I tried again & I overcame :-)
Last week I tried to make a purple French Braid table runner with white diamonds running down either side. It was so pretty and yet so utterly wrong!! It was so wrong I've buried it! The diamonds on either side lead in two different directions. One side was obviously longer than the other which gave it a lopsided look. It was the epitomy of failures all around. Yesterday, I'd finished the harvest/Christmas runner for another DGD so I cut out another French Braid runner from Christmas fabrics as shown in the picture on the pattern I'd found. It was an itty bitty picture, but I recognized the Santa fabric! :-) I was sewing this new one together at 3 a.m. this morning and I must say I overcame whatever caused me to fail so miserably on the purple one! This one is amazing!! Now, I've just got to figure out when appliqueing holly leaves as a focal point in the center, at what point do I applique them? Before I sandwich it, after I cut the battings (before the backing) or after it's all together. I've come this far and I don't want to ruin this now! LOL! Thank you for any suggestions.