes to the desired width. To save fabric I usually join them all together end to end being extremely particular about the match so the seam is almost invisible

For this method, cut the strip of trim fabric the length of the center piece and add double the width of the trim fabric plus a few inches. For example if the stripe trim fabric is 5" wide, add about 12" to your first cut. With the trim fabric on the bottom facing up and the center fabric on top facing down, sew on top of the seam of the center piece trim seam.

Because this stripe is not balanced-one side is different than the other(see the cream colored grosgrain stripe next to the blue stripe) the next strip must be turned upside down to get a mitre.

Fabric trim is mitred and pressed

Although I don't show it on the picture I recommend once you determine the edge that will be sewn to the center piece, you press over 1/2" along the top. That is where you will be sewing. Now put it next to the last corner and turn under one side to a 45 degree angle. If the edge of the trim stripe is perpendicular to the stripe showing on the upturned wrong side, it is 45 degrees. Do the same with the piece you are adding. When they are perfectly aligned press a crease into both pieces.

Creased angles being sewn together

Now carefully fold the entire pillow face on the diagonal. Noting the pattern, pin the two pieces of trim fabric face to face. Be certain that the angled creases you pressed in are one on top of the other.

Starting from the outside edge sew the creases together with a medium stitch. Be sure to lock the stitch on the outside edge. nSew toward the center piece of the pillow or cloth. When you reach the center piece trim keep as close to the corner as you can. Lock your stitch.

It is most likely that you may have to pick one or two out and redo them. All the years I have been doing this I usually have one or so that I have to do twice until I'm satisfied.

underside of a successful mitre.

When the first corner is done to your satisfaction sew that strip up to the next corner.

Turn the fabric upside down(for this kind of stripe). And find the point in pattern that will match the stripe at the top corner. Turn the sewn piece so it is at a 45 degree angle(check to see if the face stripe is perpendicular to the stripe showing on the wrong side). Pin it to your table. Now do the same to the strip you are going to attach. When the match is good press to mark and sew.

Last corner on the right. the part of the stripe to be eliminated in the middle

When you get to the last corner you no longer have the ability to shift the trim strip for a match. With a mulit color smaller stripe, you find the pattern match on the corner. Pulling as much fabric into that section as you need to match the first strip. Press it into place and pin. Now look at the excess fabric in the last trim strip and find a place where the pattern can be cut and joined will not be noticeable. For example on this one I paid attention to the location of the green and blue stripes. The piece sticking up in the middle is where the fabric is coming out.

Once you find the place lay the fabric one direction and press in a crease then lay it the other direction and press in a crease.Be sure the fabric is always touching when your do the pressing. Turn the fabric strip face to face. With the center crease in the middle, line up and pin the other two creases together. Lock your stitches and sew the two together. Do not cut the excess off until you are certain everything lines up. Sew the upper edge of the last strip to the center piece and sew your last mitre in the corner. All four corners are mitred and look great.

Bold stripe trim pieces laid out and checked with a framing square

If the finished size necessary for the piece is flexible, another approach that will get all 4 corners mitred the same, is to mitre the outside trim first and then attach the center piece when that is done. With a bold or two color stripe this can often be the only way. Unlike the stripe I showed you in the earlier example, stripes like these make eliminating part of the stripe on the last piece to get the mitre impossible. Also with such a bold pattern you are much more likely to be annoyed with one corner having a different part of the pattern in the mitre.

Trim strips adjusted to make a rectangular pillow

Because you must do a bold stripe this way you are only able to adjust the size of the pillow by the width of the stripe or by the repeat.

This stripe has a 9" repeat, so you can have a 27" by 27" square pillow or a 27"by 18" rectangle pillow.

You are only limited by your creativity.

Good luck and please tell your friends about my blog.

Bill Gantt

Because I want to be as clear as possible, this process may seem complicated. If you follow the instructions carefully, I think you'll not have any problems.

1. Make an exact pattern of the chair seat. Don't forget to fold it double to be sure both sides are the same.

2.   Pin the pattern to 3" medium density foam.   Use a magic marker to mark the pattern onto the foam.

3. Using an electric carving knife, cut the foam into the outlined shape.

4.   Since this will be a knife edge pad, mark the foam with a line
1" in from the edge on both top and bottom.   Then put a line on the

side 1" in from the top and bottom edge.

