Nothing can add more pizzazz to a table setting than some fun fabric napkins. Whether you choose a whimsical quilting cotton, a solid linen, an ethnic print, or an elegant home décor fabric, napkins add a colorful accent.

There are several ways to finish the edges of your napkins, and we’ve talked about some previously in this article. Today’s napkin edge focus is on an easy mitered hem finish for single- and double-layer napkins.

Fabric napkins can be many finished sizes, from a 12” cocktail version to a full 24” dinner cover-up. Most napkins are square, though there’s the occasional round version thrown into the mix for a holiday tree fold.

It goes without saying that you want to choose a washable fabric for a napkin that you plan on really using for meals…cottons are great, polyester is fine for a sheen, or perhaps real linen for texture.

Depending on your fabric width and napkin size, figure how many you can get across and the total number needed before you figure yardage. From 54”-wide fabric, you can cut three 18” squares across the fabric width; from 42”-wide fabric, you can cut only two across the width. Keep in mind that using this hemming method, you’ll lose 2” of napkin size from the cut square size.

Hemmed napkins with mitered corners

Once you’ve cut the napkin squares, press under ¼” on each napkin edge. Then press under a ¾”-wide hem on all edges (1).

Fold adjacent napkin edges right sides together keeping the narrowly pressed edge folded. This forms a sharp point (2).

Using the 45° marking on a ruler, draw a line diagonally across the corner. Stitch on the line (3).

Trim the excess point fabric ¼” from the stitching line, trim the corner diagonally, and finger-press the seam allowance open (4).

Turn the hem to the napkin wrong side and press the squared corner (5). Use a point presser if needed to sharpen the corner. Repeat for each corner of the napkin.

Topstitch the folded hem edge in place around the napkin (6, 7). This can be done with matching or contrasting thread, using a straight or decorative stitch. If you prefer an additional row of stitching, edgestitch the napkin.

 

 

Repeat for each napkin you’re making. If you prefer not to have stitching showing, fuse the upper hem edge in place with a narrow strip of fusible web.

On the double

If you want your napkin to be double sided, cut a coordinating fabric square 2 ¼” smaller than the original square size.

Follow the directions above, but before you topstitch the hem in place, place the coordinating fabric square inside the hem on the wrong side of the napkin and smooth in place (8).

Once the second layer is smoothed in place and hems are repositioned, topstitch the hem edge through all the layers.

Making a double-sided napkin is a great way to hide the underside of a printed fabric that may not be as pretty as the right side, plus it adds a bit of body and contrast to the napkin.

This same mitering technique can be used on other right angles as well, like collars, slits, pockets, table runners, quilt tops, etc.

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~Linda Griepentrog is the owner of G Wiz Creative Services and she does writing, editing and designing for companies in the sewing, crafting and quilting industries. In addition, she escorts fabric shopping tours to Hong Kong. She lives at the Oregon Coast with her husband Keith, and three dogs, Yohnuh, Abby, and Lizzie. Contact her at .

Images from the 2024 Fashion Show at ASG Conference. Special thanks to Barbara George from the San Jose, CA chapter for organizing this event!

Ah, hem

Whether you prefer to hem your garments by hand or machine is a matter of preference but sewing machine manufacturers have risen to the latter cause by including a blind hem stitch on most models. It may be one of those quirky-looking stitches you don’t often use, but creating an invisible hem on many fabrics is possible.

The Stitches

You may, in fact, have two blind hem stitches—one for knits and one for wovens. The knit stitch has multiple zigzags between larger “bite” stitches, while the stitch for wovens has straight stitches between the wide zigzag bites.

 

The knit zigzags allow the hemline to still have some flexibility and stretch, while the straight stitch version creates a stable hem.

Blind hem Foot

Your machine brand may also offer a specialty presser foot specifically for blind hemming. The guide bar is movable on some brands of feet, so that the wide zigzag catches only a small amount of the garment fabric and hem area.

Before you dive in to the real deal, it’s imperative to practice this process on some scraps of your project fabric before sewing the actual garment. Fine tune the stitch and placement for minimal show-through on the right side.

Choose a thread color that closely matches your fabric. If you’re working with a print fabric, choose a thread color to blend with the most dominant color. Use the same color bobbin and top thread. Tempting as it may be, it’s best not to use invisible thread for blind hemming.

On the edge

If the garment fabric ravels, finish the hem edge using a zigzag, serging or hem tape to neaten it. If it isn’t too heavy, simply press under the raw hem edge ¼” and stitch it in place.

On knit fabrics, no hem edge finish is needed, as knits don’t ravel. However, you can finish the edge if you prefer.

It’s all about folding

The key to an invisible blind hem is in the folding. First, fold and press the finished hem allowance to the wrong side. Fold the garment back upon itself leaving ¼” of the hem extending beyond the fold. Pin the folded hem in place. The ¼” extension is where the stitching will be placed.

