Marlene1

I'm putting the top together for a Braided Sugar & Spice quilt. The braid is 95" long and so is the 4.5" sashing (cut length of grain so no piecing). As I am sewing the braid to the sashing I have lots to ease in on the braid. I can do it but the result is a bit wavy or fullness. Do I continue as I am doing? Will this be OK for a long arm quilter as they can stretch it tight and flat before quilting? Should I redo these and match the sashing and braid in the middle and sew out from there and even off the top and bottom after the quilt top is put together because the braid will be longer?

Thank you so much for your advice.
M
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Stitchnripper

I had that problem and then came across a book that showed to stay stitch the braid panels before cutting them to reduce the stretching on the bias edges. Mine had a lot of "ease" but I quilted it myself.

jcrow

I will be watching this thread as I have cut all the pieces for my French Braid and didn't even think about the bias on the outside edge. Oh no! I will need help as well.

Tartan

Starch fabric well that will have bias edges to make them more stable. When easing fullness in put the floppy part against the feed dogs and the straight fabric on top. The feed dogs help to pull in extra fabric. Pin the border to the braid distributing the fullness along the whole length. Measure all your braids to see if they are all the same length. If there are huge variations you may need to resew some of them?

QuiltNama

For my French braid, starched it lots, handled the pieces as gently as possible, did not trim the outside edges before sewing on the sashing and still had to do a little easing. Put the fuller side to the feed dogs and that will help. I worked from the middle out so that it stayed pretty square.

kristakz

Definitely measure and ease, don't just cut long and sew them together (you will have a stretched, wonky result). Have you tried some steam to shrink the braid back to it's "correct" length? If the bias edges stretched during handling, sometimes a little gentle (or not so gentle) steaming can undo a lot of that. Try steaming what you already sewed and see if it improves the waves a bit.

Phyllis nm

I wonder,,,,,<o></o>
If you cut your strips on the bias then they would be sewn them together on the straight of grain?<o></o>
Will that work?<o></o>

katier825

The easiest way to handle them is to starch and sew the sashing strip on prior to cutting off the points. if it's too late, I'd still try to starch, then stay stitch before putting on the sashing. Sew with the braid side against the feed dogs and the sashing up. Measure each piece in 1/4s and either mark with a pin or pencil and match up the 1/4s. Then pin in between those pins (lots of pins) should help hold it in place while you stitch. Looking forward to seeing it...I love French Braid quilts!

katier825

I think that would be even more difficult. With all that stretch on each strip, there's no guarantee the edge would end up on the straight of grain.

If one is careful, it's not too bad to deal with the bias on the braid quilt. It helps to starch before you cut, and before you do the sashing. Sewing the sashing on prior to trimming the points is very helpful too.

hevemi

I'm glad I found this post as I am about to attach a French Braid border onto a lap quilt for my grand daughter's 18th birthday (which was yesterday) and I' trying to figure out how to do it. I have a narrow inner border sewn on. I'm tempted to try attaching it using QAYG technique- that way I can always rip it out and do plain border if too frustrated. Do you think it would work? I'd be willing to take advantage of ALL your tips here to avoid stretching. It will be my first braid border and must get it done this weekend.