Thoughts on Labels
 

We've all heard it. LABEL YOUR QUILTS. I've put labels, with personal messages, on a few, but honestly, I usually don't. The recipients know I've made it, and that's all I really care about.

When I finished "Easy Street," I felt I needed to give credit to the quilter, and the designer, so on went a label. Pretty basic - but it made me feel silly. Probably goes hand in hand with my not really feeling comfortable showing my projects. Like who do I think I am, anyhow...

Well, this past weekend I went to a local quilt sale and included in current projects offered were several quilts that had been found in an attic. No idea who made them, when (other than guessing based on quilt style, i.e., crazy quilt, whole-cloth quilt, etc.) or why. And everyone was asking.

It made me realize that much as I don't really care about having that recognition now, it's possible that someday, there might be somebody looking at an old quilt - preferably raggedy from use - and wonder...

(I don't have the ability to blur out personal info, so used a snip of paper to cover that up. Techno challenged!)

Thanks for the reminder and the gentle nudge. I need to get busy and start labeling. I just really hate sewing them on!

thanks for sharing that situation with us... i usually feel i'm done before the label, but try to at least put my name and the year on it with a pigma pen. for very special quilts, i always make an embroidered label

There are quilt label fabric sheets by June Taylor. I get the at JoAnn's and fill in the blanks, iron them on and qult over them. Easy Peasy!

I will have to look for the June Taylor sheets - sounds like an easy idea.

I usually label my quilts when I give them away. I use the june taylor sheets for that. But if I keep some quilts I've made, I just hand write my name and date it, right on the quilt making without a label.

I didn't label my quilts for years, everyone started telling me I should in case someone down the line wanted to know..so I started doing labels and some of my friends that have my "no labels" have commented that they wish I had done that on theirs, so no quilt of mine will be "label less" anymore...LOL!!!

have you ever sat looking through old photo albums and gazed at a picture of a group of people for the longest time...thinking...who are these people? why did I not put anything on the back? when was this taken? it must have meant something at the time; I bet at the time I thought- 'I don't need to write who it is- I will never forget this moment' guess what- years down the road you do forget. I have 'quilt journals' and sometimes one of the kids will be looking at them & show me a quilt I made years ago---and forgot all about- even a simple label- name of quilt, your name, city, state, date is good to add- sometimes something more- but at least the basics.

If you have an embroidery machine, embroider info right onto backing, even if quilting goes through it the info is there! I find this an easy way to just get it done and you know it will never fall off!

I put labels on all my quilts, even those for babies. Lots of times it's just made by, and for with the date. That is the minimum info I add.

I machine embroider my labels, include at least made by and date.

I have 6 or 7 going back to March that need them. I think I will get a couple done today.

From a person who is interested in genealogy, that was exactly what I was thinking as I was reading down the posts. Someday, someone will possibly want to know and won't have a clue. There is a signature quilt with just initials and everyone is long since dead and there is no one to ask and you have to make educated guesses which may or may not be right. I didn't used to give much consideration to these things, but now struggling with unidentified pictures, I am now.

I put all my info right on the binding. It is there to be found but not distracting to the quilt. Some times I piece the info block right into the backing so it can't be removed.
peace