Adjust the stitch width so that the stitching along the finished hem edge will allow the wide zigzag “bite” to catch a tiny portion of the garment wrong side. If that stitch catches too much fabric, the stitch will show prominently on the garment right side. If it doesn’t catch enough fabric, your hem will not stay in place. The key is to catch just the right amount to hold and not show. Working with a practice piece of the same fabric as your garment is key to proper positioning.

If you have an adjustable foot, you can move the stitch right or left by moving the guide that runs along the folded hem edge. Or you can adjust the stitch width, or a combination of the two for optimum catch and hold and minimal show on the right side.

In addition to adjusting the stitch width, you can also adjust the stitch length to spread out the bite stitches, depending on the fabric. But don’t lengthen the stitch too much as the hem could gape or be caught during wearing.

If your machine has an adjustable needle position, you can also use that to fine-tune the stitch placement. So, it’s a balance of the stitch width and stitch length, and the positioning of the stitch using an adjustable foot and needle positioning.

Once you’ve practiced and gotten the hang of it, then sew around the hem on your garment. When stitching is complete, open out the hem and press to set the stitching.

Fabric options

Machine blind hemming works best on textured medium- to heavy-weight fabrics. It’s ideal for wool, fleece, suitings, etc. The texture helps to hide the bite stitch thread, as does any fabric print. For lightweight fabrics and solid colors, the stitch will show more and if you’re not happy with the look, opt for another hemming method.

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~Linda Griepentrog is the owner of G Wiz Creative Services and she does writing, editing and designing for companies in the sewing, crafting and quilting industries. In addition, she escorts fabric shopping tours to Hong Kong. She lives at the Oregon Coast with her husband Keith, and three dogs, Yohnuh, Abby, and Lizzie. Contact her at .

Fold-over elastic (also known as FOE) is one of those notions that, once you try it, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it. It’s a versatile, latex-free product that functions similarly to bias binding to finish a raw edge, with the added benefit of stretch and recovery so it keeps the edge up against the body. FOE comes in a variety of widths, finishes, patterns, and colors, and for that very special project, you can even dye your own.

The elastic has a channel right down the middle to easily fold it exactly in half.  In most cases, the narrower the elastic, the more stretch it has. While you can use different widths of fold-over elastic on the same project but keep the stretch factor of each and where you plan to use it when choosing your yardage.

How to use it

In most cases, your elastic should be 90% of the length of your fabric. Remember to account for seaming!

Tip: If your fold-over elastic has both a shiny and a matte side, the shiny side is typically the outside or “front” of the elastic.

To start insertion, leave about 1″ of elastic hanging off the edge of the fabric. Fold the elastic, encasing the edge of your fabric, then stitch through all layers of elastic and fabric in one operation. Choose a stitch that can be centered so that it sews half on the elastic and half on the fabric. A good choice is the wavy zigzag serpentine stitch. To accommodate the stretch in the elastic, lengthen the stitch slightly. For some applications, such as when using a 5/8″ wide, satin-finish fold-over to finish a neckline, use a matching silk thread so that the stitches will blend in. In this case, position the stitches so they fall mainly on the elastic, just barely catching the fabric on the left swing of the needle. After you have done this once or twice, you will find pins are only a nuisance.

Watch this video for 4 different ways to sew with fold-over elastic:

Project Ideas

Diaper covers: For moms who prefer to use cloth diapers, diaper covers are often a “must have.” You can whip up a dozen in no time flat using 1″ fold-over elastic. The product is latex free, so it’s hypoallergenic and great for baby and functions as a binding along the straight edges of the cover. In the leg area, where a tight fit is crucial to holding in wetness, pull firmly on the elastic as you apply it. Once you are past the leg area, release the elastic so it becomes “just” a binding. Even on the straight edges, pull on the elastic ever so slightly so there will be no slack in your diaper cover.

Plan to join the ends of the elastic in an inconspicuous spot, such as at the center back. To do this, start and stop the application about 2″ on either side of where you want the joining to fall, also remembering to leave 1″ tails of elastic. Place the elastic tails right sides together and stitch a 1″ seam. Trim the seam allowance to 1/4″. Open up the seam allowance, refold the elastic, and complete the application.

Swimwear: If you use FOE for swimwear, you won’t be folding over the edge of the fabric so start by trimming 1/4″ from the seam allowances that you will be finishing with the elastic. Remember that your fabric is not folded, it will simply be encased withing the fold-over elastic.

Click the image below for an article at Brother with step by step instructions for sewing with fold-over elastic.

Other great projects include baby clothes, fitted sheets, and converting a crew neck T-shirt to a satin-edge T-shirt with a deeper neckline. You can even fix a gaping neckline or armhole with FOE.

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