What a good idea. I may have to get some of those. I usually make a color-coordinated and personalized label using my computer and Printed Treasures paper-backed fabric sheets. They are pretty expensive though, and they sometimes jam in my printer, thus wasting a sheet and causing an explosion of unladylike language. I do like the results though.

Any quilts that get labels here are special quilts so I do my own label with date, event and usually " with love from Nanny". I do mine in my printer as does Lois, except I don't use purchased sheets. I prepare some fabric using Bubble Jet. I used to tape the fabric to a sheet of copy paper but I had so many paper jams, I came up with a better, for me, way. I now spray baste the fabric to copy paper. It seems to hold better going through the printer and I have no jams.

Which reminds me, the little girls' quilts are waiting for labels.

Theresa

I've tried the purchased fabric sheets that you run through the printer (both were June Tailor). I was not pleased with either. One was iron on and the other was sew on. The sew on one was horrible. I had to use a pair of pliers and a thimble just to get the needle through the fabric. It was like hand sewing waterproof canvas. The iron on one looked pretty cheesy.

I tried the freezer paper method, but it jammed in the printer.

I bought the "fill in the blank" type, but didn't like that one either. There was only room for a name, so no personalizing was possible.

SO's niece gave him a beautiful crocheted afghan that was very personal, but she hand wrote the message with a laundry pen on cotton fabric. The personalization was touching and much appreciated, but the custom design of the afghan was so special and so well done that the label looked kind of out of place.

Especially on special quilts, you want a good looking customized label, and I haven't found it. You put all that time and effort in to a great quilt and then the label looks cheesy? In those cases, I'm sorry I put a label on it. So, most of my quilts haven't gotten a label.

I'm going to try Theresa's method and see if it works for me.

Any other ideas would be appreciated.

bkay

Theresa, yours sounds like a great solution. How does Bubble Jet work? Is it a liquid that you soak your fabric in? Does is last through many washings? I'd love to find an alternate to those sheets.

Same questions for other projects that i might want to label

I was just doing a search on this site about labels and there were several posts that talked about this method. Follow the instructions on the bottle for best results. But what I do is pour some solution into a pan or even the bathroom sink. I usually use white cotton fabric,,dip it in and let it sit for a bit. Remove and roll in towel to partially dry. Then I lay it over a towel rod until it is dry, press with an iron so it is smooth. The next step is adhering it to paper, so you can use freezer paper, which most sites will recommend and which didn't work for me, paper jams, or tape it to copy paper, which also wasn't the best for me. By experimenting I found that spray basting it worked best, again for me. Then on to your printer and your fabulously designed label.

I also have read that an ink jet printer is the best to use and I have several quilts which have been washed many times and there is very little fading.

I will often do up a large piece of cotton and then I have some for the next time I need it.

Do a search here and read what others have to say about Bubble Jet.

good luck

Theresa

Here it is at Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Bubble-Jet-Set-2000-16-Ounces/dp/B003NU63BO/ref=asc_df_B003NU63BO/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=193133932446&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13205970834178951274&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9026881&hvtargid=pla-313055786620&psc=1

bkay

Also by using a pan, you can pour the rest back in the bottle. I just couldnt get the sink out to do that.

Theresa

Very nice labels, Larri! Thanks for the link. I'm thinking about ordering small labels for zipper pouches.

The few quilt labels that I have made, I used freezer paper and my HP inkjet printer. It worked well for me. The first thing I did was make a sample label, which I repeatedly (and harshly) washed. Since the ink barely faded, I moved forward with this method. I cut the freezer paper to 8.5x11, however the fabric was cut to the size of the label (say 5x7) and securely ironed onto the freezer paper So far, no jams.

I find it easiest to use labels that come on yardage. Just cut them out, fuse to fusible web, write your info, and iron onto the quilt. You can also sew it on. Here's an example of label fabric. Easy.

https://www.equilter.com/product/246613/a-stitch-in-time-quilt-labels-bright-24-x-44-panel

I design a label on my laptop, print it on paper, put that on a light box and hand trace it onto the label fabric. After stabilizing it I put it in an hoop and very, very slowly guide the label using satin stitch and straight stitches. Takes forever. When I'm finally done creating the label I fuse it on the back usually in a corner so that the binding is holding the outer edges down good & tight. I fold under the other edges and sew them down by hand. I started doing it this way for the oldest grands when they were in dorms so that the information wouldn't fade from repeated washings.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/20306445@N05/2788799969/in/dateposted/

Love all the unique label ideas! I've tried the printer method, permanent ink by hand, and hand-embroidered. Currently, just being able to stitch a pre-made in place is my favorite, because it cuts out the middle-work of having to think about which label I want to create. :)

I like how our Beverly made this label.

I watch for old linen "coasters" in the linens section of thrift stores. They are small squares of cotton with crocheted or tatted lace around the edge. Then I
iron freezer paper to back to stabilize it and write my message on
them, remove paper and stitch them on, sometimes by machine to the
backing before I sandwich it so it is quilted in and can't be removed
easily. They look fancy and special.

I tested several fabric pens and washing over and over and found that the fine line Sharpie lasted much longer than the permanent fabric pens. I have quite a few linens ahead in my drawer because no one wants or uses those old linens any more so thrift stores are full of them.

What a great idea and use of those linen coasters! You are so creative!

Thanks for the idea.

bkay

I usually do a combination of embroidery and permanent markers. I embroidered this one for my grandson.

I made this quilt for my daughter who is expecting. I embroidered on the corner block.

This brought back a neat memory. A lady we knew was going to be 80 years old. She'd survived cancer, too, so there was a lot to celebrate. A couple months in advance her daughter-in-law mailed squares of fabric to the guests invited to the party, and asked that they be signed and returned. She embroidered each signature and stitched them into a quilt.

Quote: "I used to tape the fabric to a sheet of copy paper but I had so many paper jams, I came up with a better, for me, way. I now spray baste the fabric to copy paper. It seems to hold better going through the printer and I have no jams.

Theresa"

Thanks so much for the info. It Worked!!!!!!! No paper jams!!

Next time, I'll lay the copy paper on a piece of newsprint. I'm still trying to get the basting spray off my hands.

bkay

Glad it worked!

I have two labels to make but my "))$$($()$ computer isn't working, so I can't even design it. I think a new computer is needed.

Theresa

Theresa, I want to add my thanks to you also. I tried Bubble Jet and the spray adhesive. It worked like a charm. I can now print on any fabric that coordinates with the quilt. No more stitching through that tough “fabric” from the Printed Treasures sheets. No more buying expensive sheets. And, no more paper jams. Thank you, thank you.

So glad it all worked. I usually hesitate to offer my solutions because they are just that, they work for me. And then I get worried that someone else will try it and have a disaster.

I am still in process of getting a new computer, so my two quilts are patiently sitting and waiting for their labels. Soon!

Theresa

I'm really behind the times. I hand print my labels with a pigma pen or permanent marker on a piece of muslin backed with freezer paper. Sometimes I use those preprinted decorative labels.

I've made labels from time to time, but only for baby quilt commissions really. Am making a baby quilt now & it's been a bit rushed but I wanted a label. Had several of these from Quilter's Alliance. Not the neatest or best planned of my labels, but it'll do the trick, largely documenting & ownership for the parents.

But since it's from the Quilt Alliance, I thought I ought to share it.

I wanted it done quickly or I personally would have designed a triangular one into the corner as shown above by Geezerfolk. I did that once I liked it a lot.