Braiding- An Easy Bag Embellishment Pictorial

February 28, 2013 / Kat / Comments Off on Braiding- An Easy Bag Embellishment Pictorial

(This post is part of a continuing series focusing on the development of a new handbag pattern from its initial conception to it’s release.)

So… in our last post I showed you our new design, The Guardian all dressed up retro-style in Michael Miller fabric.

And here’s the deal, once the details of a new design are pretty much resolved and the instructions are done, I LOVE being able to take the time to really have fun with the exterior. It’s great experimenting with new fabrics and one of my favorite things to do is to work on creative ways of embellishing the exterior!

For this bag, I felt like the front zippered area would be PERFECT for various piecing techniques and since I’ve had this braiding technique in mind for some time now, I thought what better time to play around with it?

This technique is SO quick and easy. It only took me an hour or so to piece and braid this front area together and that INCLUDES the cutting time. Interested? Let me show you how?

First, choose at least three coordinating fabrics, (I chose 6)
then cut strips of 1/1/2″ X 6″.
Next, place two strips right sides together at right angles to each other. 
Stitch together using 1/4″ seams.
Press seams open.
Place your next strip across the seam just sewn. Stitch 1/4″ from aligned edges.
Press seam open.
Keep adding strips in the same way, adding new strips one by one….
and then pressing the seams open, until you have a braided section large enough
to fit underneath the pattern piece for the area you wish to embellish, in this case, the CC Holder.

Now all you have to do is center your pattern piece, cut it out, then use it to make your bag according to the regular instructions.

And now, it’s YOUR turn!

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Kat