Labels

I love labels on quilts.  It not only documents the quilt for future generations, but it tells a little something about it.  Perhaps its just the name of the quilt, the pattern designer, the maker.  Sometimes that is enough.
I make labels for my quilts because it allows me to be creative.  I have sometimes just written the essentials and other times, I tell a story.  Its all up to me what I do.  Right now the quilts belong to me.  When my children inherit them, they will know a little more about each one.  Why I made it and in one case a long story.

This was just a tiny little wallhanging I found that I loved.  It was designed by Jean Boyd of Brockville, Ontario
http://www.patternsbyjeanboyd.com/
I found it in a magazine and I believe it could have been McCall's.  As you can see by the label it was back a few years. 
The label tells why I made it and yes, that was the name of the quilt.  I didn't change it, because I did call my grandmother "Granny".

I had purchased a whole bunch of 1930's fabrics because I had finally fallen in love with 30's prints.  It took me awhile.  When I worked in the quilt shop, women would come in and buy, and pet them and swoon over them.  I couldn't understand why.  Now I do!  Takes me awhile sometimes.  I love the brightness of them.  They add colour to a room without any effort at all.  The label tells the story of the pattern I choose to make. I have used this for a tablecloth on occasion.  I just put a large piece of plastic on top of it.  It looked lovely.   I picked the Dresden Plate pattern after researching the internet:  http://www.patternsfromhistory.com/colonial_revival/dresden-plate.htm                                                                                                                    

If you look closely at this label you will see faded in the background is the photo I took of the actual wallhanging.  I bought this as a kit, something I rarely do, but the loon fabric is difficult to buy and could take forever and that would only be if you were in the right store at the right time!  This wallhanging is in our trailer and its the first thing I see when I get up in the morning.  My husband I both love it. 

This is my favourite Christmas quilt.  I made it in memory of my Dad.  I made a quilt to honour my mother-in-law and father-in-law and it hangs on this wall during the summer.  To find a pattern to honour my Dad was difficult.  He was the proud owner of a fabulous workshop where he did woodwork, welding, anything that could keep him out of trouble.  His favourite time of the year was Christmas.  He loved it.  I found a pattern in Quilts and More magazine, but it wasn't quite big enough for what I had in mind.  This is the large version of that pattern and it has been renamed to "The Perfect Tree in the not so Perfect Block.  The middle block is constructed differently as I had run out of fabric and so had the store where I purchased it.  You just make do.

I made these two labels and told the story of my Dad on them.  It will tell my children (Ione of whom shall inherit this quilt) a bit more about their Pa.  This tells my side of the story.  I hope it does him justice.  This really isn't a label for the quilt.  But it is sewn onto the back for my children to read.

You will notice that every quilt label has similarities.  I always mention the name of the quilt, the pattern designer, the date and my name.  Always, always mention the name of your long arm quilter on your label.  Whoever it may be has given a lot of time, talent and consideration to what she has done for you.  You don't have to print your labels on a computer.  You can just write them with a permanent pen.  Make sure that everything has a label.  Your quilt isn't finished until the label is on!