Are you brave enough for the braid?

 For the novice or those who live in fear of bias edges:
    Once you have your fabric selected, do some cutting.  I generally cut segments about 6" to 7".......the length you need to start with will really depend on your strip width.  Yes, you will have some tails---and waste---when you trim, but during the sewing process you don't have to contend with the bias.  Note----all the seams are straight easy to sew seams!

  In the photo--top right corner---a square starts you off.  Add a strip to on side.  Then add the second strip to the opposite side.  Repeat...and repeat.

  When the band is the length you want, you need to square it up.  You will need to cut thru the center of the square to get the base.  I chalked the cutting lines in on this sample.

   Tip:  I lined up the point of the square with a line on the ruler.  The points of each segment should fall on that same line.

  You will also find a variation of this that uses an offset center point......the final look is just a bit different because one side of the band has longer strips.  You decide which way you want to go.

  Tip:  I do not cut and trim off the sides until I am ready to either join them together or add the separating strip to the bands.  The less time the bias is "free to grow", the less stretch  I have to worry about.  

   In this photo, you can see the bands are sewn but the sides are not cut yet.  The bands were placed on the design wall until I was happy with the arrangement and had the separator strips prepared.   Once the bands are sewn and cut.....you have bias edges!  Just plan ahead how you will work with them.
 In an email from Lynn at What a Hoot, she shared her tip:

I have spacers between my braids,  so there is a bias against a straight edge on each seam. If I were sewing braid directly to braid, I would definitely press them first with some *serious* starching to help control the double bias seam!

For the very brave......If you are not afraid of bias, hate to waste an inch of fabric, and like to have the pieces cut exactly  to measurement, then read on.
   I ran across a quick video on Youtube that I thought was worth sharing.  From the Missouri Star Quilt comes a quick method of cutting pairs of braid segments using the Binding Tool as a template.   Since you probably have one of these, it's a free template.
  There is a new ruler on the market that is set up to cut pieces for a braid quilt, but I found it $$ and confusing.  So if I wanted a template, I would use the binding tool for sure.

Don't forget the check out the braid quilt examples on the Braid Quilt board on Pinterest.   I added a couple of new ones. I would love to share some of those quilt photos here, but don't want to run into trouble...evil grin...so I just pinned them.   I have mainly used narrow separator strips before.....but I am liking the wider separator bands I lot.

  What else can I say about braid quilts?  Hang on, there is more.  Next post will talk about French Braid Quilts and what makes them different.  Got to finish cutting strips, happy quilting!

All done!

The string quilt of colors is Faceted Jewels II, and the applique quilt is my challenge quilt, Hiding in the Garden.    These two have been hanging around for a while, as both started as NewFOs  at the beginning of the year.  

   This is a small version of the first.....only 42" by 56".   The blocks were string pieced onto a muslin foundation that was 7 1/2".  The binding is the same dark green used in each block.  I love the concentration of colors and the mix of values done this way.  This is probably the easiest quilt ever.

   The challenge, from Lemons to Lemonade, involved picking an ugly fabric out of the bag.  Luckily mine was not that ugly, merely dated.....a small calico from the later 80s!  I "hid" the ugly among the flowers, in the 9-patch trellis, and the border strip.  

   I mixed up the background fabrics.... white on white, and tans, and creams, for a shadowing effect.  The  stems are fusible bias, and all the applique was fused before stitching.
   Using lots of fabrics, I hoped to dilute out the ugly one.  If  I put enough in to keep you looking, maybe you would overlook that calico.







   I  went overboard with the quilting.....but it was fun to fill in all the open space with swirls, leaves and feathery things!    Note:  What's a feathery thing?  Not a traditional feather, but has lots of plumes and it often turns into something else like a leaf or swirl.   And I filled the border with feathers all the way around.
  Insight:  Take a chance.....with fabric or the FMQ.  If you put enough on it, the mistakes are less noticeable!  And after all that FMQ, you will be a lot more confident.

     Nice to finish up, because I need to get those 2 baby quilts started.  I have decided to go with a chevron quilt/modern zig-zag pattern.  So maybe I can get to cutting up some fabric today.
  Happy stitching.

Still making blocks

  I had a question from Wanda about curving the bias stems with the fused paper on the stem.  So to clarify that,  here's a photo of how I begin.  I remove a couple inches of the paper backing on the fusible.  I usually draw the basic curve  line in chalk before I begin.....otherwise all my stems will curve the same general direction.  I guess it is just the way my hand and mind work.    I pin the end in place and gently stretch the bias in a curve and press with the tip of my iron as I go.  The fusible holds just enough to keep the shape in place, and if I want to change it (or add a second stem), I can easily peel it off the background. 

