How to make an easy machine embroidered quilt label

Friday is here at last! Yesterday I showed you how to make quilt labels using Sulky Transfer Pens, today I want to share with you a few tips on how to make a simple machine embroidered label. I’ll share how to use Sulky Soft ’n Sheer Cut-Away Permanent Stabilizer along with Gütermann Dekor Rayon Thread and SCHMETZ Embroidery Needles to make this very brightly colored label.

All week I’ve been sharing tips and techniques using affordable notions, but today you’ll need an embroidery machine. Embroidery machines are expensive, so not all quilters have one. If you don’t, I hope you’ll bear with me and at minimum be inspired by the workmanship, the colors, and my quilt, Frequency.

My label today

Machine embroidered quilt labe

Quilt Inspiration:

Frequency, the quilt inspiration for the machine embroidered label.

materials

• Sewing Machine with embroidery module and straight stitch
• White cotton fabric – I used Fabric Creations 100% Cotton
• Gütermann Dekor Rayon Thread – I used turquoise, pink and purple
• Machine embroidery needles – I recommend Schmetz Machine Embroidery Needles #7
• Pinking Sheers – I used LDH 9″ Pinking Sheers
• Spray n’ Bond Temporary Basting Adhesive (optional)
• The label written out on paper
• Thread to match label
• Backing fabric to match quilt
• Sulky Soft’n Sheer Cut-Away Permanent Stabilizer

Supplies needed to make a machine embroidered label.

How to Make This label:

1. Cut out a piece of white cotton fabric 4″ bigger all around than the hoop being used. I used Fabric Creations 100% Cotton.

TIP: Leave lots of space with your fabric and stabilizer just in case you need to reposition your fabric within your machine embroidery hoop.

2. Cut out the Sulky Cut-Away Soft’n Sheer Permanent Stabilizer in the same size as the cotton fabric.

3. Place them together in your embroidery hoop with the cotton fabric on top.

Note: You can spray the two layers together with Spray n’Bond Temporary Basting Adhesive (optional) prior to placing in the hoop.

Use Spray n Bond Basting Adhesive to adhere the cotton fabric to the Soft‘n Sheer Cut-Away Permanent Stabilizer.

4. Tighten the hoop so both fabric and stabilizer are fairly taught.

5. Hook the hoop to your machine.

6. Design your lettering using your embroidery machine’s software; center it in the hoop.

7. If the needle on your machine has been run for more than eight hours, replace it with anew needle before you thread your machine.

Note: I used a size 75 Schmetz Embroidery Needle for this label. These embroidery needles are strong and the special scarf, widened groove, and enlarged eye protects fragile threads and guard against excess friction, allowing for trouble-free embroidery and decorative stitching.

8. Thread your embroidery machine with embroidery thread. I used Gütermann Dekor Rayon, it has a gorgeous silk-like luster and it’s 40wt so is perfect for machine embroidery projects.

9. Start your embroidery machine, sit back with a cuppa, and let the machine do the work!

The machine embroidered label in progress

The Label is now complete. That was easy!

10. Cutaway the jump threads between the letters.

11. Cut around the perimeter of the label with pinking sheers. I used LDH 9“ Pinking Sheers. Leave the Sulky Cut-Away Soft’n Sheer Permanent Stabilizer behind the fabric – it is so sheer and soft and will provide added stability to the label without feeling stiff.

12. Prepare the backing fabric by sewing two pieces of fabric rights sides together with a ¼“ seam allowance, leaving a 2“ gap. Turn right side out through the gap and press; topstitch ⅛“ from the edge. Refer to my two earlier posts this week, 5-ways-to-creatively-label-your-quilting-projects and how-to-make-a-quilt-label-with-fabric-fun-fabric-markers if more instruction is required.

13. Center and topstitch the label to the backing fabric and the label is done!

Machine embroidered quilt label

Here are all the labels we made this week.

We made six quilt labels this week using various edge finishes, embellishments and methods for labelling. Look for all the notions and tools I discussed this week at your local sewing shops.

I sincerely hope you’ve discovered some great tips and creative ideas from my week of posts about quilt labels. I also hope that you’ll be encouraged to make labels for all your quilts – your hard work making quilts needs to be documented! Have a great weekend and happy label making!

This is part 5 of 5 in this series

Go back to part 4: How to make quilt labels with Sulky Transfer Pens

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