Batik Braid Tutorial

Thanks for joining us, everyone!  I have a special treat for all of us today - my friend Donna is my first guest blogger!  Donna and I "met" over the internet about 10 years ago through our common love of Siberian Huskies.  I'm happy to report that she has caught the quilting bug lately (yea!) and has also joined the ranks of Bernina converts (yea! again).  It's been so fun seeing the quilt spark catch fire in her - and wow, her skills already blow me away!

One of Donna's recent projects is a VERY cool table runner.  Along the edges, she used a Batik Braid she made from half hexagons.  I just smiled like crazy when she told me she was watching a TV show about the process... and was already dissecting everything in her head with the "I could figure out how to do that".  ☺  She made the table runner for a fund raiser for Harnessed to Hope Northern Breed Rescue using her technique - and wrote up a tutorial for all of us along the way!!!  Without further ado, here is Donna's tute!


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Batik Braid Made from Half Hexagons

Used on Batik Dog Sled Table Runner

Donna Gazda

Note:   I saw this braid made on a TV show.  I thought it would be perfect for a table runner.

I made the above batik braid strip using the 2-1/4” half hexagon template from the Marti Michell Set G template set. Her templates already include the ¼” seam allowance. There is also a 1-1/2” half hexagon template in the Set G package, along with full hexagon templates, along with other templates. 

Below is the Batik Dog Sled Runner with the batik braid:

I used 10 different batik fabrics for this braid and used the 2-1/4” half hexagon template. I cut 2-1/4” strips from each piece of fabric (the strips were cut crosswise grain – selvage to selvage edge). Fabric was folded in half (selvage edge to selvage edge). Using the 2-1/4” template, I was able to get 5 cuts of half hexagons for a total of 10 half hexagons.    
Alternate the template (as shown below) to cut the half hexagons.
 By using an even number of fabric strips, when they were sewn together, the same 5 fabrics ended up on the same size. I think if you use an odd number of strips, the half hexagons will alternate on both sides of the braid strip.
I took the template and laid it in the manner in which you will lay out your pieces and sew them together. See first picture below. The second picture shows all the fabric hexagons that I used.



Lay piece 1 onto piece 2 as shown below (right sides together) and sew using ¼” seam allowance. Press piece #1 down.



 Lay piece #3 across pieces 1 and 2. Stitch as shown. Press piece #3 up with seam toward pieces 1 and 2, as shown below:



 Lay piece #4 across pieces 2 and 3. Stitch as shown. Press piece #4 up with seam toward pieces 2 and 3, as shown below:



 Lay piece #5 across pieces 4 and 3. Stitch as shown. Press piece #5 up with seam toward pieces 4 and 3, as shown below:



 Lay piece #6 across pieces 4 and 5. Stitch as shown. Press piece #6 up with seam toward pieces 4 and 5, as shown below:



 Keeping sewing your half hexagons together until you get your desired length you need for your quilt. Square off the bottom and top of your strip, then sew onto your quilt.

 Finished length should look like this (above).
 Squaring off bottom and top of strip….see below.



 And a look at squaring up the top:


(Note from KZK: Hmm... something tells me Donna has already started ANOTHER braid!)

Here is a look at what the back of your braid should look like, prior to squaring it up:

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Wow!  Donna, thank you so much!  You really made it look so "do-able" and I can't wait to try it out!

Now, for those of us who don't have Marti Michell's templates, Donna says you can really use any size of half hexagon and any size strips.  Just remember that if you use a whole hexie -- add the 1/4" seam allowance beyond that "half way" line.  Hopefully this photo will help explain:



See there on the right, how the "half hexie" extends an extra 1/4" beyond the center of the full hexie?? That's what you need to do! And you can ALWAYS order a set of your own Marti Michell templates at this link. Donna used the "G" set for her runner!

For another great tutorial on this technique, please check out Jenny from the Missouri Star Quilt Company's video tute at this link.

If any of you try Donna's tute out - let us know how it goes for you!

Thanks again, Donna - and thank you for reading!