I just saw (and drooled over) a combination French Braid and machine embroidery quilt photo (alternating long panels ... one Fr. Braid and the other unbroken panel with ME on it). I looked through my stack of quilting books but cannot find French Braid instructions there. I have not yet looked through my magazines; I've never properly flagged the 'good stuff' in them, so it would be a huge undertaking to browse through them all and I'm basically lazy. I saw a book specifically devoted to Fr. Braid quilts for sale, but before I buy, I'm wondering if any of you have seen any free French Braid instructions and can steer me in that direction. I could figure out how to do it on my own, but would really rather not.

somewhere I saw a book about french braid quilts. Try Amazon

Here's a free pattern for a braid that might help. http://www.quilterscache.com/B/BraidBlock.html

Otherwise, I highly recommend this book: http://www.amazon.com/French-Braid-Q.../dp/1571203265

I found a good one on www.modafabrics.com

Sue

This is the one i did last year..it was fun to do, because of the colors. I have the patten, it is the same as the one from quilters cache, that was posted in the previous link..

Hmmm, didn't find the braid on moda... but love the bib pattern, thanks!

I have made the french braid quilt which is different from quilterscache and from quiltville..... although both of those patterns are also great.

Love to see what you came up with.

Oh i like that! With the black square in the center! never tried it that way! here is the PDF file for the one on the moda site..love the bib too!

http://www.unitednotions.com/fp_sultry.pdf

Thanks very much. I printed the quilterscache one and was pleased to see that I had guessed correctly about how the pieces go together. The book is one I saw in my on-line search yesterday.

Thimblebug: very nice. The one I saw (with the alternating ME panels) also had the little square block in each one. I really like it.

Thanks! I downloaded this one as well.

I have wanted to do a french braid for a while, but it looked really complicated. Is it? The ones shown here are beautiful :thumbup:

I have the French Braid Book, this free pattern is exactly the same, just make each panel longer.

http://quiltbug.com/Free/table-topper.htm

not complicated at all.... just buy the pattern and do as you're told...hehehe
honestly...I was kind of intimidated when I purchased the book....then took it step by step.... I know there's many more complicated versions of this out there...but I was pleased with what I accomplished.

A quilt like this would lend itself to machine quilting in sections. It is something for me to keep in mind for later next year. My son and DIL have a king size bed and later this year or first of next I am hoping to do a quilt for their bed. Paying someone to quilt it would not be an option and my home frame only accommodates up to a queen. This is a lovely quilt. Thanks for sharing.

That's a good one, also, and I've made a copy. Thanks!

I found that one, also, Sue (took me twice to look at all the free patterns before I finally found it). Thank you.

You're exactly right. My French braid was the first quilt that I quilted in sections.

HOW ABSOLUTLY BEAUTIFUL!!!

Dunster, very nice! and similar to the one I liked that has the machine embroidery on every other panel.

Oh Dunstar, that is beautiful. I bought a book off of Amazon for French Braids, and took one look and had a heartattack...it really looks difficult. I know, I know, take a challenge now and again, so I have printed out the pattern myself from quiltbug, and I HOPE I can do this..lol
OR...it will end up in the scrap bag....hahah

This is the pattern I used.

I have a book for jelly rolls and there's a pattern in there that I used. The book's title is: Jelly Roll Quilts. I made the strips and it was super easy. I haven't put the entire top together yet, but have the rows done. One jelly roll made 7 rows that are 6 inches wide X 72 inches long. VERY EASY.

We recently did a posting on the French Braid, when I did the Nov/Dec doll quilt in that pattern. Here's a picture of the little one I did, and the big one I did in 2008. There is a really good book on French Braids. See the other post in the Nov/Dec Doll Quilt Swap...I put the name and author there.

This was my first French Braid, I have another started where I embroidered a butterfly on the center square and built the braid out from it. It's on my WIP pile that I am working on. :)

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-2809-1.htm

Cumberland, did the pattern how you angle the strips before sewing? Seems it would be easier to cut the angle all at one time after the strips were sewn. I have the very same Moda jelly roll and I love the color combination.

This pattern had a template that you used to cut from the strips.

I'm going to try this one.

I'm going to try it too! That seems the best way! Thanks.

I think the reason they had you use the template and cut before is to get the most out of the jelly roll. There was literally NO waste.

Thank you so much for the link! I've printed out a copy. I have been wondering how in the world these are made. It never occurred to me to start at the bottom and work my way upward. Duh! :oops: I love the little black cornerstones that end up in the center. Thank you again for sharing!!!

This I understand. Thanks so much for this info.

This I understand. Thanks so much for this info.

I am finishing a quilt for my daughter and was looking for another project since my husband has requested one for himself. He is 6"4 and he wants one that will cover him completely from head to toe. This looks like one that I will have no problem doing and finishing within a couple of months. I always get tired of making blocks before I get to the size I need it to be. Thanks for this great discussion, can't wait to go back to the fabric store to get busy on it.

I've never done a French Braid, looks very easy and probably goes fast. Thanks to all for the free pattern websites. I really love all the information I get on here.

I just finished a French Braid quilt and I used the pattern from Quilters Cache. I would recommend you sew a basting stitch down the sides "before" cutting; to reduce the bias acting up :). Something I learned AFTER the fact :). Can't wait to see it.
Sharon

Sharon, thanks for the basting stitch tip. My eldest daughter orders from Amazon regularly and has added Jane Hardy Miller's "French Braid Quilts" to her order list. I have a mental image of how I want my FB quilt to look and I don't think my stash has what I want, so it will be fabric shopping time after I get the book.

I'm hoping it goes fast too! My hubby's step grandfather just started chemo and I want to make him a quilt to keep him warm during this time. He's very frail and in his 80's so we don't expect him to make it, especially since he has stage 4 lung cancer. Poor man!! So I need to make it very quickly! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this is a quick one.

I made my first quilt in Sept. It was a French Braid from the book "French Braid Quilts" by Jane Hardy Miller with Arlene Netten. There are 14 patterns in this book and there is also another book by them that has wonderful unique designs. I am new to quilting and love all of your pictures. When I figure out how to get around, I would love to share.

What are "ME panels"??

Margie

Machine embroidery, Margie. Every other panel in the French Braid quilt (photo) that I saw and loved was an uncut strip of fabric, the same width as the French Braid panels, with machine embroidery down its center. It was really stunning.