Quilt Labels
 

I just completed two lap/couch quilts as gifts, one for a dear friend who lives out of state and the other for my wonderful daughter-in-law (I will try to post photos at a later date once the quilting is done). One is a log cabin using sweet, soft and feminine florals, and the other is a rail fence pattern using metallic prints -it is definitely eye-catching. I love the process of designing a quilt, choosing the patterns, fabrics, etc. and the piecing process. I usually do my own quilting, not always easy on my Brother SQ 9185, but my quilting skills are limited to stitch-in-the-ditch and a wavy variant thereof. I've yet to get the hang of stippling, even though my machine came with the foot to do this. Anyway, These two quilts are just too nice to be subjected to my limited skills, so I have decided to have a friend (and quilt-group associate) quilt them on her long-arm. I had taken these to "show and tell," which my group does during a break during our four-hour sewing sessions. To my surprise, a couple of our members insisted I must put a Label on these quilts. I have never, ever considered putting labels on any of my quilts and, consequently, I don't have any. One member thought it was important enough that she said she'd make embroidered labels for me. SO, my question is this: Do You put labels on your quilts? If so, why do you do so, and do you do it for all quilts or just some of them?

Thanks for your input!

All of them! If they are gifts, or if they remain in my trunks. I think it's important that future owners know "who and where". For instance, my info is embroidered inside the outline of my state ( Tennessee). I should recant a bit...I do not put my name on charity quilts. I especially think that someday your g, g, grandkids would like to know who Madeira the quilt in the cedar chest! Do reconsider and put labels proudly on yourself quilts.

Yes, except quilts made for fund raisers. Mine are hand written on muslin. I like to sew two edges with the binding and blanket stitch the other two by hand.

I have only put an official label on a couple of quilts that I've gifted. However, I do always put a little simple label on each of my quilts that say "Made Especially For You by (my name here)". They are sew in labels that I had made up by one of those online label making stores. I also put them on things like table runners, pillow cases, etc. that I make for others.

Yes! On all but charity quilts. On those I put a label that reads, " Made by someone that thinks you are special".
I use labels that are ironed onto muslin and colored with crayons. Iron sandwiched between several layers of paper towels. That removes the wax and leaves a soft color. All writing I do with a very thin permanent marker.

I "label" all my quilts by embroidering what I want onto the backing fabric (before it is layered and quilted) with my embroidery machine.

I label everything.

For those things I keep, I am interested in having a record of when I made them. For those I gift, I print a label using the front fabrics and giving details of date, for, from and why.

I enclose two sides with the binding and hand stitch the other two sides.

Wherever they end up, someone might be interested to know who made it and when.

I put labels for anyone in the future who might be interested. I have read posts here, where someone found an older quilt in a sale, or in an attic, and nothing was known about who made it, when, or for what reason.

I use fabric that has a light print on it, and hand write them. My stitching wouldn't take any prizes, but they are sewn.

Yes. Always put a label on them especially for gifts. It lets the recipient know that that quilt was made just for them! It will also be a reminder of when and why the quilt was gifted. I have found that everyone I have ever made a quilt for is touched by the gesture and really treasures it. But in years to come, will they remember who, when , or why they received it? I doubt it very much. I keep a record of all the quilts I have made, but they all have a label as well. Even I can't remember what year they were made, the name of the pattern, etc.

I label all of my projects. (Generic) ones- meaning not made for someone special or special occasion may get a simple one — name of quilt, my name, City, state, date finished ( or at least the year) fiber content & care instructions.
when it is for someone special or a special occasion I do a more personalized label - still containing the above information along with the personalized information.
the labels might be embroidered, hand written with permanent fabric pens, designed and printed from the computer or permanent. I’ve used them all.

I only put labels on quilts, if they're gifts, not for my donated quilts. On my labels, I just put who the quilt is for, and who made it and when, and that's it.

Yes, I make labels for my quilts on my embroidery machine. Sometimes it includes my own special name for the quilt.

My labels are double folded pieces of fabric that I used in quilt. That way there is always a piece of repair fabric in the quilt. They are stitched right into two corners of binding and then hand stitched into the other two sides.

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I like putting labels on all of my gift quilts. If they are donation quilts I usually just sew in the year and month somewhere on a lower block or the binding with my initials

I think the labels make the gifts more personal. Some day I will have an embroidery machine to make my own (I hope)

I only label gift quilts, and buy them from a seller on Etsy. She prints beautiful custom labels---I include the name of the recipient, "made with love" by me, and the name of the quilt pattern. I don't label charity quilts or those I keep.

I started out labeling all of my quilts, but sadly have gotten out of the habit. I know that it's important, and I should do better.

Why are charity quilts not labelled?

They're often labeled with the name of an organization that donated them, but usually not with an individual's name. I think the reasoning is that the giver doesn't know who will wind up with the quilt and doesn't want to invite personal contact, or some just want to give anonymously.

I think I would like some personal contact -

I am in the same camp, dunster. For some reason I always sign and date my cross-stitch pieces. Not sure why I've slacked on my quilts.
Thanks for the reminder, everyone!

