Virtual Quilt Retreat - March Edition 3-22-13
 

Hello ladies, :) since everyone was interested in doing another quilt retreat, here we go. As some of you might know I have done a couple very striking french braid quilts (you can search here for "Celtic Knot french braid" to find them) And thought a nice french braid table runner would be great for a quick project.

I dont have all the instructions yet, but have the basics right now for fabric selection and minimum fabric requirements. There are infinite ways to complete/design a french braid, what I will be teaching here is the method that I use. I was greatly influenced by Jane Hardy Miller's Books on french braids
http://www.amazon.com/French-Braid-Q.../dp/1571203265
And if you are interested in french braids she is a fantastic resource.

So quilt retreat will start on Friday March 22nd through Sunday March 24th. That is next weekend. I wanted to post early so everyone has time to select fabrics. Again, please do NOT allow any instructions to get in the way of your creativity! Do what you feel is right for you, these are just guides on how to create a french braid that "glows" which is the kind I personally prefer.

Fabric Selection:
The key to a glowing braid is in the selection of fabrics used to create the braid. You have 2 different types of fabrics, the braid fabrics and the accent fabric. I will start with the discussion on how to select braid fabrics. These fabrics focus mainly on tone and value. You first need to decide what color you want the finished product to be, such as blue/green/yellow/etc. You may also decide to go through 2 or even 3 colors. I have done several of each, so I will strongly suggest for your first, settle on one color. It is infinitely easier to find one color than shifting through values of different colors.

Once you select the color family you want, then you need to find fabrics that go through the different values of that color in a specific tone. It is important to note, your fabrics for the braids need to be of the same tonal family but different values in that tone.

I general select 6 or 12 different values of one tone. You will need 12 different fabrics to make this table runner. These fabrics will create a "Run" (my name for it) which is the unique pattern of fabrics. You may decide to do 2 runs per side which will require only 6 fabrics, or 1 run per side which will require 12 fabrics. Below are photos of each type, the purple one is a double run and the red one is a single run.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]401984[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]401985[/ATTACH]

Now, before you get scared or excited about the center square, I can NOT legally give anyone the embroidery design for the center square. But never fear, we have options. (they are listed below)

Ok, now you need to select the accent fabric. I strongly suggest you pick an accent fabric that is complimentary but distinctly different. As you can see in the images you want to see the accents stand out from the fabrics. I used black in these runners. If you are doing a blue runner, navy blue might be a good selection for your accent. If you are doing a green one, then opt for either hunter or pine green (depending on tone). Basically the accent color is the heaviest value.

Please feel free to ask questions on fabric selections. I will be around to answer as soon as possible.

Center Square:
There are infinite options for the center squares. If you have an embroidery machine, this is a great time to use a nice square design. Another option would be to use decorative stitches on a solid in either a circle or square pattern. Another option is to fussy cut a pretty fabric. Also, if none of these options work for you, ;) you can always piece a block for the center. Enjoy yourself and select what works best for you.

Fabric Requirements:
Braids: Each fabric for the braids will require approximately:Accent: You will need 24 = 2 inch by 2 inch squares
Center Block: Center square needs to be 8.5 inches by 8.5 inches.

Backing: the backing will require a piece that is at least 12.5 inches wide by about 48 inches long.
*you can always piece this*
Binding: you will need a strip of binding (either 2.25 or 2.5 in wide depending on your desire) by 100 inches.

I generally dont cut my binding until I am done with the top, cause depending on your seams it may be plus or minus 48 inches long. Every one I make ends up a different size :D not sure how that happens.

Ok, so that is the basics you all need to know now. I will have instructions ready for next week mailing. I have to go get fabric for my sample piece still, so no photos for the instructions yet.

Again, if you are wanting a *.pdf version of the instructions, please PM me with your email address and I will send it to you. Please note some email clients will not accept large files and I may need to break the file up into pieces and send several emails to get it all to you. If you sent your email previously, I sorta didnt save them so you will need to resend. I will ask, if you want to be added to an email list for this let me know and I will create one so that you dont have to send the email every time.

Can't wait to play with you ladies on this :) going to be fun!

I saw the last one too late!! Want to get in on this one!

