I have to make a pleated (or ruched) ribbon to go around a 12" square cake (and a 10", 8" and 6"). How would you do this with minimal seams? My table has breaks in it (for length inserts) so I'm afraid if I tried to roll the fondant out on it I would get marks where the breaks are. I also don't have a mat that would be long enough (48" plus). Is there an inexpensive material I could use for a mat on top the table? And how would I roll out fondant this long!? Any ideas would be so helpful!

I would do the square in four equal sections and carefully blend the corners to minimize the seam.

If you REALLY want to do it in one strip...

You can get a large clear plastic sheet from JoAnn's (or any fabric store) to roll on. Lay the plastic on a clean section of floor.

Roll your fondant into a long snake, carefully roll it flat, and then cut into your ribbon. After letting the strip dry for a few minutes, roll it up into a loose coil, and place it around the cake.

HTH!

Thank you! I'll check out the fabric store. I would really like to do it in one strip but if it doesn't work I'll just do it in strips and try to blend the seams. I'm hoping if I have to do it that way that the pleating will help hide the seams... I guess I'll have to practice!

I've done this for a three tier. A loop bow on top and then two long streamers thatintertwine and flow down the tiers. Everytime the two streamers crossed there went my seam so I didn't have to deal with scrunching or anything else for hiding. If it had been just one streamer I would have done maybe a single loop or just a double loop secondary bow following the flow down to hide seams. HTH

I do fondant ribbons all the time for wedding cakes and always have to do really long ones for the bottom tier. I have a pasta roller attachment for my KA and I let it go through that onto my counter top onto wax paper (you can use vinyl). I then use my FMM ribbon cutter to cut it to width. To apply it to the cake, I wrap it up in vinyl and unwrap as I go around the cake.

ooooh... a pasta roller! That's a great idea! and probably less work! I'll have to see if I can find an attachment for mine! The cake's not due for a month so I have some time! Thanks for help!

I think they are available as stand alone as well, and I've heard some people use clay machines for rolling out fondant strips.

You could also try using parchment paper with the previously mentioned 'snake' or pasta roller. I don't have a ribbon cutter, but I do have a large clear ruler made by Dritz that is used for cutting out quilting strips and blocks. I used that along with a pizza cutter to do my ribbons. I cut a strip of parchment paper wider than I needed for the ribbon and as long as was needed to go around the cake. Then I rolled out the fondant so that it went over the edge of the parchment paper and a little wider. Then I cut the bottom edge of the fondant even with the bottom edge of the parchment paper. Using the clear ruler, I then cut the top edge of the ribbon. (I imagine the ribbon cutter would be easier).Then I rolled the whole thing up, including the parchment paper. I unrolled a few inches, placed it even with the bottom of the cake, and gradually unrolled the fondant while gently smoothing it onto the cake (you would be pleating while unrolling).

The pasta sheet rollers are about $50 for the Kitchenaid. You can also get a set with linguine and spaghetti cutters for considerably more.