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How to create an embroidered quilt label using your sewing machine

by Nancy Devine

Yesterday, we laid out and appliqued all the elements of our Autumn Harmony wall quilt.
Today, we’re going to bind the finished piece, as well as create a label and a hanging system for it.

autumn theme quilted wall hanging on a weathered fence

A fabulous fall finale for our Autumn Harmony wall quilt

Press the quilt on the top side with lot of steam. Don’t iron it. Press with the iron up and then down, move the iron off the quilt and then down to the next area. Ironing could create a crease exactly where you don’t want one. It’s been my experience that these surprise creases stay stubbornly in place, so I do my best to avoid them. Trim the borders so that everything is straight and even.

excess batting trimed from the wall quilt

Trim the quilt so that the edges are straight and even.

Create six 2½” binding strips, or use the strips left over from those cut for the log cabin blocks.

Bind the wall quilt using this excellent and straight forward method by QUILTsocial’s own Elaine Theriault.
I like to slip stitch the binding onto the back of the quilt by hand, and pressing the binding well once it is all stitched in place.

Set up your machine for free motion quilting, and then stitch on the drawn lines to create an embroidered quilt label.

Set up your machine for free motion quilting, and then stitch on the drawn lines to create an embroidered quilt label.

I created the label using a bit of fabric from a previous project. See this post for how I created a lined paper label.

I wrote my details using UNIQUE SEWING Air Erasable Fabric Marker. Then, I threaded my machine with brown thread, dropped the machine’s feed dogs, switched to my embroidery foot, and traced over the ink lines with the machine, going over the lines to create a sketchy bold pen and ink look. I cut out mini replicas of the leaves and berries and stitched them down in the same way. It’s a fun technique that takes some practice, but I love the look.

Use HeatnBond Lite to adhere the label to the back of the wall quilt.

This label is finished, and like the rest of the quilt, colorful and fun.

This label is finished, and like the rest of the quilt, colorful and fun.

Use HeatnBond Lite to adhere the label to the back of the wall quilt.

A few years back, a winter ice storm gifted us with several white birch branches. It was sad for the tree, but good for me. I salvaged the branches and used them for some landscaping projects. There was one that was fairly straight, so  I decided to use it as a rustic hanging rod for my quilt.
I found some coordinating clip curtain rings at my local fabric store. I attached eight of them to the top of the quilt, and threaded them onto the birch branch.

I’m going to put up two curtain rod wall brackets so I can Autumn Harmony it in my living room, where I’ll enjoy the colors of fall — even when the snows of winter turn the world to glistening white.

I hope you have enjoyed creating this homage to Autumn with me this week.
Keep visiting QUILTsocial for more quilt-y fun!

Until we meet again, remember to make a mess and create some fun!

Just hanging out, waiting for fall!

Just hanging out, waiting for fall!

This is part 5 of 5 in this series.
Go back to part 4:  How Unique fabric glue stick can help your applique work

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15 comments

Mariana October 30, 2016 - 6:29 am

I will definitely give this a try!

Reply
Mara October 28, 2016 - 6:33 pm

I will definitely try this, I’m pretty bad at labeling things.

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Amy October 27, 2016 - 11:04 pm

Love the branch idea! I need to try the label method too.

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Gabby Doyle October 27, 2016 - 6:05 pm

Love the quilt, love the beautiful, rustic hanging branch, and I love the great tip! I have been recently exploring different ways to make labels, but I haven’t seen this way yet, so thank you! I particularly liked how you made yours look like lined notebook paper.

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lisa October 15, 2016 - 9:29 pm

This is how I make labels

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Teresa October 15, 2016 - 7:33 pm

I just learned about Flatter! Excited to buy some. Thanks

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Marilyn October 15, 2016 - 12:21 pm

This is a great idea. Love the quilt too.

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Connie October 15, 2016 - 10:11 am

Really fun quilt!

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Rachel Gagnon October 15, 2016 - 9:33 am

thank you Nancy for sharing your tutorial for the quilting label – I usually don’t label the quilts I made (not that I made that many since I am a beginner) but your tip looks like fun to do – I will try it.

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Carolyn October 15, 2016 - 12:32 am

Beautiful!

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M October 14, 2016 - 11:55 pm

Beautiful ideas

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Kathy E. October 14, 2016 - 9:10 pm

These are great tips that I can and will use to make labels for my projects, Nancy! Thank you so much for sharing them! I really like this look.

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Ann Flower October 14, 2016 - 6:50 pm

cute fabrics.

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Karen Ferguson October 14, 2016 - 10:51 am

Thank you so much for the great ideas!

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Summer October 14, 2016 - 10:19 am

I have the letters on my sewing machine, but they do not stitch nicely. I had never thought of doing thread painting to get the job done! I love the little details like the blue writing lines. Nice touch!

Reply

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