You should always, always, always, attach some kind of documentation label to your quilt. It's not that you're likely forget that you made it. Your quilts are very likely to outlast you on this earth, and future generations deserve to know who made them, when, and where. I own several antique quilts that I have bought at shops, yard sales, and thrift stores. Not a single one of them has a label or any documentation to tell me of its provenance. I wish they did.
I had a request a couple of days ago from commenter Michelle to show how I make labels and hanging sleeves. So today, I'll talk about labels.
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There are about as many ways to make documentation labels as there are ways to make quilts. So I'll just show you a few of mine. An internet search should garner many more.
For the label shown in the first photo above (made for "Country Girl Sampler"), I used one of the 6" blocks. (You might recall that my other four 6" blocks went into the border of this quilt as cornerstones.) I added 1-1/2" (cut size") borders all around the little block. Then I used a black Pigma indelible pen to hand write my information.
When handwriting information on a label, I usually create what I want to write on the computer, print it out, then use my light box to trace it onto my label. I do that more and more often these days since carpal tunnel and arthritis have made my hands unsteady and my handwriting harder to decipher than hyroglifics.
I used a section from a snowman fabric that I had in my stash to make the "Slumber Party" label. I created my documentation info on the computer, printed it out, then used the light box and a pigma pen to trace it under the snowmen.
But way back in the "olden days" my hands were much steadier and I would often just freehand my information. For this label that appears on the back of "Sew Many Santas," I used a black Pigma pen to trace a picture onto muslin from a child's coloring book and used crayons to color it. Using the same pen, I added my documentation information and drew some holly leaves and berries.
Another freelanded label that I attached to the back of a little quilt that I made for my best friend's first grandchild. I used the lambs on the backing fabric as the inspiration for the one I drew on the muslin label. I used the black Pigma pen and colored pencils to create this label.
NOTE: For any label that you have used pen, crayons, markers, colored pencils on, be sure to press the back of your label to set the colors.
This is the label from the back of my "Bunnies in the Cabin" quilt. Using the Pigma, I traced around one of the bunny patterns onto muslin, then added my information freehand.
The theme fabric from this quilt is a Tula Pink print with these funky bugs. For my label, I cut one of the bug motifs from the fabric and machine appliqued it to another piece of fabric, freehanded my information, then sewed it to the back of my quilt.
It is possible to buy label fabric by the yard. This sweet little label is from my stash. I have a bunch of different label fabrics. I buy it whenever I see it at quilt shops and quilt shows. I used the Pigma to trace the computer-generated information on the label.
Another label fabric label.
It is possible to create your entire label on the computer. I don't have a design application on my Mac. I used my Pages word-processing program to create this label for a Quilt of Valor that I had made in memory of a friend. I printed it out on computer fabric (see photo below).
There are several brands. You should be able to find it at a craft store or fabric store. If all else fails, search online.
This label, too, was created on the computer and printed out on the Computer Fabric.
A few years ago, I was in a friendship block swap. I had to make something like 30 blocks with my name on each one. I had a rubber stamp made with my information and used an acid-free permanent ink pad to stamp the blocks. This would also make a nice quilt label. I don't know why I have never used it for such.
Each year at our quilting bee Christmas party, my friend Mary U. uses the embroidery feature of her sewing machine to make these little labels and give to all the bee members. We use them to label our guild cuddle quilt (children's charity quilt) for that year.
Of course it is also acceptable to just use a plain piece of muslin or other fabric and a permanent pen and simply write your name, date, and place on it. Your label does not have to be fancy. But to me, making the labels is almost as much fun as making the quilt.
When you have finished your label, turn under the edges 1/8"-1/4" and whipstitch it to the back of your finished quilt, being sure that your stitching does not go through to the front of the quilt.
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Tomorrow, Lord willing and Skipper will leave me alone, I'll tell you how I make hanging sleeves.
This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.
On 02/04/2017, Sue, a Florida Farm Girl said ...
You have hit on one of my worst habits. I don't label anything and I really should. I'm working on quilts for my nieces and nephews right now so I guess I need to put a label on them.
On 02/06/2017, Michelle said ...
Thank you so much for all of your information! You have shared so many creative ideas that I cannot wait to use!
On 02/16/2017, Carolyn Sullivan said ...
Working on finishing a quilt that I bought the fabric for 20 years ago (or so). I have some pre-printed labels but there is so much I want to put on the label.... Trying to condense it down so it fits. Name of pattern, date finished, by me, for, and what is in it for washing instructions.....
KISS Keep It Simple Sweetie might have to leave off that I used silk batting.
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