SEVEN QUICK QUILT LABELS

I originally named this blog Seven Quick Quilt Labels And Why You Need One because I believe we quilters overlook the importance of a quilt label. Quilt labels are important chapters in our quiltmaker’s story, without them our story is untold.

Let me start by asking a question. Why do painters, sculptors, poets and other artists sign their work? Is it ego or pride? Or are they sending a message down through the ages? I believe the humble quilt label allows the quiltmaker to share their inspiration, feelings and thoughts, into the future.

A quilt label can be complicated or simple, large or small and is really only limited by the imagination of the quiltmaker. But best of all, quilt labels are quick and easy to make. For all these reasons I wholeheartedly encourage you to take time to memorialize your work with a quilt label.

I became a fan of quilt labels because I had the good fortune in 2009 to visit the “Quilts for Obama” exhibit at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC. The exhibit was amazing and often the quilt label was just as interesting as the quilt top! The trip was organized by the quilting elders at my church. These wonderful women taught me the art of quiltmaking. I am forever thankful to them for teaching me a unique skill that enabled me to explore the art of quiltmaking.

While at this exhibit I decided that my finished gift quilts must have a quilt label. But it was not until I began writing this blog that I realized my completed sample quilt blocks and mini quilts should have a quilt label too!

This blog will show you seven types of quilt labels plus two easy ways to create a quilt label. Audition them on your finished quilts and decide which label is most appropriate.

Be prepared to make a quilt label. See “Supplies”, “Fabric” and “Getting Ready To Sew”.

These are the tools and supplies that I used to make the seven quick quilt labels.

• A Walking Foot (For machine sewing the quilt label to the quilt)
• Coordinating Cotton Threads
• Hand Sewing Needle
• Hot Hem Ruler (Use this to press the single-ply quilt label’s ¼-inch seam allowance)
• 8.5-inches by 11-inches Paper-backed Fabric Sheets for inkjet printers (Use this to print quilt labels typed in documents on computer programs (like Google Doc or Word), that are printed on an inkjet printer)
• Sewing Stiletto (To shape the corners of the two-ply quilt labels)
• Long Flower Head Pins
• Heat Erasable Fabric Marking Pens
• Thread Snips
• Wool Pressing Mat
• 6-inch square or smaller quilting ruler
• Double-sided Basting Tape (Use to affix the quilt label to the quilt)
• Rotating Cutting Mat
• 60 mm Rotary Cutter
• Sewing Clips (Use hold binding in place if sewing the raw edges of the quilt label under the binding)

Use your favorite way to prep for a new project or try my proven, stress-free method. See “Getting Ready To Quilt-The Ultimate Checklist”.

Quilt labels can be as simple as the maker’s signature or as intricate as a poem, bible verse or song the quiltmaker wishes to share with the recipient.

There’s no special positioning of the quilt label on the quilt. I recommend positioning the quilt label on the lower right corner of the back of the quilt because it’s easier to sew. This positioning reduces the amount of sewing needed to affix the quilt label to the quilt because two sides of the quilt label will be covered by the quilt binding.

Tip: If you have already sewed the binding to the quilt, I recommend removing stitches to accommodate positioning the edges of the quilt label under the binding. This extra step will extend the life of the quilt label and reduce the possibility by 50% of quilt label detachment.

Tip: Do you embroider monograms on your gift quilts? Then I recommend positioning the monogram at the lower left corner of the quilt top. By positioning the quilt label at the lower right corner of the quilt back, you have hidden those ugly embroidery stitches on the back of the monogram. Ask me how I know this.

I will cover seven commonly used quilt labels here.

The simple quilt label consists of your name, the date the quilt was made and the location (city, state). Optional: If you’ve named your quilt, then the first line of the quilt label should be the name of the quilt.

The simple quilt label could be as simple as a handwritten note written with a fabric pen on the front or back of the quilt. Or it can be handwritten on a piece of coordinating fabric that is square or rectangle.

The gift quilt label consists of the recipient’s name, the occasion and date of the occasion (birthday, anniversary, baptism, first communion, retirement, newborn birth, etc.), occasion date, your name, date made and location.

The get well quilt label consists of the recipient’s name, a special get well message, your name, date made and location.

The scrappy quilt label uses fabric from the quilt top or binding as the border or background of a quilt label. This is a great way to use leftover quilt top, border and binding fabric.

The quilt block quilt label uses an extra quilt block from the quilt top as the background fabric of the quilt label. The quilt label is appliqued to the block.

The monogram quilt label has the recipient’s initials at the top of the label. Under the monogram quilt label types one to five can be used. The monogram quilt label is perfect for quilters who do not want to embroider the initials of the recipient to the front of the quilt.

