The other day I showed you how I made Triangle labels (click here), and then I had a lot of questions about what should you write with so it won't fade. I did a bit of research and here is my round up!
I asked around to find out what people are using to label their quilts. I found out
- Sharpies (ulta fine points) HEAT SET
- Pigma pens HEAT SET
- Ink Jet printers HEAT SET
- Hand Embroider
- Machine Embroider
- Machine Quilt
Then I did a little more research to find you some articles where people did testing or shared how they did the type of label you are interested in.
The over all theme is if you write it or print it.. heat set and test before putting in your quilt.
If your quilt is not washed much, most inks or ink jets will be great. It's when you want to wash the item a LOT hat fading seems to occur. Here is a collection of thoughts I found.
- My good friend Michelle of Quilting Gallery sent me this photo of her pens and the following analysis
---Top two .. good quality, but I haven't been as happy with the staying dark after washing.
---Sharpie are good, but even ultra fine can seep into the fabric and run. Use a very light touch.
---Bic and Sharpie laundry marker, a bit thick, not much experience with them.
---Bottom one, pigma micron, I've had good results with this one. More expensive and doesn't last that long.
For all, starch, starch, starch the heck out the fabric .. so it's super stiff, like paper. Not only is it much easier to write on, but it will absorb the ink better and less likely to smudge or run. Especially important with Sharpies. Some Sharpie markers are better than others, in terms of how much ink comes out and how light of a touch is needed. Test on sample with same amount of starch. I usually write in the seam allowance. Different fabrics will produce different results too. Some take the Sharpie well, but others don't, it just soaks in. Don't like tone-on-tone for labels, can't get consistent lettering. The printed part absorbs ink differently.
- American Patchwork & Quilting has and article on using pens CLICK HERE
- Annie's has an article with another opinion CLICK HERE
- At the Anitque quilt group on facebook one lady said that "My Pigma brown seems to have lasted the best in my thirty plus years of quilt making. Though these days, I am machine quilting my signature into my work or making a label with machine embroidery"
- Freckled Whimsey did an analysis, with photos, of pens CLICK HERE
- LuLuBloom did a nice tutorial on stamping and the inks used. I've used ink and really like it. So you might want to make a custom stamp for your quilt label. See write up CLICK HERE
- The Graphics Fairy has a tutorial on printing on fabric CLICK HERE
- June Tailor has an ink jet write up at the pdf on this page CLICK HERE
- And Stitch Fancy has this one on Ink Jet Printing CLICK HERE
Hand Embroidery and Machine Embroidery Labels are not going to fade ... unless the thread fades!
- Fairy Face Designs has a super nice Tutorial on hand emboridering your label CLICK HERE
- Embroidery Library has a write up for you to learn a bit about embroiderying on your machine. Even basic machines often have an alphabet, so you could go simple! CLICK HERE
Do you have a GREAT link I can add here?
Or a way that I missed? Tell me in the comments
CLICK HERE to JOIN me at my Quilt Along PAGE!
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