Lazy Log Cabin Ribbon Patchwork

I am thrilled to be invited to be a guest on American Patchwork & Quilting Radio with Pat Sloan. We’ll be live on the air tomorrow, Sept 10, at 4pm Eastern time, so please join us if you can. I love to listen to Pat’s online radio show, especially when I am working on a project in my workroom. It always feels like a bunch of quilting and sewing friends have stopped by for a visit…kindred folks sharing their passions and discoveries.

Pat and I are going to talk about my book, The Complete Photo Guide to Ribbon Crafts, with special emphasis on my favorite section – Sewing with Ribbons. Since the book was written, I have continued to experiment with a variety of sewing and quilting projects that are enhanced with a touch of ribbon. I plan on sharing some tips for sewing and quilting with ribbons and also on my Lazy Log Cabin Patchwork technique.

Lazy Log Cabin Ribbon Patchwork Pillow made with Anna Maria Horner ribbons by Renaissance Ribbons

The show airs live on Mondays at 4pm Eastern time, but you can click on the replay button below and listen to it anytime. I hope you can join us live or anytime you need a little company as you work on your projects. It’s such fun to be a part of this great big friendly sewing and quilting world. Lovely to know we are all just a click away.

One of my favorite techniques that I featured in my book, The Complete Photo Guide to Ribbon Crafts, is ribbon patchwork. I call this the Lazy Log Cabin pattern because it really is a short-cut version of a traditional pieced patchwork block. Except, I am not doing any piecing with different fabrics. I am using rows or ribbons, placed side-by-side, to imitate the look.

Page 158 from “The Complete Photo Guide to Ribbon Crafts”

The block starts with a center square of ribbon that is fused to a base fabric. Surrounding rows of ribbon are then positioned around the square in rows. Each row covers the raw cut edges of the previous row, creating a very quick and neat log cabin patchwork. Machine zigzag or decorative overcast stitches can be sewn along all the edges, where the ribbons abut.

With all the beautiful woven jacquard ribbons available, it is so much fun to mix and match different patterns and colors of ribbon to make a lazy log cabin block. The ribbons can be cut so as to engineer the placement of a special motif in the center of the block. The outside rows of ribbon can extend out to the edges of the project so they can be caught in a seam or folded back to the wrong side.

Here are is a Lazy Log Cabin Pillow tutorial I did for Fairfield Processing, using a variety of Renaissance Ribbons. This is a great project for using up bits and pieces of ribbons you may have leftover from other projects. Of course the blocks can be used for projects other than pillows – maybe the center of a wall quilt or the front of a tote bag?