French Braid Quilt Top
 

I'm sure one of you ladies has done one of these. I have seen pic's and was wowed by the results. If anyone here can tell me if it is an easy Quilt Top to start on. I haven't pieced a top and am debating on doing one of these. I just need to know if it is a good starter top. The French Braid Quilts I have seen are beautiful. Please if you have any input on this I would appreciate it.

Piecing each braid is easy, but when it comes to sewing the strips to the sashing it can be challenging working with bias edges the entire length of the quilt. My daughter, who is a pretty experienced seamstress, had some trouble with this, but in the end we got it all worked out just perfectly. If you are comfortable working with LOTS of bias edges, go for it. If not, my advice would be to try something else first.

Are you an accomplished seamstress who is just starting to quilt? If so, go for it. If not, then I agree with Wendy. It is not a difficult quilt, but there are so many lessons to learn on your FIRST TOP that it would be better to start piecing with something simpler. YBR (Yellow Brick Road) was my first quilt, and wow! did I learn a lot about 1/4 inch seams even on that simple pattern.

Why not start with a French Braid Table runner to see if it is something you would like to make on a grander scale? Here are some easy tutorials for it, including one here on QB.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...r-t189531.html

http://destashification.com/2011/10/...-the-tutorial/

That is why I love this site. Thanks a million. I think I will try the Table Runner first then if I feel brave enough I will try the Quilt. I guess I need to start out with something simpler like Thr Rail Fence. Thanks again and I printed off the Table Runner

I agree with an earlier post .. try a tablerunner first .. if you like the method and get the results you want ... then go for it.

Once you master the 1/4" seam, the the (quilting) world is your oyster--LOL. I also strongly advise you to pre-wash your fabrics and starch them until they are fairly stiff--almost like paper. It will be easier to cut and piece and will help control the bias edges.

Yesterday, I saw my first "French Braid" quilt. I fell in love. I bought one of the books and read it thoroughly. Now I am ready to go pick out the fabrics and start my own. I am so excited. I am going to keep the book by my side so I don't make errors, hopefully. Boy, the one I saw was so gorgeous. I'm putting all my projects away and cleaning my room to on my paypal, I can buy my fabric and get to work.

check this video out.....I can't keep this tool in stock...(though right now I have a new order of 6)

this is crazy fast and fun!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpHAp_pyVXQ

Here is a great tute. I saved this link because I want to do the homespun one; I really like is and it is easy to follow
http://keepyouinstitches.blogspot.co...-tutorial.html

I haven't tried this pattern yet put after watshing the tutorial I'm going to have to give it a try.

My first quilt was Eleanor Burns Quilt in a Day Log Cabin. It went together quickly with no problems. Her directions are easy. You can do a crib or twin size top in a day. A larger one would take longer and she has layout ideas in the book. When you get to the quilting of the quilt you can do a very simple straight stitching design.

When ever I have to cut bias edges such as trimming the french braid, I iron a 1" wide piece of interfacing down the back side to stableize the bias before trimming, then it is no problem attaching the sashing.

You can also use your fusable stableizer if you do machine embroidery.
This can stay in the seam, doesnt add much bulk.

I just finished my first pieced top and there were bunches of bias tips. What I found that was helpful to me, (lots and lots of starch for the smaller strips of fabric) was to use freezer paper on the very wide bias pieces so that they were stabilized when I cut them and after joining the next strip, which was on LOF and a straight grain, it stayed put and firm. I ripped it off after the second seam. I found the key was the size of the bias length, i.e., starch or freezer paper. You can do it. I appreciated the table runner PDF and I have a group of fabric for it. So Thanks.

I love the French Braid and the Friendship Braid as well; I'm too scared to try them just yet. I admire your courage and think the tutorials provided by the others will be of great benefit. Good luck! You can do it, remember to have fun making it. There are no "mistakes" just happy and unique accidents!

Jean-- Thanks for this hint. I had never heard it before, but it makes so much sense! I'm currently working on a black/white/hot pink French braid quilt for my DGD. I will be using your method when I get to that point!

