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After all the planning that goes into a quilt, the fabric choices, cutting, piecing, stitching, layering, quilting and binding...why wouldn't you put a label on it? Who knows where your quilt will end up years from now, and don't you want everyone to know who took the time to make such a wonderful quilt? It is sad and frustrating when you have a much loved old quilt that was passed down in the family and no one has a clue who the quilter was.
So when the last stitch in the binding is done, there is no resting on your laurels until you "put a ring on it"...I mean a label on it! The simplest way to label a quilt (depending on the backing you used) is to just take a permanent fine point marker and write directly on the backing fabric. If you want to provide extra security for your label, you can put it on before it is quilted and then quilt right over it...or sew one edge tucked under the binding. When entering your quilt in a show, generally the label should be on the back right lower corner when facing the quilt, otherwise you can stitch the label wherever you want...just be sure to do it!!
I love collecting label fabric which I store in one of my favorite lunch pails. I like to chose the perfect label that fits the quilt and the receiver of the quilt. I iron a piece of freezer paper to the back of the label which makes writing on the fabric easier. The basic information that every label should have is:
- The name of the quilt
- The name of the piecer
- The name of the long arm quilter
- The city and state
- The year
You can add a full date if it is significant and also a personal note.
The label does provide an opportunity to continue your creativity during this final step by creating a label that reflects the front of quilt. My friend Linda puts that extra effort in her labels carrying the creativity from the front to the back!!! Such a clever and wonderful finish!
For her Buttermilk Basin BOM, Let It Snow, she created a one of a kind label design!
...and for her Yoko Saito Floral Bouquet Quilt she created a mini Wool label with embroidery!
I am very inspired by her effort and creativity...we put so much effort into the quilt...why not the label!! Have a great stitching week!!
.jpg "2019 Sponsor - BERNINA Q 24")
We just turned in our quilts for our annual show with those instructions.
And perhaps consider editing the post to say "name of the quilter" rather than "name of the long arm quilter" which seems to perpetuate the myth that "quilting by check" is the most common, &/or best/only way to go. The current wording neglects an entire segment of quilters who quilt their own, either by hand, on their own domestic machine, or on their own long-arm.
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