Printing your own quilt labels.
Do you label your quilts? I will admit that I haven't always labelled mine but I do think that it is important and I SHOULD make a habit of labeling every quilt. Quilts take many hours (sometimes years) to make and can last for generations. Having a label gives future generations information about the quilt that makes it even more special and a cherished keepsake.
Recently I decided to try printing my own label onto fabric with my inkjet printer, since writing on fabric with a fabric pen (which is how I did it in the past) was challenging and impossible to fix a mistake. I researched online "how to print on fabric" and found this step by step method (with lots of extra tips and tricks) on Pinterest by Easy Sewing for Beginners. I followed the instructions that went something like this (Check out the actual instructional video here https://pin.it/JXAOm1P for best results).
Print on Fabric with freezer paper (using pre-washed fabric)
Step 1: Iron Fabric onto freezer paper (larger than printer page)
Step 2: Trim to paper size using sharp rotary cutter or scissor
Step 3: Print label and let dry 2 hours or overnight
Step 4: Soak in hot water with Retayne 20 minutes
Step 5: Rinse and Dry
Here is my results. Next time I will find a better quality freezer paper (mine didn't stick super well after ironing causing it to move slightly when printing; hence the wiggly printing). I would also choose a slightly lighter fabric so that my colored logo will show up better.
Designing a quilt label is something that you can make as personal or generic as you desire. I like to include...
the name of the quilt pattern and who designed it
who pieced the quilt
who quilted the quilt
date of completion (month/year)
location it was made (especially if the quilt is a gift)
Sometimes I like to add a bit of back story about the quilt such as...
who it was made for and why
fabric collection
I don’t know if there’s really a right or wrong place to put a label on a quilt but I remember someone telling me that traditionally to place it on the bottom right corner of the back of the quilt. I’ve seen many different and modern ways to incorporate a quilt label.
Whether you Print, Embroider, or Write of Fabric for your labels....I would love to see your quilt labels. Here's one that my Mom did which she incorporated as part of the front of the quilt.
Here’s some other labels from previous quilts I’ve made.