Quilt Labels

The history of quilting is a fascinating thing, and yet, difficult to study, as there wasn't always much documentation done and of course quilts disintegrated after years of use. Some quilts however, survive, and are wonderful pieces of our history! You can help to keep quilting history going, by documenting and labeling your quilts!

*******************

There are many ways make quilt labels...you can embroider them, sketch them using permanent fabric markers, use extra blocks from your quilt top on the back, or now, you can print them off on fabric using your computer's printer. Whatever your chosen method...your quilt label should include at the very least, the maker of the quilt, the person who did the quilting ( if it was someone else) the name of the pattern, the date your quilt was finished, and the location in which it was made. To make them even more special, you might also include the person's name that the quilt is being made for, and the occasion for which you are making it!

*******************

To print off and use these computer generated labels, you need a piece of washed, dried and ironed muslin, that has been pretreated to accept printer inks. You can pre treat these sheets of fabric yourself, following the Bubble Jet Set info below, or, you can purchase pretreated sheets from quilt shops. If you are doing this yourself, Iron freezer paper to the back of the muslin, and trim down to 8 1/2" x 11". Make sure to trim off any loose threads. Set this in the tray of your printer, and print from the browser as you would any pattern. Write on your information using a permanent fabric marker...I like Pigma Pens...and then heat set using a press cloth and PRESS iron down over your label and wording. A BETTER method is to use BUBBLE JET SET to soak your fabric first. Follow it's treating directions. You can read more about that on Carol Bryer Fallert's page at: http://www.bryerpatch.com/faq/bjs.htm In any event...I encourage you to EXPERIMENT...test different methods and check for color fastness before adhering labels to your piece of art!

You might also want to check out EQ brand, or Printed Treasure prepared fabric...those are printer ready!

Susan Druding also has a great deal of info on printing on fabric, starting at: http://www.straw.com/quilting/articles/directprint.html

Click to the right of the rows of labels to get the larger versions of those two labels! OR Click the Number links for single pages of 4 labels!