OK so I decided to be bold and try the French Braid pattern. I am finding the directions so confusing. I can usually figure these patterns out so I am not totally without a few good brain cells or so I thought. Was going to say forget it but the material cost too much and I hate to give up. This one might make me. Anyway the pattern I am trying to make calls for a 15" base triangle. I don't have a ruler that does a 15" base nor can I find one. Will someone please help me??? I just want to get through this and will never do it again. Thank you.

FYI. JoAnn's sells a 20 inch ruler. it also has the measurements on it for setting triangles and corner triangles for each measurement you would need.
have you looked for youtube videos on what you need? or tutes in here?

Thanks - am going to JoAnn's today. Forgot about you tube.

You don't need any special ruler for this one.
http://www.quilterscache.com/B/BraidBlock.html

OMG!!! This is so much easier AND I can really understand it. Thank you so much.

quiltercache is a must have on your bookmarks or favorites list. When in doubt check there. Glad you got your problem resolved.

Yeah! So happy for you. I am always grateful for the knowledge on the Quiltingboard and the willingness to share.
Congratulations.

Any question I have ever had can be found on this board and Most times I don't have to even post a question. I think it is absolutely amazing.

Here is a tabletopper pattern the is the same as the French Braid and the instructions are easy and it has pictures. I made a lot of these and then bought the French Braid book. I didn't know it would be the same pattern!

http://www.quiltbug.com/free/table-topper.htm

thank you so much for the website I have been wanting to try the pattern but could not find a pattern I thought would do for me, this is it. thank you for asking the question...

PMing you with the following:

May I make a suggestion about the directions on the quilterscache.com page?

When you have sewn your braid and have all those little points hanging off each side, do NOT cut them off! To do so would leave you with bias edges....and we all know what bias edges do -- stretch.:thumbdown:

I found a trick long ago that has helped me often over the years.

When dealing with a long edge like this that needs to be bias:
1. BEFORE sewing the braid length into the rest of the top,
2. on the wrong side,
3. apply very narrow twill tape to the very edges along the line that you would be cutting...in this case, along the "valleys" of the edge.
4. Then cut away those little points leaving the twill tape to stabilize your edge/seam.

Twill tape doesn't stretch and, though it is sometimes hard to find, does come in 1/4" widths and will fit just at the seam allowance. In this case, I suggest leaving it within the seam allowance, and then making your allowance slightly larger than the 1/4" normally used as you sew the braid to the next piecing.

Your quilt will hang much straighter this way when it is bound, especially if your twilled edge is along the outside edges of the quilt.

Jan in VA

Thank you so very much. I can honestly say that if this were the first quilt I tried making, I would never quilt again. Just so happens that my DIL is a seamstress and has plenty of twill tape along with everything else a person would need. I really appreciate your help.

I'll add one more tip. Starch your fabric really well before cutting.
This will help with bias edges.

Yahoo! I hate defeat so I took a deep breath and made that 15" triangle. Still feel rather obtuse though because it wasn't rocket science. I have to stop getting intimidated by patterns. I still say this particular pattern was very confusing. Once I got past the triangle, etc. and starting putting it together I realize it really isn't that hard. Thanks to you all.