Good question, Brandy! I tried my best to make the strips about 1/4" longer than what the final braids needed to be, since I knew it would shrink slightly. After they came out of the oven, they weren't quite perfect, so I used a sharp serrated knife to trim the ends ever so slightly. This is risky business since the braids might crack and fall apart, but it worked out well for me in this case. You're definitely welcome to give it a try. If you do, try trimming the crust pieces while they're still warm. They're more likely to cut cleanly rather than break when they're warm and flexible. Good luck!

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