hand embroidered quilt label tutorial

You must label your quilts!

Imagine someone from the future

discovering who made their antique quilt.

So what better way then

to help you out 

with a tutorial.

I love making my quilt labels,

it's like signing a painting.

So with that said 

I'm cracking on with labelling up 

my french window mini that I made last year.

 

When I make my labels I make paper templates

much like English paper piecing.

I try to make my labels with a colours or a shapes that

tie in with the quilt.

You can of course keep it simple with a rectangle.

You will need:

A water soluble pen

A template
Some paper

Some coordinating threads

Some fabric

&

Your computer.

 Okay so here's my magic ingredient!

This is the secret to my tidy labels.

picmonkey

You need to load a blank photo onto picmonkey

(I took a photo of a piece of paper and whacked up the brightness to achieve a blank canvas)

(If any one knows a better way please let me know)

Once this has been done you need 

to click on the text button,

choose your font (the free ones)

and type out your label

and make it the correct size.

I have chosen a more twirly font than I normally use

as I wanted to add a little

je ne sais pas!

 Using your water soluble pen,

draw around your cotton label template.

(and leave a good seam allowance)

Find the centre with which you can use to

 line up your words. 

You should be able to see the letters through the cotton

you may need to brighten your screen

or tilt your laptop for a better view.

 Very gently trace the letters with your water soluble pen.

I do not advocate using any other type of marker for this part.

(please use common sense, I hold no responsibility for ruined screens!)

If in doubt why not print out your label onto paper

and stick it to a window

(to make a lightbox effect)

and trace the words like you did as a kid!

If you are using stranded thread,
split it into two, so you have a three strand thread,
which is less bulky.
I have chosen navy to match in with the quilt.

 Once you have sewn your labels 

emerse them in water, 

allow to dry,

give them a gentle press

and tack them to paper templates.

I made a two piece label

to emphasise the quilt pattern.

Press again to form a crisp edge 

with which to applique,

then remove the paper templates.

Pin your label in your chosen position.

(I like to line them up with quilting stitches where possible)

With matching thread attach your label

with an applique stitch,

or how you would hand stitch your binding.

 And here it is!

You could choose to outline the edge with 

some stitches in a contrasting thread

for added pizazz!

Truth be told I wish I'd 

made the selfsewn a different colour,

but I have at least labelled this quilt for prosperity!

Some might say this is an unnecessary embellishment,

probably true...but I enjoy this method.

Why go to all the hard work of  sewing a quilt

and not take pride making a pretty label?

Clare x

a quilt story

As promised my mini quilt from start to finish.

I'm calling it french window...

This is my first quilt designed from scratch.

It originates from this chateau in Josselin France.

I immediately thought of patchwork as I peered through the lovely lead windows.

I made a quick sketch of the block...

...and then put together a design for a quilt,

I do love the 3D aspect of the one on the left.

I must say at this point with my shoulder already sore

I had thoughts of machining this quilt.

And it is quite possible by using half square triangles and rectangles.

That said I much prefer my shapes to be one solid piece of fabric,

so as not to spoil the design.

As this was also a mini quilt I thought I'd English paper piece it

I am a sucker for it!

So one evening I sat on the floor and with the help from my husbands mathematical skills
I scaled the design up to the size I wanted keeping the same ratio.

Choosing the right balance of colours was a bit tricky as so many had to meet.

I tried out a few until I found the balance I liked.

I knew that I wanted to keep the blocks all the same,

and not just mix them up.

After stitching them to their templates I still had a couple of days switching them about,

with the help of my digital camera!

Now you may remember how I thought it resembled a cream egg colour scheme,

tempting as it is to call it creme egg,

the theme actually grew from my anthropologie bowl.

With my shoulder in mind I did a little stitching every few days,

and soon I had sewn the top, with great satisfaction.

Woo hoo naked of it's papers!

When it came to the backing I was at a stand still,

I knew that I wanted to do some red hand quilting 

so I needed the backing to work with that.

Then as per usual 'eureka'

I found this piece which seemed perfectly made just for this project.

It's part of a pillowcase that I bought just for patchwork,

and the red stitching works too...JOY!

To tie in the navy from the front I've used Joel Dewberrys modern meadow

(my all time favourite design and excellent blender)

Before I hand quilted,

 I machine quilted inside each piece,

I like how it looks more like the original window,

when the light catches it just right.

So there you are the makings of my french window.
I can say hand on heart I loved every bit of this quilt.
I think the fact that because it's a mini (23'x 17')
I could see the end in sight within a month.
I realise this quilt isn't going to appeal to some..
I do prefer to inspire with my quilts than to make something pretty for pretty sake!
Now that said I have a new quilt-along up my sleeve
for beginners...
 and probably very pretty!!

 One anonymous comment

Surely you can't actively decide to inspire? Inspiration is something that either hits the viewer or not. I like pretty things so am likely to be inspired by them. I don't like geometrical shapes much and prefer very simple shapes or applique. Colour and fabric choices matter more than any design as the less the design the more likely I am to like it aesthetically. Piecing is of course clever but I like the look less as it takes away from the fabrics and colours.

Edited in response to the above comment

 Of course I don't make quilts just to inspire others.

I make quilts that challenge me and if they inspire when they are finished then thats a bonus,

If you had read my last sentence then you would have realised that.

Why are the quilt police always anonymous?

ps. piecing is not clever it's actually quite simple,

maybe you should join in my next quilt along

it's for beginners?

un petit quilt

This is my entry to the Ellison Lane Quilts modern mini challenge.

It's the first patchwork design that I have designed completely from scratch.

(quilt story post to follow)

  This is my second mini quilt, 

my first the rose star (in my sidebar)
  lives in America with Mary,

my hand quilting is a direct homage to the above Queen of quilting.

The idea came from a chateau window in France last year.

I knew straight away when I saw it, that it would make an awesome quilt.

 

It is English paper pieced, machine and hand quilted.

It's maybe not the most modern...but it was a challenge!

The quilt measures 23"x 17"

 The fabric imari-esque colour combination was inspired by my bowl from

Anthropologie.

(though I think it closely resembles a cadburys creme egg)
 I love it and I loved making it from start to finish!!!

Please do hop over for a look at more wonderful minis at

Ellison Lane Quilts

Please vote for your favourite as there are some amazing prizes on offer.

Voting for chosen quilts runs from the 6th until the 8th of March

over here!!

 I'm pacing the room excitedly awaiting your visits.

Hopefully you've made the trek from summerfete my original blog.

Welcome to the real selfsewn blog!!!

 It's going to be as fun as ever,

much the same as before.

I have added a tab so my tutorials are redirected for now.

 So here is my first fully fledged selfsewn project.

It's my mini quilt for Ellison Lane.

It has a great story behind it,

which has nothing to do with a cadburys creme egg.

(I am not sponsored by cadburys, but I live in hope)

I couldn't help thinking of creme eggs with this colour combo LOL!

So here I am.

Selfsewn.

I really am very excited about my future in quilting.

My head is full of great things...

hope you will stick around for the ride?

ps.

I'm losing all my 424 followers.

If I make it to 100 followers before March

there will be a special gift for someone...