My Labels
After reading tons of different posts on different craft blogs about how ladies do quilt labels, and trying several myself, I am finally to a point where I like how I do mine. Since I received a couple questions about the wedding quilt label I thought I would share my method.
1. First, I love using white fabric in my quilts, and I save every last scrap when I'm cutting it up! I don't always want a large label so those scraps come in handy. I decide how big I want my label, usually 3"x4" or a little smaller, and trim the scrap to that size plus 1/2" for seam allowances.
2. Sometimes I skip straight to step 3 for a simpler label but usually I use some of my patterned fabric scraps from the quilt to create a little border. When trimming these scraps, be sure to add 1/2" for seam allowances to the width you want showing around the label. Mine are usually cut ~1" wide so there's only a thin border.
Sew to the short sides, and press, then to the long sides, and press.
3. I also save all my scraps of freezer paper. Find a piece that at least covers the white part of your label.
Iron it, shiny side down, to the back of the label. This will make the fabric more stable for writing on.
4. I plan out the label lightly in pencil (since I always wash my quilts before giving them away, the pencil will wash right out).
Then I trace the final label with a fine point sharpie. I've tried other fabric markers but have had the best results with a plain old sharpie! I know there are methods out there to print your labels on your computer but I love the personal look of handwriting.
5. Peel off the freezer paper, make sure my label is squared up, and find another scrap of white fabric that's as big as my whole label and trim to match. I sew them right sides together with a gap for turning.
6. Turn right side out. Use a knitting needle or chopstick to push out the corners.
Press well.
7. Pin in place on your quilt and handstitch down. I just read a great tutorial for ladder stitch that I might try on my next quilt for invisible stitches but lately I've just been using a blind stitch. I don't have a photo of this step because my example label is for my flutterby quilt which is not quite ready for a label!
This is just what I've found works best for me! There are tons of label ideas out there so look around and combine them all to be your own special method.
1. First, I love using white fabric in my quilts, and I save every last scrap when I'm cutting it up! I don't always want a large label so those scraps come in handy. I decide how big I want my label, usually 3"x4" or a little smaller, and trim the scrap to that size plus 1/2" for seam allowances.
2. Sometimes I skip straight to step 3 for a simpler label but usually I use some of my patterned fabric scraps from the quilt to create a little border. When trimming these scraps, be sure to add 1/2" for seam allowances to the width you want showing around the label. Mine are usually cut ~1" wide so there's only a thin border.
Sew to the short sides, and press, then to the long sides, and press.
3. I also save all my scraps of freezer paper. Find a piece that at least covers the white part of your label.
Iron it, shiny side down, to the back of the label. This will make the fabric more stable for writing on.
4. I plan out the label lightly in pencil (since I always wash my quilts before giving them away, the pencil will wash right out).
Then I trace the final label with a fine point sharpie. I've tried other fabric markers but have had the best results with a plain old sharpie! I know there are methods out there to print your labels on your computer but I love the personal look of handwriting.
5. Peel off the freezer paper, make sure my label is squared up, and find another scrap of white fabric that's as big as my whole label and trim to match. I sew them right sides together with a gap for turning.
6. Turn right side out. Use a knitting needle or chopstick to push out the corners.
Press well.
7. Pin in place on your quilt and handstitch down. I just read a great tutorial for ladder stitch that I might try on my next quilt for invisible stitches but lately I've just been using a blind stitch. I don't have a photo of this step because my example label is for my flutterby quilt which is not quite ready for a label!
This is just what I've found works best for me! There are tons of label ideas out there so look around and combine them all to be your own special method.
