Labelling your quilt

This week I wanted to make labels for my finished quilts with the freezer-paper and fabric. As I remember it, it was nothing complicated. Boy, was I wrong? The freezer-paper and fabric jammed into my printer and if it went through the words came out smudged. The printer was just the beginning of my problems and it got worse when I switched to the press-on sheet. 😕

I thought to myself, why not using the T-shirt press-on sheet. It should be easy enough right? Print text on paper on. Iron-on fabric. And voila!  But no. For at least two hours I searched for the function on a computer, to flip or mirror my text image,  so it could be readable when it's iron on the fabric.  My irritation with the computer elevated that my husband could hear me loud across the house. He came to my rescue and together we figured it out. Different programs have their tools on how to flip/ mirror an image.

Here are well-known methods used for labelling a quilt

Freezer Paper

Cut the freezer paper to the size of your printer's sheet. Ironed the glossy side on the back of the fabric. Edges should be neat with no frills of thread loses, so it will not catch in the printer. Insert the paper/fabric in your printer main tray.  Write down the information for your label. Print. Let the ink dry and iron to set the ink in the fabric.  Be careful, some printers do not well with this technique. My printer is an HP Officejet5740 and it didn't do work.

The result of  freezer-paper labelling with a printer

T-Shirt Transfer Sheet

There are different transferable press-on sheets available. For these labels, I used this method and made sure the text image was flipped before it was printed on the press-on sheet. After it's printed on the sheet you follow the ironing direction on the package. 

At this point, I have not tested if the ink will stay on the fabric after being machine-wash.

Fabric Markers

Markers are good for labelling if you have nice penmanship. 

Embroidery Machine

Depending on your talent with an embroidery machine,  you could make beautiful labels. 

Hand Stitching

Another way of writing labels that would be without a doubt, beautiful and appreciated by everyone.

What should be written on a label:

• Your full name
• Who pieced, quilted, designed it.
• What or who it is for
• Where the quilt was made: province, city, country 
• When: year
• Title

More details are given to the quilt, more its value of importance. It’s not just another quilt. It’s a quilt for someone special.

Here are few instructions on how I used the T-Shirt sheet for labelling and how it works.

 As you see here, the text was flipped and ready to be iron on my fabric.

 For ironing, follow the direction on the package

 Let cool off the paper before pealing it away. 

The words should show clearly.

 If you want the label with finish edges, double the fabric and folded it in half. Sew all around 1/4", but leave a small opening to turn it over. Press. (See finished labels in the picture above.)