Sunday, November 29, 2015

Do You Label?

Hi all!

Question for you all - do you label your quilts?  

It really is a quick and easy step to do and it servers a few purposes!  You really need to answer the 5 W's on each label:  who, what, when, where, why - and possibly how.


1.  It let's future generations know who made the quilt.  Maybe the quilt was a collaborative effort?  Each person who worked on the quilt should be mentioned.  And, yes, this means the long armer as well.  It doesn't matter if you paid for the work - the long armer should be given credit.  It is often said "the quilting makes the quilt" so give credit for it ;-)  {not to get into this huge debate LOL!}

2.  It lets future generations (as well as my own forgetful self) know when the quilt was made!!!  Oh ya, you think you'll remember but I can guarantee that I won't in a few years!

3.  It's lets future generations know where the quilt was made!  'Nuff said!

4. Maybe you have a why?  Did you make the quilt for someone special?  Is it for a charity?  Did the quilt have a special inspiration?  Sometimes you don't have a why - that's all good - we quilt for no reason other than joy sometimes ;-)

5.  What is the name of the quilt?  Mine are usually simple names - The pattern of the quilt is the Take 5 pattern and I used Christmas fabrics.  Hence, Take 5 for Christmas.

6.  The how part can be less obvious.  Maybe you got the block in a draw?  Maybe it was a Tinners program?  This can be listed as well along with the names of the people who contributed.

The label I did on this quilt is the simplest of the labels that I put on my quilts.  A square of muslin folded in half and machine stitched into a corner and then hand stitched down across the angle.  It only takes a few minutes to do.  I promise.

I used a Zig pen to write the information so it can go through the wash; but, you can also use a fine tip Sharpie pen.

I also used a decorative stitch to sew down the binding instead of hand sewing.  I do this on all of my charity quilts and baby quilts.  It is stronger and faster to do.

If you would like to see my tutorial for how I sew on my labels you can find it here!

So, let me know - what is your go to binding technique?

3 comments:

Marlene said...

Yes I put a label on most of my quilts.

Marlene P

Shelley: the Dread Pirate Rodgers said...

Labels are one of the OCD items for my quilts. I buy packages of ready-to-use printable fabric (from a variety of manufacturers, although I like the one from Electric Quilt the best). All the sheets have a stiff backing on them so they will feed through the printer correctly.

In my word processor, I create a blank, 3"x5" label template consisting of a frame (to surround everything), my personal avatar (which is printed down the left hand side) and my name/location at the very bottom, underneath my avatar.

I leave the majority of the template *EMPTY*. I print as many 3x5 labels as I can on a sheet of the printable fabric. Using the frame as a guide, I cut them all apart so they are ready to use when a quilt becomes finished.

Using a Zig pen, I *hand write* the pertinent information in the blank area of the label. The backing makes it very easy to write on the fabric. (alternatively, I have ironed freezer paper to the back of fabric to make it stiff enough to write on. It peels off easily.) I write in tiny letters in order to get all the information on the label that I want .. the name of the quilt, when it was made, who the recipient was and *why* it was made. I also hand write my signature at the bottom (in addition to my printed name).

I feel very strongly about the hand writing part. When my Mom died, I discovered that I had VERY few examples of her writing, especially her name. This made me very sad, so now, a hand written label goes on every quilt I make.

Even charity quilts get a VERY simplified hand written label that says "A quilt is a blanket stitched with love. You are loved." so that the recipient will know that the quilt they receive wasn't mass produced in China or India .. a real person made it and was thinking of them.

Since I have saved the blank template on my computer, it's very easy to run another sheet of printable fabric through my printer to create lots more blank labels. :-)

Caren D said...

I always sew my binding by machine... A) I believe it is more secure for a quilt that I hope will be well-loved, well-used and therefore, washed often. And B) I don't like hand sewing :-)
I sew it onto the front as you would if you were going to hand sew it down. Then, I machine stitch it down from the back about 1/8th of an inch from the edge. From the front, it just looks like top-stitching

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