Hi Braid-A-Longers and Freinds,
It’s day 2 on our Braid-A-Long and I bet you are all getting super antsy to start braiding that t-shirt yarn you’ve cut up aren’t you?
So today’s lesson is all how to START the braid, and here’s what I want you to do. We are going to practice. Yes, practice. We are going to start SEVERAL, as in a minimum of 3, braids. What???
The reason why I want you all to practice this initial step is to get a good starter center of the braided rug. This is important! For the success of the rest of the rug your center needs to be completely FLAT and not buckle in any way. It is a little tricky because these t-shirts stretch and are prone to act in a way that is entirely not how you intend. So we are going to practice and may the best center win!!!
So go grab your yarn and let’s begin.
With TWO pieces of yarn, one that is about 1 yard in length and another that is about 18 inches in length…
Stitch the shorter length into the longer length in a T formation like so…
Clip your threads and let the yarn roll back onto itself again. Now start the braid by taking the RIGHT yarn OVER the CENTER yarn…
And then the LEFT yarn OVER the yarn you just passed into the center position…
Then again with the new RIGHT yarn over the new CENTER and continue this…
until you have used up all but 6-8 inches of your length of yarns…
This is your starter braid.
Now go make up at least 3 of these!
And when you are ready we are going to move over to the machine and sew the braid together…
Position your braid so it makes a shepherds crook to the LEFT. The bent over portion is about 2 inches…
Position this under your pressure foot and set your stitch to a zig-zag stitch as wide as it will go and a medium length. Now begin zig zagging…
Continue going around and around, pushing the two edges together until you have a disc about the size of a coaster…
Be sure to keep the Feeder braid (what is being fed into the machine) loose, you almost have to give it a slight (very slight) push forward as you press the two edges together. You don’t want to stretch it too much or you’ll end up with a cup instead of a coaster! Slight cupping is normal, but just slight! Your goal, my fearless braiders, is to get your practice braids FLAT!
Now go and practice…leave a little bit of a tail at the end to add on another yarn, which I’ll show you that tomorrow!
Have fun!!
And I want to see your braids! So don’t forget to go to Flickr and join the Sewingforlife! Project Group okay?!
Be back tomorrow with more braiding fun!
~Cathy
Related articles
- Braid-A-Long 2012 Day 1 – Prepare Your T-Shirt Yarn (sewingforlife.wordpress.com)
- Braid-A-Long Day 3 – Attaching A New Color (sewingforlife.wordpress.com)
- Who Wants To Do a Braid-A-Long? (sewingforlife.wordpress.com)
I have never made a braided rug but think it would make an interesting and beautiful addition in my kitchen. You missed the most basic step of collecting your t-shirts. How many different colours make an interesting piece? How many shirts are needed for an average rug, say 3X4 ft.?
This is under the assumption you are inundated with t-shirts, there isn’t a need for a most basic step, it’s already overflowing from your closet…
But you can always purchase them if you wish from the local thrift shop or ask you neighbors.
Colors are subjective, use whatever you have on hand, or make it monotone. This is a scrap project so it is up to you.
Assuming you are going to make a rectangular rug 3′ x 4′ you would probably need about 20 t-shirts, that is my best guess. As I’ve never made a 3′ x 4′ I can only guess on that matter but I would wager you’d need about 20.
~Cathy
Sorry, I found the answer to one question but still am unsure how many different colours to select to make a beautiful rug. I noticed you used different shades of blue and green with the hit of bright yellow. Would you recommend just using one hit of bright colour and keeping with tone on tone for the rest?
Don’t get too hung up on colors. You will be surprised at just how beautiful your rug will be with all different colors. On the rug you mentioned I did use some of my favorite colors in that with splashes of yellow. I liked the way it came out but they are all different. One thing I like to do is have one of the colors be a lighter color, it adds sparkle and as I get out toward the border I add in darker colors. By the edge there is a dark outer ring.
~Cathy
I’m having trouble with feeding the braids in the sewing machine… Any tips on getting started?
Hi Cassie,
I use a Bernina sewing machine and the braid takes a little bit of a push to get under the pressure foot. But once it gets started it is not difficult to sew. The sewing ‘squashes’ the fibers down a little.
Is yours just not fitting under the foot?
~Cathy