Tutorial: How to make a passable label for your quilt

Everyone makes labels in different ways... from getting them printed professionally, using services like Spoonflower.com, to just free-handing a signature and note directly on the back of the quilt. I have thought of using the first and have done the later but most of the time I take a moment to make a decent label that is different and unique for each quilt.

A while ago Thelma (Cupcakes 'n Daisies) and I got chatting over labels and how my labels looks so well done. When I shared my secret with her she suggested I write up a tutorial, so here I am many months later with a quick tutorial.

Here we go...

Things you need:
Computer w/ a word processing software
Printer
Tape
Micron Pens .05
Light box or a well illuminated Window


First step... Decide what to write. I sometimes scope out the quilt poems out in blogland and use something like that before jotting down the general info of the quilt, but most of the time I just put the name of the quilt, who it's for (if I'm giving it away), when I completed the top and when it was quilted. My name and where I lived when completed also goes on the label.

Now, I'm not so talented as to have some outstanding penmanship with gorgeous handwriting so I type this all up into a word document using some cute font. I keep this label document on my computer and just edit it when I type a new label. The file is formatted to fit a 3" square fabric but I play with it when I make a label that is a bit different.

I print out the page and take it over to my handy dandy light box...

 You like my light box?
Let's pause here to give you a better look at the quality of this light box. 

I even made a hole to pull out the cord of the desk lamp I put in the small cooler 

I got from my local 7 eleven.

Do I need some fancy glass top? Nope. I use my ruler as the surface.

Okay. so back to the label. I tape the print out onto the light box surface.

I then tape the piece of muslin onto the label.

Using as many colors as I want, I just trace with the Micron pens.

When I'm done tracing, I take the label to my ironing board and press it to heat set the ink.

Last step is to attach to your quilt. I prefer to put the label onto the quilt before it's quilted so that the quilting can secure it in place but sometimes I attach whenever I can get to it. This one got incorporated into the backing of the quilt...

BTW: If you don't have a fancy shmancy light box, like mine you can just tape the printout to your window and let nature serve as your light box.

Hope this helps someone out there.

I've been a bad, bad girl...

A couple of weekends ago I was very bad....

I went off on my own and traveled to my local quilt shop...

I had a coupon in hand from their newsletter...

It gave me 20% off....

I bought a little something....

I then bought a little something to go with it...

I think I'm addicted to every thing 3 Sister's comes out with. I bought the pinks from their Aster Manor collection to compliment the reds and gray. I think this will be what I'll be using to make my version of Elizabeth (pattern by Miss Rosie's Quilt Co that I have been drooling over for FOREVA!). I thought of using the Park Avenue line but I can see this one working better. Now I just need to finish the other two projects I have started (Short Story and Two Pieced Puzzle) and I can start Elizabeth!

Oh... I also got me some of this...

I'm making Camille Roskelley's new pattern Piece of Cake {2} with this beauty. For when I need that feeling of immediate gratification.

Aren't these fabrics just too yummy to pass up! Left on my wish list.. 2 layer cakes of Bliss - I want to make my version of Imagine (from the book Schnibbles Times Two) with this line. I think it would look fabulous!!

Ok.. I'm leaving the confessional!

Coming Soon... here and gone.

My version of Coming Soon (pattern by Camille Roskelly of Thimble Blossoms) arrived at my door on Monday. Can you believe it? Mary had this one in and out of the frame so quickly my head is still whirling. I really appreciate it since the new owner is... Coming Soon... (sorry, I had to do it!)

I love the crinkling that a quilt gets after that first wash.

Like it's already been snuggled with and loved.

I had to piece the back since I made the borders of the quilt a little larger than the pattern called for.

But I think, that having to piece the back added a bit more flair. 

It also gave me a chance to incorporate the label onto the quilt.

I love the big flowers Mary quilted on it since it allows for a bit more loft to the quilt.

I hope it's loved and cherished in it's new home.

Feeling like MacGyver

I was chatting with Darlene over at Quilting Daze, about Short Story (the quilt I am working on from the Schnibbles Times Two book - which she already made: Here) and how it can feel a bit off while making it, especially if you have a problem with things not looking as you are use to. I have learned to trust Miss Carrie when it comes to her patterns because not always will you walk on the straight and narrow to get to your final destination, but eventually you will get there.

What I found most frustrating with this project has nothing to do with the pattern and everything to do with the ruler used in the pattern. It happens to all new rulers.. the slip and slide. I typically buy rulers that have a modicum of grip and I do fairly well, but this was a specialty ruler and I had limited options.

I had found that if I used the ruler on a certain table I could put enough pressure to avoid much of the slip and slide but yesterday we put away the fold-able table and I had to resort to my usual cutting spot. After cutting a few triangles I knew I could not work with the ruler without proper grips.

JoAnn's sells little round adhesive grips that work marvelously but I had recently run out of them and I was not heading to JoAnn's (20 minutes away) to get a replacement pack. I first tried double sided tape to get some sort of grasp on the ruler but it really wasn't working for me.

Here is what a did....

Quick call to my sister (Thanks, Jess!) who was out and about, had her stopping at the local Home Depot for some extra fine sandpaper. I originally wanted some that already had adhesive, but there was none so she brought me the regular kind. 

Cutting out a thin strip, I put some of that double sided tape I had at home on the back of the strip.

I then just put the now adhesive sandpaper onto my slippery ruler.

Worked fabulously! 

It was gripping like a charm and I was able to cut out several more triangles for the blocks of my Short Story quilt. I felt a bit like MacGyver, trying to solve the problem with rudimentary tools vs going out and getting the little dots that are already out there.

Hope this helps someone that just might have a slippery ruler that needs some taming!

A bit of something completed

Even though I have been busy at work I did make some time to make a baby quilt for my cousin that is expected to pop this month. She is actually a second cousin, being the only daughter of my first cousin. Confused? My extended family is quite huge. Anyway... I was a bit excited that I was able to complete this top.

I selected Camille Roskelley's new pattern called Coming Soon...

and combined it with the florals of Momo's Freebird line.

The pattern came together like a dream. Very easy and with quick results.

Then it was just a matter of finding the right placement for the colors.

I did add a slightly larger border...

And failed to take that into account when I bought the backing for the quilt, which, in turn, caused my backing to fall a bit short of the mark. I had to be a little creative and make it a tad larger. I don't have a picture of it but I'll show it to you all when I get it back from Mary. Mary from over at Quilt Hollow agreed to quilt it for me so it would arrive at its destination in time to welcome it's new owner to the world.

I'm so happy I did something in July and I hope that this month will be more productive..