Sunday, March 10, 2013

Weekend tip: quilt label

Probably everybody else but me knew this technique for making labels, but until I read this, I struggled with just turning under the edges of the label, and since I was using a computer-printed label, the fabric was stiff and contrary, and I could never achieve a smooth straight edge.  this is a link to a tutorial for making a framed label with a border, and then attaching a backing, so all the edges have a nice seam.  For the computer label fabric, this results in the label lying flat (because the seams are pressed outward, so also reduces bulk.  It's so important to label your quilt, and this makes it easy. Here's the link:  http://sewmeblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/simple-quilt-label-tutorial.html

I would add one more tip.  this tutorial suggests leaving one of the seams slightly open for turning.  Other tutorials have you sew all around, and to flip, just cut a slit in the lining fabric and use that for turning.  The slit won't show or ravel since it is behind the label.

3 comments:

  1. I'm with you. I've been so tied to designing/printing labels on my computer and wrestling with either piecing it into the quilt backing fabric or wrestling with turning under the edges and stitching down the stiff fabric that it only occurred to me recently that a hand-written label on regular fabric works quite well, too ;-)

    Thanks for linking to the Block Lotto's Weekend Update

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  2. I might try this for my labels. I make embroidered labels and blind stitch them down. With this method I could just use a blanket stitch. I worry that labeling them is very presumptuous if it is a gift & have often wished they were more readily removable.

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  3. I have a list of quilts that are not yet labeled. In fact, I've only managed to get a label onto 2 of them - both were given away. I really like this method and agree that using 2 layers is better than turning under the edges. I'll give it a try and maybe get them all labeled this weekend (very optimistic).

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