I'm in on this one. Thanks for posting fabric requirements early, i'll be shopping today. Now, to decide what color....maybe there will be something at the LQS to inspire.

Carolyn: This is really exciting. I had so much fun with the last one! This particular project is perfect. I have an embroidery machine that has never been out of the box :o and I have always wanted to do a french braid. How perfect could this project be?

Hi I would love to try this one. My e-mail address is : [email protected] Thanks, Rosalie {roe}

Having a hard time deciding which colorway I want to do the runner in. Went to LQS and picked up a couple possibilities. Picking fabrics for projects is a weakness of mine. Carolyn, what do you think of these?

Ohh sounds like fun, but hubby will be coming home late Friday night from being out of town for 2 weeks , so I Bette not get too involved I this one this time,

Sapphire, I personally like the teal / green mist colors on the left.
Y'all be sure And post pics when you are done please.
Have fun everyone!

Hey sapphire, both sets of fabric are beautiful and either will work. However, if you are trying to go for the "glowing" of the braid then there are some things here I would recommend.

#1. The green/teal ones while beautiful fabrics are not the same tonal family and will not make the braid glow.
#2. The purple ones do in a sense make a glowing braid, they are from the same tonal family and do range through the values. However, that one with the white dots does not fit the run. I would take that one out completely.

Your eyes should flow from one color to the next with a smooth transition. You should feel like your eyes are flowing from one side to the other without jarring. That purple with the white dots jars your eyes, they "stop" when traveling.

Now you do not have to go out and buy more fabric. Just go with a 5 fabric run. You will have a slightly shorter runner since you now have 5 fabrics. Which is perfectly ok. It is pretty long anyhow. Fat quarters are more than enough, you can easily make the runner much longer by doing 3 runs of 5 fabrics rather than 2 runs. Still enough fabric. A queen sized french braid with 12in wide braids only use 1/2yd of fabric per color. So trust me, 1/4 yd of fabric for table runner will leave you tons of extra.

***Side note: Forgot to add this above, but if you use Insul-Brite for the batting ;) you now have a multi-function table runner. It can work as a hot plate as well. Only caveat here is that if you do embroidery for the center you will not want to set hot pans on it. Rayon or Poly threads used in embroidery are not good with hot pans. Also be sure you use all cotton threads and fabrics if you are going to use it as a hot pad.

Now I will state here Sapphire and I discussed this at length in chat. And I did ask first if she wanted my honest opinion so I promise that I am not picking on her in a mean way. I asked her to post here so that I could answer over here and help everyone select their braid colors based on MY method.

Please remember that these are your table runners, if you want to have crazy different prints each braid, that is your choice and I applaud that! :) If however you want the glow of fabric that I have up there in my sample photos, then my comments above are how I do it. I will happily review anyones colors and give my honest opinion, but please tell me if you want honest opinion ;) Otherwise I will just assume that the colors you select are the ones YOU want for your runner. I get nervous giving my opinion, cause many people get a little touchy with criticism, even constructive kinds.

Carolyn, thank you for your advice regarding the fabrics and taking the time to help me and others. I respect you and would always want your honest opinion so I can learn. I am really looking forward to the retreat and making the braid runner. Now, to decide what to do in the middle square.

well you could always piece a block using the accent color and that fabric you pulled out of the braid :) it would still blend with the other colors and you dont have to worry about the jarring effect cause the center is supposed to stand out. :)

here are some suggestions:
http://www.quilterscache.com/B/BestFriendsBlock.html
http://www.quilterscache.com/C/CarnivalTimeBlock.html
http://www.quilterscache.com/C/CastlesinSpainBlock.html
http://www.quilterscache.com/I/IceCastleBlock.html

for the ambitious:
http://www.quilterscache.com/B/BraidedStarBlock.html
http://www.quilterscache.com/C/CircleTheFieldBlock.html

Perfect. We start our Open Quilt group on the 22nd. and maybe we can all join in. Should be fun

Carolyn, please add me to your list. [email protected]

Ok, here is my selection of fabrics :) just found them at my LQS and they were too pretty to pass up. No idea what I am going to do with the center or who this is going to in the end, but alas, that is part of the fun!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]402349[/ATTACH]

Since my plan is to work on runners, placemats and those little finger mitts for Christmas gifts this year, looking forward to doing this. I've been wanting to try this pattern too.

