Applique braiding

[braider]

I have braided thousands of feet of this braid using miles of lace to do it with. The first time that I used the S appliqué braid I wasn't very happy with how it looked. I soon figured out ways to, in my opinion, make it look better. The biggest difference in how I do it has to do with the lay out of the holes. I think every book that I have seen describing how to do this braid tells you to punch two rows of side by side holes. That made for one of the forward stretches to be longer than the other.

What made me think of a better way to do it was when I used it to attach two pieces of leather together. When I was braiding it the longer stretch seemed to want to get shorter, and the shorter stretch wanted to get longer. I thought why not just go with that and make them both the same. Ever since then I have staggered the holes instead of punching them side by side. Make the two rows form a zig zag instead if them being across from each other.

Subsequently, when I now use it to attach two pieces together I use three rows of holes. Two rows of staggered holes on the under side piece. The single row on the top side piece that goes over the outside row of the under side piece.

I think doing it this way makes the braid more versatile. In particular, it looks nicer when going around corners.

Below is a picture of a bag that I made using this method for the S appliqué braid and a picture of a section of the patterns used to lay it out.

[MadHatter]

I think you are right on staggering the holes for that braid.

[Tucker6591]

whoa talk about a crazy long bump!