I am at the finishing up stage with several quilts for shows. One needs to be mailed off soon. This is the part of the process that is not that interesting. I got the hanging sleeves sewn on while on retreat last week. The last step is labels on the back. Some quiltmakers and artists make very decorative, elaborate labels. I don't. I tend to do one of two things—print on pre-treated fabric with my inkjet printer, or hand write a label using a permanent pen. I kind of prefer hand writing the labels, but sometimes they are pretty sloppy looking. It is hard to judge spacing, etc, when writing on fabric. Today I made a label and had an idea for making a hand done label a little neater.
I set up the information on my computer. I used InDesign, but one could easily do the same thing in Word. I centered the text, made the elements the sizes I wanted, adjusted the spacing and chose a neat, simple font, then printed it on paper. I cut a piece of fabric slightly larger than the finished label, pressed it flat and lay it on top of the paper label. I used a couple pieces of tape to keep it in place. Then I put the parts on my light table, so the printing showed through the fabric and carefully traced it with a fine tip permanent pen.
I touched it up a bit, thickening and darkening the letters, then I ironed a piece of fusible web (Wonder Under®) on the back and trimmed the label to size. Then I fused it to the back of my quilt.
Here it is, ready to go. And yes, I am just paranoid enough that I obscured my address in the photo. It is readable on the actual label.
This is what I do for my labels. I have an assortment of Micron pen sizes that help in the boldness of the font. I sometimes take an element from the front and draw it on the label, too.
ReplyDeleteI hand wrote my label and fused it! I didn't put an address on it at all. Ahem.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea to get the hand-drawn label, but with the accuracy of printed text! I will definitely try this for my next label. Except I'll turn under the edges and hand-stitch it on rather than fuse.
ReplyDeleteBoy, do I ever agree. Some people hate to hand bind, but I really like that. It's the darned labels that drive me nuts.
ReplyDeleteI have a stack of quilts ready to be sent with not a label on any of them. It's gonna need to be a mass production project.
I've taken to pressing the raw edges under, and just using a spritz of 505 basting spray to hold it long enuf for me to stitch around it.
Heh heh! I know where you live.
ReplyDeleteThat's what you call personal, but also professional. Well done!
ReplyDeleteAs for your hiding your address, by knowing your husband's first name, your last name, the fact that you live on a "RD", and that you live in Beaverton, OR, I found your address in about 10 seconds using ANYWHO. But I'm not telling!
That's almost exactly how I do my labels too. I turn under the edges and whip stitch mine on rather than fuse. I've tried to get more enthused about fancier labels, but really, neat and simple is all that's needed, and my time is too precious to spend it on more.
ReplyDeleteNeat process. I had never thought about using the light table to trace the label info -- I always print them out. But like you, a bit of hand-done is nice (so long as it isn't stitching.)
ReplyDeleteNow if I can only remember this when I need it.
I use this method for many labels - more frequently as my handwriting/printing deteriorates.
ReplyDeleteThis is what I do, too, if I don't print them off.
ReplyDeleteI did my labels like that for many years before I had an epson printer.......ironing freezer paper to the back of the label seems to stabilize it so the pen/maker doesn't drag and/or bleed as much.
ReplyDeleteNow I do them on my jacquard inkjet sheets using my durabrite ink printer - much easier (grin).
I have designed a business card size label for my smaller pieces that I sell. I print them out with my business name and and the detailed info re: name, size, pertinent info with a micron pen and my own handprinting which is very neat.