How well does the ink jet hold up with a lot of washing?

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*** I hand embroider my name and finish date on the bottom right corner.
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A dear friend bought me some labels to sew on. Not all my quilts get a label. I hate to apply them.

Boy, the title of this thread sure brings back memories! Thanks for the chuckle.

As for labels, I usually either use a plain muslin rectangle on which I write (with a Pigma pen) the quilt name, my name, date completed, where completed and if a gift, who the recipient is. I then turn the edges of the block under, press and sew on with blind stitch. Other times, I will incorporate a quilt block with a muslin or light center (like square in a square, snowball, etc) into the backing of the quilt (so it is part of the actual backing). I use this block as the label.

Anita

I use a fabric I'd bought some years ago. It is off white with a light tan scroll. I just hand write my information and sew it on.

I do label my quilts and I sew the label to the back before I send it out to be quilted by my fantastic longarm quilter. Many of the quilts I am currently working on are projects that my Mother started and will eventually be gifts to other family members. I usually embroider the name of the quilt onto a piece of white or off-white fabric for this step I use my embroidery machine. Then I move to my light box. I tape a paper on the light box that has been printed on the computer using a 12 point font usually in Arial. The paper copy includes all of the wording with correct spelling and the spacing seems to be okay. Then I tape the fabric with the embroidered name on top. I use painter's tape for this step. Then I trace over the computer generated wording using a Pigma pen. My preference is to use the 0.5 size. When the tracing is complete, the label sits for at least 24 hours (this can be hard) so the ink doesn't bleed when I heat set it with a dry iron set on cotton. I attach the label on the lower right corner looking at the back and I make sure it is at least 8 1/2 inches from each edge. Sometimes I set the label into the back fabric and other times I turn under the edges or make a frame and sew then sew the label to the back by machine.

Have fun!

I am just starting to embroider mine. I learned how to make it turn like a pillow cover all on embroidery machine so no raw seams to deal with.

I didn't use to label my quilts, but when an aunt died and quilts that were discovered in her barn and I was given one that was a hand embroidered quilt it had a date of 1896 on it and a last name. I have tried to research it but have been unable to trace it back to a relative. I use the method of printing the information on cloth ironed onto heavy freezer sheets that go through the printer and then hand sew the label after it is quilted.

You can buy fabric labels in the quilt shops, just cut out and fuse on or applique writing info in permanent pen. You can print them on your computer with an ink jet printer on specially made fabric sheets. You can make up your own with permanent pens, crayons, on plain fabric. Some are as simple as the name of he quilt (if you name them), the maker, the year. They can be as elaborate or as simple as you like. They can be pieced from the quilt fabrics, appliqued, printed, crayoned, copied, invented, etc. Experiment with drawing some on paper and then decide what you like best.

I make very basic quilt labels - iron a light fabric onto freezer paper, then write or print using Pigma pens the pertinent information. I generally write: Made with love (with a red heart for love), then who the quilt was made for, my name and town, and a date I don't have a fancy embroidery machine so I've just used the Pigma pens. Then I press back 1/2" or so, then stitch onto the quilt, removing the freezer paper when it's about 3/4 done. Like I said, nothing fancy, but my first quilt teacher stressed the importance of labeling my quilts, so I made it a habit to do so.