Introduction: Quilting Basics : Muslin and Dryer Sheet Quilt Label

By lizzyastro.etsy.com
About: Wife of one, mother of three & now a grandmother too! I enjoy making things and cooking edible things and eating them. aka on IRC as AstroMom

We are told that all quilts should be labelled.  It gives your quilt provenance and tells others who made it, where & why even after the quilt has left your hands.  A quilt label can be as simple or as fancy as you like.  Here I show how to make a simple label using a piece of muslin and a used dryer sheet!  I usually make 4 labels from one dryer sheet.

Step 1: What You Need

A used dryer sheet
A piece of muslin the same size as your dryer sheet
Needle & thread
Rotary cutter & ruler or scissors
A pointy thing
Permanent pen(s) that don't bleed - I like Pigma pens
Iron & ironing board
Sewing machine or you can hand sew if you want to

Step 2: How to Make the Label(s)

Turn your iron on to the lowest setting (one spot) and then press your dryer sheet flat

Measure your dryer sheet and cut into quarters.  Then press your muslin and cut it the same size as your dryer sheet pieces.

Pin one piece of muslin to one piece of dryer sheet and sew 1/4" in from the edge all around and then sew over your first few stitches.  Clip the corners close to the stitching - this will give you a squarer corner when you turn the label right side out.

Cut a slit in the dryer sheet only and then turn your label through the slit to enclose the raw edges.

Push the corners out with your pointy thing and then press your label flat again.

Step 3: Write on Your Label

Use your Pigma pen to write the information on the label.  On this quilt (which was a Christmas gift) I put the recipient's name, the occasion the quilt was made for and my name.  You may wish to put the date you made the quilt, the designer of the pattern and the name of the pattern, what it was made of and how to wash it or any combination of this information.

If you want more colours than come in Pigma pens or different effects Sakura Gelly Roll pens are also wash resistant once heat set with an iron.

Press your label again with a warm to hot iron (make sure you have the cotton muslin next to your iron) to set the ink and then hand sew the label to the quilt.