Quality Considerations and Project Outline

Step 1: Planning
It is important for you to try to decide if you are interested most in preserving your ribbons or putting them to use. Also, you should have a clear idea of how many ribbons you have and want to use: when I am quilting I use only the streamers with gold writing and count them towards what color they actually are (ex. colored ribbons with a white center streamer count towards the total number of white ribbons).  You should be able to answer some basic questions…

1. Roughly how many ribbons do you have?
2. How long are most of your ribbons?
3. Which colors do you have the most of?
4. Do the ribbons have a fabric and gold center in the button?  If so, I can incorporate these too.

I have had numerous questions regarding how to calculate square footage (length’ x height’ = total square feet).  For example, if you want a small quilt, roughly 4’ by 5’ then 4’ x 5’= 20 sqft.
The following table should help you to determine how large your quilt can be based on the number of ribbons available and how much it may cost.  This can only be an estimate and cannot be used for the purpose of a direct quote because the pattern selected can result in tightly packed ribbons, or because this table is based on 2 x 6” ribbons, yours may be longer, adding to the square footage of the finished quilt. Kaleidoscope and star patterns typically result in greater square footage (and increased cost) than what is indicated in this table.

Ribbon Showcase Tabs

Custom Quilting - Wall-Hangings are usually custom quilted to follow the pattern created in the top of the quilt to accentuate the "over-all" pattern.

Commercial Quilting (stars) - Quilts and Hangings greater than 20 sqft are sent to a commercial top quilter and will have an all-over pattern for greater durability.

* PLEASE DO NOT IRON*
I simply cannot predict what would happen to the gold writing on your ribbons if they are ironed, even on a low settting; and, I'm not optimistic about the longevity and durability of your quilt if the ribbons have been ironed. I have found that ironing makes the ribbons brittle and fragile and prefer to quilt without ironing. Please, trust that they will be fine, even after years of storage, once they have been smoothed by hand and sewn flat.

If you have specific questions or want to speak over the phone prior to shipping, please feel free to call (7:30a-9p), but please read all the resources available through this site and print a copy of the order form.

Step 2: Shipping
After you have selected a product and a pattern you will send your ribbons to me using the address provided on the order form. Tuck your order form and any notes you have for me inside the box with the ribbons. I will call to inform you of their safe arrival and to discuss the timeline for beginning my work. During their time with me, your ribbons will be carefully handled in my smoke-free home so as not to get wrinkled or dirty until used.

Step 3: Execution
I will call you a couple of days before I begin to discuss my recommendations or concerns and your opinions and any further thoughts you have on the project.  The ribbons are then carefully cut and sewn one-by-one so that no more are destroyed than will be used in the project.

Step 4: Deposit & Completion
After the top has been created you will be notified by email that a photo has been posted to the ShowThrow website. You will have to pay half of the estimated total cost as well as make some decisions about the finished project.

1. Select backing fabric (on wall-hangings) or leave that decision up to me.
2. Choose between commercial top quilting and custom (I'll make a recommendation).
3. Decide if you want a wall-hanging sleeve and ribbon showcase tabs.
4. Decide if you want ribbon showcase tabs to display ribbons that are particularly special or to use as a convenient place to hang those newly awarded at shows.

All quilts are bound in folded ribbon, usually blue or red.

Step 5: Final Payment
I will complete the final steps required to make your project a success (top quilting and binding), send a second email with a finished photo, and we will make final payment arrangements prior to shipping it home to you. Projects are returned home via USPS priority mail, if other arrangements need to be made please put this in the comments section of your order form.

Care and Use
Ribbon quilts should never be washed, dry-cleaned, or ironed; they can be spot cleaned gently with a soft cloth. As with all handmade, heirloom quality quilts, they should never be stored in plastic for the long-term because of the harmful chemicals emitted by all plastic materials and because plastics do not allow the fabric to breathe. To keep the colors from fading they should not be hung or placed in direct sunlight. All handmade quilts are made to higher standards than any commercial quilt on the market but, in order to last multiple lifetimes (as a family heirloom) they should not be sat on because our knees and elbows stretch and strain the threads, fibers in the ribbons, etc.

If you want to put your quilt or pillow to work at horse shows, on the couch, or any other place where it will experience wear, that is fine from a structural standpoint, but it cannot be expected to retain the gold writing for more than a few years and will begin to show structural wear from 5-10 years depending upon how heavily it is used.

Project Order Form