How to Braid or Plait Fabric and Uses
Article by KarensVariety.com
 

Braiding or Plaiting fabric is often used in rugs. It is a way of recycling old clothes or scraps of material. The braids are rolled up in a continuous circle to make a rug as large or as small as you wish. The fabric used can be one colour, a print, or many different fabrics, and can be heavy or fine texture. The choice is up to the creative mind.

* You can use the plaits to trim a vest or jacket, skirt hem or collar.

* Roll up two smaller circles to make a tote bag and use one braid as a carry handle.

* Sew two or more plaits together to make a belt.

* Make a headband.

* Make place mats and edge napkins.

* Use plaits around the edge of a cushion.

Cut fabric of similar thickness into strips as long as possible. It is easier to use fabric that doesn't unravel. How wide you make the strips depends on what you are making. You must have the strips wide enough to turn under the raw edges to meet in the middle on the wrong side. Press.
Unfold the raw edges of two strips and sew the ends together with a bias seam. Trim the corner and refold.
Attach the third folded strip with a few stitches so you have a T shape.
Now you are ready to plait the three strips together. You can attach the beginning end to a cupboard handle or pin it to your ironing board. Bring the left strip over the centre strip and then the right strip over that. Continue in this manner always putting left over centre then right over centre. Colours will alternate. Be sure to keep the folded edges towards the centre and the tension even as you work. Join new strips with a bias seam. If your work is very long, roll the finished work around cardboard to keep it from twisting.
To sew two plaits together, insert a needle and thread through one strip of one plait and across through the matching strip on the second plait.