quilt lables/signing quilts
 

I've got my first quilt finished and ready to send (pics were posted a while ago). My second quilt is finished and getting washed this evening (pics will be posted tonight or tomorrow). I'm so excited about finishing them! My question is before I give them what should I do about labeling or signing? My daughter thinks I should just use a permanent marker and sign my name with the date in a corner.
What do others do or should I do anything at all? I've had quilts all throughout my life and no one has ever labeled anything.
thanks, Terina

I didn't use to label mine either and someone told me a couple of years ago an artist ALWAYS signs their work....I embroider mine with name of quilt, who it's for (if you know) my name and the month and year completed on a piece of fabric that I attach to the back.

There are many things you can do. If you do use a permanent marker, try to find one that is archival, otherwise labeled as acid free. They are less likely to damage fabric over time.

I have made labels out of muslin or a scrap of light fabric used in the quilt and signed it with an archival pen. I have also hand embroidered labels before. You can find pre-printed labels that you simply personalize with same pen. You can print a label using fabric sheets designed for ink jet printers. You can make labels with an embroidery machine (or have a friend make one). I have also heard of quilters printing info with a pen under the binding, so that the label cannot be removed in case of theft. This way, if the quilt is recovered, it is easily identified. I'm sure that there are loads of other ideas out there...

We actually put a pocket on the back of the quilt with a Velcro closing on top side and print out a label with our name, title of quilt, who quilted by if we didn't do it, date completed and who and why it was created for. The label is actually printed on fabric with our inkjet so it fold easily and doesn't hurt if washed.

I label all of mine, and give them names! I try to embroider the data on the quilt back before it is quilted, if I miss that opportunity, then I make a label and hand sew it on, and once or twice, I've embroidered the info on the binding before attaching. Recently a friend told me she now embroiders the date, her name, and location on the lower right corner of the top - just like a painting... now that's a cool idea!
Just think of someone 60-70 years down the road who is smiling because they know YOU made that quilt!

I try to remember to label all of mine. If it's for charity, I include the name of the organization, my initials, and the date (year only). If it's for a family member, I usually include the occasion, the name of the person receiving, my name, and the year. Sometimes I sign with a permanent pen and sometimes I embroider it with my DSM. My last one was a prayer quilt. I only signed initials and the date.

Please don't use permament markers on quilts. They are not that permanent and will bleed.

Invest in a pigma pen to sign quilts. It is well worth it.

I have done both signing the quilt and adding a lable and even sew a special block right into the quilt baking so it can't be removed.

my Bernina has a feature that does printing in two sizes and I will use this on the binding. It is not every noticable and all the information is right there. I have machine printed poems that go all the way around a quilt.[ATTACH=CONFIG]393144[/ATTACH]

i use fabric sheets for inkjet printers. my name, date, town and state where i live. and sometimes the name of the pattern, or name of the quilt. then i hand sew it on the back. sometimes as small as 3" X 4".

I just started putting labels too, I sign my made with love and my name

I have made labels with the letters in my Pfaff, kind of hard for me. I've printed on fabric with my computer and fabric made for printing, worked very well. Written on fabric with a Pigma pen which is permanent and doesn't damage fabric. I use scrap fabric from the quilt to border the label and sew it into the binding on a
back corner. i include the name of the quilt, name of recipient, my name and the date and towns where we live. I do this after reading so much from people working with old quilts who try so hard to figure out where and when they were made and who made them.