What's your thought on using an ombre fabric?

I have never worked with ombre fabrics before, but I can imagine if you use a dark center/accent blocks and ombre where the darker is in the center moving out to the lightest.....or vice versa. It would be stunning. The only thing would be to watch how you cut the fabrics.....

so essentially...go for it :) and see where the creativity takes you!

.

I think I just might...like pushing myself.

would love the pdf. The pictures are just beautiful.Cant wait to get started! Elaine

I'm looking forward to it. Attached is a pix of what I have so far. The flower is the center square. Black is the contrast squares. The run of reds is the bars. I'm thinking there's too much middle value and the lightest 2 are too close in value. What do you think. What do you think of the hue and intensity?[ATTACH=CONFIG]402605[/ATTACH]

Would love to join you all. I have a busy weekend planned so think I will get a little head start and cut out my pieces before Friday as I wont be able to do more than an hour or so on Saturday and Sunday. I will be happy if I get the top done.

Ok, it is kinda hard to tell on pictures ;) but I would suggest switching the two on the right around, so the red/white polka dots first and the flame like one second. I would switch #5 and #6, #9 seems off a little, perhaps too much yellow, pull it out and see how it looks without it. I would then switch #8 before #6 and switch # 11 and 12.

So....just in case you are confused, counting from left to right this is the order I would put them in:
# 2, 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 5, 7, 10, 12, 11 (removing 9 all together)

Set it up like that, and walk away for a couple hours to overnight and look again.

I ended up switching a couple of mine just before I cut cause after walking away and coming back I noticed it didnt look completely right. The switches I recommended are to put the "blacks" closer together and the ones without black together....it should flow better. BTW, great choices on fabrics :)

I will try to get the instructions to you fast, I have an older version where I taught this in a class but we used a circle attachment to make the centerpiece. I can email that one to you if you would like. I am still working up the instructions for this one (making a sample at the same time for pictures) If you just want the cutting I'll post that right here for ya ;)

Center Square: 8.5 x 8.5 inches
Braids: 2 x 8.5 inches (cut 4 of each fabric for 1 run, 8 of each fabric for 2 runs..etc.)
Accent Squares: 2 x 2 inches ( you need two squares for each fabric used, so if you have 1 run of 9 fabrics, you need 18 accent squares. If you have 5 fabrics with 2 runs, you will end up with 10 braids on each side meaning you need 20 accent squares)

And just as a reminder, on my first post, the purple braid is a 5 fabric 2 run braid, the red one is an 11 fabric 1 run braid.

I generally put the top together before cutting the batting/backing and binding, just works better for me. Especially if you decide to pull out a fabric or put one in at the last minute.

Thanks Carolyn, will have a look at my stash tomorrow for some fabrics,

It is so wonderful of you to host the virtual retreat!!

Thank you. I agree with removing 9. I've had 1 & 2 switched many times. In the picture they do look a different hue, but not in person. I tried switching 11 & 12. And tried putting @5 later in the run. You're right, it's hard to tell in a picture. The daylight is gone, so these are with flash. The first picture, I think, is what you suggested. [ATTACH=CONFIG]402663[/ATTACH]This next picture is how I see them. I think it needs#6&8 removed and another added on each side of #9. I'll keep looking in my stash. Thank you for your help. And maybe another between #3 and 4.[ATTACH=CONFIG]402664[/ATTACH]

This may be fun, I have to go through my stash and see if I could make this work. Staten Island has only a Joanne's that is the barest Joanne's on the earth. Boy o boy do I miss the lovely quilt shops in NC

I love your idea and I've been wanting to do a full quilt so if I have time I will join you all.
May I make a suggestion for those of you trying to figure out the value of your fabric? It is very hard to know for sure the color values from your pictures because every computer shows colors differently. But if you take a small piece of each fabric (say a 2" square) and lay them on a scanner (all together) then print a gray scale copy of them, you should be able to see the difference in the values and place them from lightest to darkest. This was taught to me by a person who makes quilt portraits.

On more thing I forgot to ask, is there a certain time during the day or how does this work. I have never done this sort of thing before.

