Labels for self-made items?

[Tartan Hiker]

Now that I have made several decent kilts, and have 8 meters of Lochcarron wool on my sewing table, I was thinking that I needed to put labels in them stating when I made them, fabric weight, content and mill, tartan name, etc. A simple piece of unbleached muslin stitched onto the underapron and neat printing with a permanent marker would do the trick, but that sounds a bit crude. Anyone out there have a better idea?

[cavscout]

I'd expect you want this to be a fairly durable label so that in itself will make it a bit costly to do anything more than write on the liner with a laundry marker.

You could probably find a shop with an embroidering machine that could do some very basic generic tags for you. Similar to a patch where you provide the cloth for the backing and they just stitch the same generic pattern on it and you cut to size and shape desired.

or get some computer heat transfer paper that you could make an iron-on out off and create your own iron-on label. Not very permanent in the wash I'd bet but may do the job if you never put it in a washing machine.

[Alan H]

way2fractious stitches up his own.

Also, some (not many, but a few) printers will actually print on t-shirt cloth.

[TheKiltedWonder]

any good at crossstitching? I don't think it would take too long to do a monogram type thing or the outline of a name. And it would look a heck of a lot better than a marker.

[pipesndrumsnun]

Great ideas!

[way2fractious]

Since I am not in the kiltmaking business, there is no way I could justify obtaining a supply of pre-made labels. For me it's just a relaxing exercise to print out the label on regular paper as a pattern, then follow that pattern with a needle and thread. They never come out perfect... but that's part of their charm.

Here is the post with some details, including the label, of the XMarks tartan kilt I made at the 2006 Lake Tahoe Kilt Kamp with Elsie Stuehmeyer. Since I was feeling "creative" at the time, the label was sewn in with a herringbone stitch.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...7&postcount=11

w2f

[TheKiltedWonder]

That looks really, really good there w2f. I was thinking maybe even french knots could be used, but they might be too puffy or something. I like how that looks.

[James MacMillan]

I print up custom labels all the time for my wifes quilts. She is no where in the professional mode, but she makes some pretty good looking quilts! She gives them to relatives and friends at special times.

Anyway we found some printable fabric that is already packaged in 8 1/2 by 11 sheets with a backing. You just load them into any ink-jet printer, print up the graphic from what-ever program you like, peel off the backing and sew it on. I made a bunch of generic "Made by" labels and then for the special times, we carefully cut the paper down to quarter size and still it feeds through.

Check your local fabric store! They probably have some of this stuff.

[The Wizard of BC]

Yea James, but how well do your ink jet labels hold up in the washer?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[TheSp8]

My wife makes labels for her quilts also. She prints out her label, puts it on a light box, and then traces it onto the fabric with permanent markers. The markers she uses are made for fabric are acid free and archival quality. Her quilts usually get washed several times before being given to the recipient and all have been well used and the labels have all stood up well. Anyway, glad you're doing well enough thay you need to think about labeling.

YMOS,
Tony