Silly Sewing Question

[CathyA]

My mind just doesn't work like it used to. I made myself a lot of cloth napkins about 20 years ago. I didn't care if they weren't perfect or were different sizes.
I offered to make my DD some for christmas. Well, after struggling with my old Sears machine, getting the stitch length and tensions right, I have run into a problem with the folded corners of the napkins.

I don't want mitered edges. I just fold the edges a little, iron them, fold them one more time and then sew them.

But I'm having trouble with the slight thickness of all the folded corners. The machine won't advance there and I have a hard time getting the material to start moving.

I'm sure I need to cut some of that corner material off so it's not as thick, but my poor old brain can't figure it out.

Any easy ideas?

You should have seen me last night taking a yard and a half of the material she wanted, and trying to figure out the best way to get the most out of it. I felt pretty mentally challenged. haha It was like geometry, physics, etc. :~)

I finally got it so I'd get about 8, which is all I wanted. Geez..........how hard can it be to think these things out? I had to figure out the finished size plus the 2 folded hems, etc........and my brain just about exploded. haha

Anyhow.......any easy ways to reduce the bulk at the corners without doing the mitered thing?

Thanks!

[razz]

After serging or zigzagging all around piece of fabric for each napkin, I fold over one edge 1/2 inch and sew; rotate 90 degrees and stitch the hem and repeat for the last two edges. That way, there is less bulk with just two layers of fabric.

[catherine]

You could use zigzag scissors so you don't have to fold them over.

You could cut notches in the corner, which is effectively a mitre, but still...

You could trim them with lace (but then the lace would have to be mitred, lol.

You could use iron-on tape and hem them that way.

[lmerullo]

If you have trouble with the bulk, then I'd cut off the tiniest triangle at each corner, press your edge seams, and sew. This does leave the possibility that the corners will unravel, but it all depends on the fabric and the care - washing, etc.

[CathyA]

Thanks everyone. I ended up deciding I needed to make the hem a little larger, in order for the feed dogs to move it through. It made the napkins a tad bit smaller, but is working fine now.
Thanks for your input.