The adage is there are two types of people: ‘those who test and those who wished they had’. I’m a big believer in testing. That means I have a lot of practice blocks and mini quilts with detailed notes. It occurred to me while writing this blog that a quilt label could capture the key elements of my notes. And best of all, instead of binder clips, I could properly store my projects in a storage bag which would organize my projects and help me easily identify them.

A quilt label for practice blocks and mini quilts consists of the project name, method practiced, materials used, machine set up, your name, date made and location.

Frankly, I have been using the single fabric layer quilt label for years with no problems. And since most of my quilts are gifts, I use a computer and an inkjet printer to create my quilt labels. This tech method is the gateway to creating many custom quilt features like photo quilts and of course, custom quilt labels. See my method in Madam Sew blog “Make A Quilted Christmas Patchwork Ornament With Photo In One Hour”. See section 4 “How To Print A Photo on Paper Backed Fabric”. Here’s my method to make a single layer quilt label.

Use a program like Google Doc, Word or any program that enables you to type text and print it on a printer. Type the document so that it can be printed on an 8.5-inch by 11-inch paper-backed fabric sheet.

Follow the directions on how to use a color inkjet printer to print the quilt label on paper-backed fabric. In short, the fabric side must match your printer paper feed orientation.

Use a heat-erasable marking pen to mark the perimeter of the quilt label. Add a ¼-inch to the perimeter for a seam allowance. The seam allowance will be the cutting line for the quilt label.

Do not remove the paper backing from the paper-backed fabric. (It is easier to trim the quilt label with the paper still attached.) Trim to a size and shape that will accommodate the text in the label and fit within the quilt corner.

Peel off the paper backing and prepare to form the raw edges of the quilt label into the ¼-inch seam allowance.

Use a hot hem ruler to shape the seam allowance by pressing it with a hot iron on a wool pressing mat that is placed on top of an ironing mat.

Prepare to attach the label to the quilt by removing the paper from one side of the double-sided basting tape. Attach the sticky side of the tape to the perimeter of the label.

Determine where you want the label positioned and then peel the remaining paper from the basting tape. Press the label into position. You are now ready to machine sew or hand sew the label to the quilt.

A Two-Ply fabric layer label is needed when the quilt backing fabric can be seen through the quilt label. Of course, when the label is a triangle the construction of the label makes it automatically two-ply.

Here’s how to make a two-ply square or rectangular quilt label.

Steps one to three creates the text, prints the label, marks the size and trims the label.

Trim a piece of fabric to match the dimensions of the label.

The two-ply label is created by sewing the label to a backing fabric and turning the label right-side out to finish it.

If you have ever made a pillowcase or a fabric tube, then you have sewn the project right sides together and then turned it right-side out. The same concept applies to making the two-ply quilt label.

• Place the backing fabric on your workspace with the right side up.
• Place the label right side down. (Make sure that the edges are aligned.)

• Sew the perimeter of the label and backing with a ¼-inch seam allowance. (Leave an opening about four fingers wide, so you can reach in and turn the label right side out.)
• Turn the label right side out. Use a sewing stiletto to gently point each corner of the label. Sew the opening closed with a whip stitch.
• Then press the label flat with a hot iron on a wool pressing mat that is placed on top of an ironing mat.
• Follow Step Six to position and sew the label to the quilt.

A triangular label is perfect for a small amount of handwritten text because the space for text is limited.

• Use a 6-inch square ruler to cut a coordinating piece of fabric.
• Fold the fabric in half to form a triangle
• Position the label so that the raw edges of the triangle are under the binding.
• The folded edge of the triangular label can remain unsewn to form a pocket. Some quilters hand sew the folded edge to avoid it being snagged on other objects during usage and laundering.

You’ve learned in this blog post how to make the seven most used quilt labels: simple, gift, get well, scrappy, quilt block, monogram and project. And I hope you know now why a quilt label is important. We can all be proud of our unique creations!

Are you inspired to add a quilt label to your finished project? Or why not start a new quilt project with an amazing Madam Sew tutorial:

• MadamSew’s Free Quilt Blocks and Quilted Projects
• Free Log Cabin Quilt Block Pattern
• How To Use The Walking Foot To Make A Quilt In A Day

May your quilting always bring you joy!

Ernie Grant
Guest Blogger For Madam Sew

Ernestine “Ernie” Grant is an avid quilter with over 20 years experience and is the owner of the custom baby quilt business www.kalibabyquilts.com. As an African American living in Harlem, NY her view of quilting is shaped by her heritage and the elders who taught her–Quilting is not just thread, fabric and stitches. It is art, it is love, it is community.