I took a class, and, of course, didn't finish my quilt. The one thing the teacher stressed was do NOT hang your quilt until it is completely finished. It will stretch and then the sashing won't fit. I agree, it is a beautiful quilt, and I will eventually finish mine. This summer I hope.
Sue

one thing I did notice while watching the video from MOstar was WHy would you use a whole braid piece at the beginning when you end up cutting it off? why not use part of the left over strip that she shows being tossed aside?

Oh, no for me on this one. I'm a newbie and I'm only up to "confident beginner".

The Friendship braid quilt is an easy one to do with the quilt as you go technique and that eliminates the whole issue of the bias edges. Once the strips are finished, you connect them with a joining strip between them.
Use the tutorial that shows you how to foundation piece the friendship braid, but instead of using a foundation fabric, layer your backing and batting and stitch onto that. You'll end up with each braid already quilted when you're done and
then all you do is connect them, add a border and bind it.

I just started quilting and went to a Eleanor burns quilt in a day log cabin quilt. I learned so much, cutting,sewing etc. but the most important thing I learned is that quilt in a day is false advertisement!!'

Missouri Star Quilt company also has a tutorial for the friendship braid using a half Hexagon template and 2 1/2" strips http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Dn_4vTxwfk

Great tut Jacquie. I too have admired the French Braid but haven't tried one yet. I like the advise to Grannyh and think I'll also try a table runner first, working my way up. Thanks!

Very interesting discussion! I want to make a French Braid quilt someday, but had never researched the problems!
I've just learned so much! Thanks everyone for the great tips and the tutorials!!

It was one of my firsts, and I didn't have any problem with it. It was fun!

I just made a scrappy braid quilt by following the pattern here http://quiltville.blogspot.ca/2005/0...d-borders.html. This is for a border but I made a quilt with 5 strips & sashing between the strips. My friend is making one now & this will be her 1st quilt. Go for it! This pattern is great for a beginner.

There's some great advice that others have given. One other hint I could add is this: when you're putting your braids down to match up and pin, DO NOT pick up one end and flip it (like you would sheets) to move it. This will stretch them out, and this movement is an unconscious move that we all make I think to straighten out quilt tops and sections. Other than being careful of the bias stretching, just pay attention to the details and you'll end up with a very nice quilt. (p.s. after I made mine, I gave the book away!!)

jaciqltznok, I knew before I went to the tute that that was the one you had linked to! I just did one of those & it was so easy! Thanks auntpiggylpn for posting the tute I posted for the runner. It's really simple also. Ya'll beat me to the posts! Granny, try both these. Or one of them. You'll like the results!

Oh! A little hint on working with bias....starch the piece first, then cut. Helps to retain shape.

Here's another Missouri Star demonstration of making a friendship braid:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Dn_4vTxwfk

I have cut and pieced this type of quilt using 60 degree half hexagons. It went together easy enough, but I used precut charms. I got a full hexagon out of each square and went through 2 packs of charms without having the braids long enough for a lap quilt. When I went to buy another package of charms my LAQ was out and couldn't get any more!!! Needless to say it sits on my shelf until I figure out what to do with it! Maybe table runner...hmmm.

GrannyH, look on Mirkwood Designs website. They have one using jelly rolls and the template to cut it. I am doing one of these now and am loving the way it's turning out. With this one, you don't have the zig-zag edges, causing you have to trim off of the sides and waste quite a bit of fabric. It goes together quickly and is very easy. I looked forever to find a pattern where there wouldn't be so much waste and this one meets the bill!

Great tutorial!! Now I don't have to read the book or pattern because (you know...) to read the manual is an admission of failure. I wonder how many other quilters resist the reading part?

That's why I like pictures! I am more visual; sometimes the written part just isn't clear to me!

Thanks, BKrenning...I was just going to make the comment that I'm going to starch the heck out of my bias edges before I cut. I think I'll try the tablerunner first, too. My first quilt was made at a mystery quilt retreat...wish I would have started with the rail fence, too!

I read through the directions for the destashification table runner and liked the idea of sewing it to a foundation as she said that this would help reduce the bias problem. http://destashification.com/2011/10/...-the-tutorial/

This works great and I have used the half hexie tool also for this same pattern. Also from MSQC