Once the binding is done on the quilt…. you’re done, right? Wrong! You need to label that quilt. You don’t want one of your creations to turn up years later “maker unknown, do you? Also, labels are a great way to personalize the quilt, especially if you are giving it away as a gift. Think of it as your signature!
So, there are different ways to label. The first way is to write on the back of the quilt with fabric safe, permanent pens. This works best of course is you have a quilt back that is not dark.
I like to put the name of the piece, year it was completed and my contact information. If you won’t be showing your quilt in a show, you may not need the contact information, of course.
The next type of label will work best for any quilt. A scrap piece of fabric stitched onto the back of the quilt. You can either stitch it on after the binding or you can tuck two sides of the label under the binding for even more security like I did in the photo below.
Here’s another photo showing how I tucked the label into the binding while stitching it down:
Next, you can make a personalized label by printing it directly onto fabric meant to go through your ink jet printer. Many of those they make today and sell in the quilt shops do not need any special preparation either. They can go straight from your printer to the back of the quilt! Here’s a few I’ve used: EQ Printables and Avery Printable Fabric.
Many of my personalized labels are on quilts that I have given away to friends and family, so I don’t have many examples to share. But, here are a few labels from the back of my daughter’s graduation quilt to give you an idea of what I did. I created a document in Word and then printed it onto the fabric. Here, I have listed things like her graduation date among other things.
I also put a piece of fabric on the greeting table for her friends to sign. This is a really fun way to personalize it!
So now that I’ve shown you some examples, you have no excuse!
I like the idea of using labels to tell a story, whether it’s for a member of your family or just for yourself. You can talk about what inspired you to make the quilt, what fabrics you used, the date it was made, etc. The possibilities are endless! I have even written a poem for the back of the quilt when I made one for one of my nieces.
How do you label your quilts? I’d like to hear what you do and what you like to put on your labels. Tell me in the comments below and win a free pattern! My new one: Follow the Stars.
The drawing will be on Monday, May 13th. **We have a winner! Congrats, Linda!**
Happy Quilting!
Deanne
I usually make an applique quilt label with the date and my name, and address. That way I can see when I finish my quilts, sometimes I can’t remember!!
I usually use white fabric bordered with the quilts leftover binding and then hand applique onto the back. I write the name of the quilt-who I am giving it to, the date, if it is an occasion such as a birthday and something personal between them and me.
I like to make something from the quilt as a label. I`ve put a cat and chicken shape with information of when made and who designed plus washing instructions. If in a hurry a square with frame around or plain. I have also sewn a border around then attached to quilt.
I’ve done various styles of labels over the years, from cross stitching the information, to doing appliqué work on the label or sometimes, simply the info written on muslin in permanent ink. I always include the recipient’s name , the date the quilt was made, my name (as the maker), the state name where I am currently living, so years from now it shows where the quilt originated from, and then, any other information I want to include on this particular quilt. It’s worth it to take the time and trouble to document the work that you’ve put your heart and soul into! The final touch!
Ugh….. I do not label my quilts. Just not something I’ve ever done, I’ve thought about it but, never really came up with a way or an idea that was totally me.
I always write my name, date and state right on the back of my quilts. The reason is if that quilt is stolen God forbid someone would do that. They can never take my name off of the quilt like just a labe can be removed. Then I make a label. Name of pattern, how it was made like machine pieced. Quilted by name of that person. My name again address, date. Who it was made for. Sometimes a story about that person and why they are getting their quilt.
I like to have my labels as special as the quilt – part of my creative process and goes along with what my Dad taught me as a child. He said to always work harder at the end of a project (or class), because it reflected on the overall job you did.
If I have done a nice ‘test block’, I find a way to make it into my label for the quilt back.
Sometimes I will applique a shape onto a fabric used on the front of the quilt and add the person’s name I’m giving quilt to, my name, etc.
I try to sew it into the back as I add the binding to the edges for security. Or, if I’ve planned an appliqué block, it may be placed in the center of the back and stitched down by hand.
How/where I put label really depends on my vision for the quilt back.
Yes I do. Always put name of person I am giving to, date, and my name.
Yes I label my quilts. The label is dictated by what the quilt is, maybe an extra block, an appliqué piece from the quilt, or just the name of quilt, maker, and year. Love your patterns and I have made several.
I have been making quilts for approx. 30+ years. I am sorry that I did not label them at first. I recently refurbished one of my early quilts that was not labled so, am not sure of the date I made it. I am wondering how to lable it now. When I lable quilts now, especially if they are made as gifts, I either embroider (machine or hand) the information on or use a micron pen on a “homemade” lable. One I recently finished was embroidered on an old doily of my moms. A few years ago, I was blessed to get a quilt top made by my mom. It was never finished so…I finished it, had it quilted and gifted it to my daughter at Christmas time. The lable has all that info on it. I try to be creative when I lable my quilts now but still keep it simple.
Nice article with ideas – I do them different depending on who gets it.
I like to use some of the material in the quilt
I always put my name when I finished and always end with Love and Prayers