I have never labeled anything I've made. When I started out, I didn't think anything I made was "worth it". I've been encouraged to do so, but just have not done so yet.

I embroider labels for my quilts that I am gifting. Have not put labels on the others. I don't even have pictures of all the quilts I have made. Wish I did!!! I have started to take pictures but have missed the early years.

You might like personal contact with some people, but probably not everyone, and once a quilt is given for a charitable cause, you can't control who it goes to. Remember, a lot of these charities are for victims of rough situations you might not want to get involoved in. I have no problem donating quilts to comfort women in the battered women's shelter, but I wouldn't want to become part of their drama. Just saying...

I label all my quilts that are just for family and friends. I generally use fabric paint to write them, or I hand embroider.

I always put labels on my quilts. Now I usually embroider them. I like to tell a story if that's possible depending on the quilt. I also include care instructions.

I like the idea of labeling a quilt. I'm fairly new to quilting, so have only labeled one. I didn't gift it for several months, as I could not figure a way to label it that I was happy with. I finally bought some of those fabric sheets that you use in your printer. I liked the looks of it (it worked easily), but the the "fabric" was like starched canvas. It was very difficult to sew onto the quilt back. I could never have done it without a thimble and a couple of bad words. I'm not looking forward to labeling the next one.

I don't have an embroidery machine and I don't embroider. The pre-made labels don't give you space to write anything except who made the quilt and when. I don't care for the look of hand written ones, so I'm at a loss for what to try next.

bkay

I just started to label my “gift” quilts the past couple of years...but I didn’t in the beginning. I think it is a nice touch and personalizes your gift.

I write on the backing all information. There is no danger of them getting taken off.

I don't like labels on anything I own, so I don't add them to my quilts either. I don't usually like how they look on quilts, actually, I think they're often too distracting. I rip labels off of everything I buy, so it seems counter-intuitive to sew labels onto something I've made. Neither of my grandmothers labeled their quilts, so to me, a "traditional" quilt doesn't include any labels anyway.

I've bought labels a couple of times, because I've been told I "need" to label my quilts. But I never use them, so I've given up on the idea. Labels are for others, I guess. I don't feel the need or desire to use them myself.

I actually really hope none of my quilts last long enough for someone to wonder who made them - I hope they're used so much they fall apart long before then!

I don't label my quilts either. Like so many things, it's up to you if you want to or not.

I ALWAYS PUT A LABEL ON. I also keep an album, small, with extra notes in it. You can not believe how many times those notes have rattled my brain as to why I did something the way I did!

bkay ~~ I'm like you , altho I do like the hand written ones. I don't label every quilt, just certain ones. I've started going to spoonflower and uploading pics of labels/graphics and editing with a text for the label. It prints on fabric swatch size 8x8 and costs $5. They turn out great. Last year I uploaded scanned hand written favorite recipes of my mothers ( she been gone 25 years) for dish towels for my daughters and siblings. They all loved them. If your wondering if the print lasts thru washing and drying...YES. Made a pillowcase for grandson with printed pics on swatches, of him and his poppy, from spoonflower and 6 years later, after many many washings...it is a bit faded...But still looks great.

Thanks, Marietta. I'll try that.

bkay

One of the people who responded to this post says that orders custom made labels from Etsy. I did a Goggle search and came up with MANY people who make labels and sell them on Etsy. You might want to check Etsy out, and also any other sites that pop up. Good luck!

I love the handmade touch of putting a label on my quilts. I name my quilt and put my name and the date if I don't know who it is going to and I put the recipient's name on if it is a gift. I make my labels with my embroidery machine and put them in lower right hand corner on the underside by sewing 2 sides into the binding seam and hand sewing the other sides when I hand sew my binding.

I label all of my gifted quilts, but usually a pretty simple one. I usually hand write and use scraps from the front to tie it in. I also like to do one with a picture of the recipient. It seems my labels are a big hit with the new quilt owner.

I have been wanting to do it this way, but I never know where exactly to put the label. How do you figure where to put the label so it doesn't look out of place?

Can you wash it before you attach it? I have some of that fabric, but haven't used it yet.

I label the quilts I give as gifts. Sometimes others but not often. I'm going to try and be more diligent in the future. I know it's important since I have one from my Mom that I don't know who made the quilt and often wish I did.

Perhaps you could try a different brand of product. I am currently using Matilda's Own but have used other brands (I can't remember the names unfortunately) but have found them soft and pliable enough to sew by hand for labels and have also used them for photographs on the front of quilts.

Janie, I measure the backing and estimate where the label will be, somewhere in the general vicinity of close to the bottom of the quilt on the back, centered. The centering part is easy, it's the length of the quilt that's tricky to determine when it'll be longarm quilted. So I don't try to get it right against where the binding will be, just somewhere above it. And I use a thread color that will be visible and easy to read, but not stand out like a sore thumb from across the room. I've always been happy with the results, and there's no label for a thief to pick off. The machine quilting goes right over and through the embroidery like it's not there.