5. Watching both lines cut the 45 degree angle around both
the top and bottom.

6. Measure the foam across the top and half way down each side.
Do this from side to side and front to back. This gives you the
measurement for your next pattern.

7. Using your first pattern as a guide, add the additional width. For example
if your new measurement is 3" more, add 1 1/2" on each side of the first pattern.
. Do the same front to back. Since you want the cover to
be tight it is not necessary to add for seam allowances.

8. Cut a square of fabric a few inches larger than your new
pattern. In this case I am using the fabric from the "How to
mitre a Stripe" blog. Center the fabric and pin it down.
Using a pencil or fine tipped marker, mark the pattern on the
fabric. This is more exacting than trying to cut the fabric while
the pattern is in place.

9.   Welting the edge is not essential but it gives you a more
professional looking pad.   Use a welt cord of no more than
1/4" in diameter.   To find how wide to cut the welt cord
fabric, wrap the cord tight with a piece of fabric.   Mark both
sides tight against the cord.   Lay the fabric flat-add 1" and
that is your width.   You want the fabric to go around the cord
and have 1/2" seam allowance .   For example if the circum-
ference of the cord is 5/8", you will cut your welt fabric 1 5/8"
wide.   In the past I would sometimes cut the fabric a little
wider thinking the extra width would give me a little wiggle

room.   DON'T DO IT.   It will throw off your other measurements.

10.   Cut the cord fabric on the bias or diagonal across the fabric.
Use a yard stick to mark your first diagonal line.   Measure and
mark 1 5/8" or whatever your cord measurement is and draw
another line.   Mark off and cut several diagonal strips.   If you

lay the strips face to face at a 45 degree angle and match the
pattern; The joined strip should lay out flat. {see Picture)
Don't forget to use a very small stitch.   If the two pieces don't
lay out straight you did something wrong.   Cut them apart and
turn one of them end to end.   Match the pattern and on a 45degree
angle sew the new end to the old end.   It's tricky but be patient
you'll figure it out.

11. Using the zipper foot on the right side of the needle, wrap
the cord. Put both edges together and sew tight next to the cord.

12. Once the cord is covered, put it on the top edge of pad cover. Align the edge of the cord
with the edge of your pad cover. Sewing tight against the cord, attach it to the pad cover.
Never start on a corner!

When you come to a corner put a relief cut in the selvage up to the cord

Sew all the way around the cover until you get to where you started.

When you get to the starting point, cut the cord 1" beyond where
you started. {see picture}

Open the seam about 1" from where you cut it.
{see picture}

Now cut off the extra 1" of cord where you opened the seam.
Fold the 1" under 1/2".   Put the start point cord end next to
the piece you just cut.   Wrap the 1/2" lip around the start point
and sew through both.
                                        {see Picture}

13 Make the ties to hold your chair pad in place. Depending on the chair, they should around 12" long. It is much better to have ties that are a little long than to realize when you are done that they are too short. Cut fabric strips 2" wide. You must cut the
strips with the grain of the fabric(top to bottom). Otherwise

they will stretch.

Fold 1/2" in to the middle and press.
Fold 1/2"on the other side

to the middle and press. Fold one half over the other half press and sew. At the ends fold about 1/2" up refold and sew.

14. Pin the ties where you want them on the pad cover so that the tie lays on the face of the cover.
The tie should lay over the cord just enough that the end is caught in the stitch. If you want you can
sew the ties in place now.

15.   Lay the cover side with the cord and ties face down on the other side of the cover.   Remember the fabrics go face to face.
Pin strategically.   Start sewing at a back corner.   Sew on top
of the stitch of the cording around to the other back corner.
Sewing on top of the cord stitching assures that no stitching will
show when the cover is turned right side out.   Be sure to use a small stitch and back stitch at both back corners.   They will get a lot of stress when you put the foam in.

16. Using polyester furniture batting , cut to the shape of your
cushion and using a bag stapler, staple the edges all around.
This will disguise any miscuts on the foam and give a rich smooth
finish to your chair pad.

17.   Turn your cover right side out.   Put the foam in and
sew the back closed by hand.

DONE!

I hope you find this useful.   Please tell your friends about my web site and blog.
Let me know what you think so far.
When you can, stop into the studio and see me.                                       3319 Derry St.
                                                                                                                 Harrisburg, Pa. 717-561-8166

Bill Gantt