How to Use Prize Ribbons for Quilts & Instructions

Nearly anything made of fabric can be incorporated into a keepsake quilt, including prize ribbons. Using prize ribbons to make quilts has a long tradition. Usually made of satin, these ribbons make a festive, brightly colored and sturdy project, which will display your ribbons using an economy of space.

Things You'll Need

• Sewing machine or needle
• Thread
• Prize ribbons
• Batting
• Backing fabric
• Binding

Instructions

1. Assess your collection of prize ribbons, and note their colors and how many you have of each color. Arrange them according to how you will piece them.

2. Sew the pieces of your quilt together as you would any other quilt, leaving a standard 1/4-inch seam allowance. If your ribbons have printing too close to the edge and you have to make a smaller allowance, be sure your seam allowances and the sizes of your pieces are consistent and straight.

3. Sandwich your quilt top with the batting in the center and backing behind, and baste. Quilt the layers together. This can be done either with a machine or by hand.

4. Using a fabric complementary to the ones in your quilt top, cut bias strips 2 inches wide, at a 45 degree angle to the selvage (edge) of the fabric. Sew them end-to-end, also at a 45 degree angle, until you have a length just a little more than needed to go around the edge of your quilt. Sew the binding first to the top of the quilt, then fold it over and hand-stitch to the back.

Tips & Warnings

• It's okay to use ordinary fabric to fill in areas or fill out your quilt to an adequate size if you don't have enough prize ribbons. You can also buy fabric to blend colors.

• Quilting can be difficult for those without a quilting machine or hand-quilting frame. Some professional quilters will do the quilting for a fee.

• Press the seam allowances of the binding before sewing it to the quilt.

• Spray adhesive or safety pins can take the place of basting for a small project.

• When quilting, start at the center and work your way outward to the edges.

• Never bind the quilt before quilting.

• Be certain to launder all the fabrics before adding them to your quilt. Shrinkage can cause warping.

References

• Wisconsin Historical Society

Resources

• Laura Fisher
• Showthrows