Oh this sounds like even more fun than the last one! (Which I got carried away on doing as a scrappy - every block different except for the sashing strips - and ended up with a lap quilt).
I've done a braid before but that one I used a series of contrasting colors which gave a completely different look. May do this in some of the same fabrics as I used on my green around the world that shades from dark to light and back. It is 19 different fabrics! Some of them "shouldn't have worked" but did.

Correction, the Around the World had 10 different fabrics but 19 rounds. Anyway I'm going with some of the same ones and changing out a few as well.

Well generally I am just here in/out about every couple hours over the weekend, to answer questions and provide encouragement. I pick the projects so that most people can finish them in a weekend (tis great to start/finish) we all post photos of our progress based on your desires. I strongly encourage it, it is fun to see how everyone's projects come together. And if you cant make it over the weekend but still want the pattern, just send me a PM with your email. I am not finicky about that. Just want to enjoy making something together :)

I am also in chat most of the weekend too, to answer immediate questions or visit. :)

You are right, I like the 2nd option best. I would recommend setting it out on a table you walk by often and just glance at it walking by in different lights and times of the day. That is what I do with my big braids. I think the colors look fine and work just fine together.

And Seasaw2mch had a great idea with the grey scale, you might if you have the right software do a grey scale on the image you have. Or if your camera can do a greyscale or b/w photo (mine does) then try taking it in b/w.

All else fails, squint and look at it sideways......sometimes that works for me

Just found the thread, I'm in again. But can't be here until Saturday. Thursday is our 32 anniversary but we are going out on Friday for Dinner and a movie. Loved doing the last one, and DDs puppy loves his mat.

Dedemac: Congrads on your 32nd. Glad your here.

Great, this will help me clean out some scraps as well. SO off I go to cut some strips! See you all later!

Our neighborhood sit & sew is tomorrow evening so think I'll pull out those ombre fabrics and find an accent fabric and do my cutting then. I hope this idea works.....sounds ok in my head LOL

Carolyn: I am kind of going out on a limb. The monochromatic use of color is what we are aiming for but I made the interesting discovery that there are very few blenders in my stash. So....I have a preprinted panel that would work for the center block, the colors are what I would term water colors purpley blue, jade green, grey and a muted gold. My question is do you think these colors could be made to work in your pattern? If so what should be considered when choosing the values? Any help would be very appreciated. Please be frank, my color sense is not always what it should be. I really want to learn from this experience.

I have done french braids through different colors, if you search on here, I have 2 queen sized ones. One done in the reds to black with black accents, and the other is done in fall colors, from green to yellow to orange to red, with brown as an accent color (search "Celtic Knot French Braid", I titled them the same) so it is possible to get that "glow" effect by going through different colors. I would say start with the lightest color, or the one in the center panel that is the lightest, audition the other colors next to it, going from light to dark in tone (start with tone then move to value)
Get a good attempt, then take a picture. Set this run up in a frequently passed by table, that gets all different lights, and look at it as you walk by and go about your business. Post the picture here ;) am sure we can help ya. And feel free to switch colors.

In the end, this is your table runner, it should be what makes you happy. As I am fond of saying "Never let the instructions get in the way of your creativity"

I am horribly OCD when it comes to colors, I still match socks to shirt and shoes. Scrappy quilts actually cause me pain. Not sure why, I just accept that is what I am :) So the color gradation type quilts "please" my eye. That is why I like doing them this way. :) But I know everyone is not like me. I have done a square table topper with this pattern (with modifications) and didnt do color gradation.....mom wanted specific colors in specific orders, just glad it is on her table and not mine...lol it turned out ok.......looked more like a broken up square...but eh, that is what was requested.

And limbs are loads of fun ;) especially when you have US HERE as your safety net. :) To quote someone famous "No risk = no rewards" go for it......:thumbup:

Got my strips cut and my center stitched. Here's a picture of my run laid out.

The colors did not show up very well on some of that. The center leaf design does not fade to white but a very yellowy green. The squiggly one is a medium light mossy green on dark cream. The next one is almost the same color leaves on a light celery background. The rest show pretty true to color on my screen.

Here is what I was thinking for my table runner[ATTACH=CONFIG]403095[/ATTACH]Cynthia, thank you for your encouragement. At least on my computer these colors are close to what they are in real life. Opions please?