This week we are sharing our techniques for making fabric labels (i.e. tags) to put on your creations. So why would you want to put labels on anything?
- If it's an item you are selling, you want the buyer/recipient to know where it came from so they can tell other potential customers where to get one.
- If it's a gift or personal momento (quilts, etc.) you'll want to put your name and date on it for posterity's sake.
First, I'm going to share the one-off handmade method. This is great for:
- quilts
- custom personal items (e.g. a ring bearer pillow for your friend's wedding)
- unique, handmade gifts
- artsy creations
- one-of-a-kind costumes or garments
Find a coordinating scrap of fabric without a pattern on it, secure it in an embroidery hoop and use thick embroidery thread to create lettering. Trim it down to a square, press under the edges, then hand-applique it onto the back of your quilt near the bottom corner.
Example 2: Discrete hand-embroidered lettering in metallic thread
Hand-embroider the letters directly onto the back of your quilt, making sure you only go through one layer of fabric. Use a thread that coordinates with your quilt design but blends into the quilt. This gives you a discrete label that you can find if you look closely, but it won't be obvious from a distance.
Example 3: Hand-painted garment labels
Use fabric paint to paint lettering directly onto a piece of fabric. Use a serger to finish the edges, then stitch the tag into your garment.
There are some reasons why you might not want to hand-make your labels.
- it's time-consuming just to make one label
- if you need to make a lot of labels, they will not be uniform/identical
- legibility may be a challenge
- limited room for cramming in text
All of these reasons could make this method quite daunting. That's okay. SmallRiniLady has a Printed Method she will share, and you'll find that her method solves these problems very well. You'll want to use her method if you are making items to sell!