I love this one...very sassy attitude.  Wish I had those kind of curves!   To finish off the small curved stem, I added a small circle like a "bud" at the end of the stem---rather than try to tuck it under.

This is one where  I added a second stem.  And added a bit of whimsy to it.  The blooms and leaves are fused also and stitched around the edge with a  zig-zag stitch.   I used a stem stitch to create the vein on the leaves on this one. 

    And, yes, I know I have different types of flowers growing on the same stem----my husband pointed out my error.  Big Smile from me ;).

That is what makes it fun.

Happy stitching.

First blocks for String Me Along

 Here are the first two block sections with different bias methods used.  The one on the left is with the folded bias tape maker---it is about 3/8" wide.  The one on the left is made using the sewn tube method and is only 1/4" wide.   I did manage to get  a small curl  on one end that I liked. 

  I used a tear away  stabilizer when stitching the bias down (that's why I folded back the edge on the left one, for you to see).  It is pinned in place, not fused.   Why use a stabilizer.....with this much twisting and turning when stitching, I wanted to make sure I did not stretch anything out of shape.

 There is a wide variety of stabilizers on the market...I just used what I had on hand.  Once all the applique is done, I will remove it before joining the sections. 

This is just a close up of the smaller tube bias.

Maybe you can tell that it is more raised than the folded bias. 

Blogger comment hasn't been working, but I have had emails about making the bias, and the look of it.  So hopefully, these  photos will help those who are afraid of trying it. 
Any other questions, please ask.
  I am off to get the tomato plants planted and then finish up quilting on the batiks....so excited because it looks great I think. 

Happy stitching.

Making bias stems

Bias stems and I need  a lot of them!   Here's a couple of ways to create them.

First I cut a large triangle  (one half of a square) from the selected fabric. 

 Cut 1" strips along the bias edge.

While I am cutting, I also cut 1/4" slivers from a small piece of heat and bond light.  Set these aside for right now. 

  First method is using a bias tape maker.  What a neat tool, easy to use, and saves burned fingers. 
I lightly mist the fabric with spray starch before inserting the end of the fabric into the large end of the maker.  Guide the fabric thru and as it comes out folded, I pin the end  to the ironing board.  As you slide the maker to the left, use the tip of the iron to press in the folds.  Work in small sections to press.

  If you don't have a bias tape maker, you can create a pathway of pins---at least two  but 3 or 4 would be better--- to create a similar "tool".   This takes a little time to set up---you need to fold the fabric to the desired width by hand first---insert a pin into the ironing board cover and come out exactly beside the fold of the bias. 
Then the pin goes over the fabric and back into the board cover exactly by the other fold.
 It may take a couple of tries to get it right, but you should then be able to pull the folded bias thru the pin pathway and press the fabric as you pull it out the end on the right.    I hope that makes sense.

  Another option is to use bias press bars.  These are silicon strips that are heat resistant, and they come in lots of sizes.  I picked up this pack while in Virginia last year at the Fancy Gap Fabric shop for 59 cents! 

Anyway, this technique requires a bit of sewing and trimming the seam down.  Cut a bias strip ---about 1 1/2" wide.  Decide how wide you want your bias, say 1/4". 

Fold the fabric wrong sides together.  Then mark a stitching line from the fold that is just a  little bit more than that.  (Remember--You need to be able to slip the bar into the tube.)  

 Stitch and trim the seam allowance down to a scant 1/8".  Slip the bar into the tube, rolling the seam to the back.

 Begin to press the tube as you pull if off the bar.  This produces a bias stem that is a bit thicker, but still works well.

  Make the bias fusible.....remember the slivers of heat and bond from the first photo?  Now is the time to use them.  Fuse them to the back of the bias stems----just center the fusible strip to the back  and press.   This will provide enough fusible to hold the stems in place until sewn down.  On the 1/4" bias, you can use a double needle even.  Otherwise, a small straight stitch on each side works great, or get the looks of hand applique with a blind hem stitch, or button hole stitch.
  Which do I prefer.....the bias fold maker because there is less bulk and the stem is easier to fuse.   I will do a block with the sewn type bias and take a photo to compare. 
Happy stitching.