Join #1 The Diagonal Join
The least noticeable way to join fabric strips is to sew them at a diagonal.
Take two strips of fabric and lay the first strip face up.
Lay the second strip down face down, so that the top corners overlap. (See picture below)
Sew diagonally across the strips. Reverse and sew again.
Cut off the excess material at about ¼”-3/8”.
Unfold your strips and your join is complete.
Join #2 The Straight Join
This join will be more noticeable than the diagonal join.
Take two strips of fabric and lay the first strip face up.
Lay the second strip face down directly on top of the first strip. (See picture below)
Sew straight across one end of the strips using a ¼”-3/8” seam.
Unfold the strips and your join is complete.
Tips for joining fabric strips:
If you are using multiple colors of fabric, it may be tempting to sit down and sew all of the strips together at once. By sewing them as you go, you can start putting the rug together and make color changes based on how it looks.
When braiding, start with strips of different lengths. If all strips are the same length, there may be places in your rug, where all three strips have a join and this could create a lump in your rug. By using different lengths, the joins will be spread throughout the rug and will not be as noticeable.
It’s easier to braid with shorter strips than with very long strips of fabric. If you’re just getting started with braiding, try to keep fabric strips about 4’ to 5’ at the longest so they don’t get tangled. When you need to join another fabric strip in the middle of a braid, use a safety pin to hold your braid tight, while you sew the join.
When selecting thread color, use the least noticeable color to avoid drawing attention to the joins in your rug.
