Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't!
If I'm going to donate the item (which I do often), I don't label. If I'm going to give the item as a gift, I always label it. (Well almost always - see note at bottom!)
I label items for remembrance sake. It started with quilts that I was making as keepsakes and has just spread from there. I use to buy labels and write my name & date on them with a fabric pen which was kind of boring and my hand writing is awful!. I went from that to buying labels with my name printed on them and stated "Made with Love". This was okay, but still not very personal and not the look I was going for. Besides, the labels were expensive and I couldn't find exactly what I wanted.
My daughter started making quilts and when she made her very 1st quilt she showed me a video from the internet about labeling a quilt and said do you think we could do this? Imagine that, a beginner with internet experience showing me a new - better way of doing something. I was amazed and impressed, but then she always impresses me! I told her sure we could do that and ever since then, I've been labeling my quilts this way and other projects as well!!!
The process is really pretty simple. There are lots of video's out there showing you the process. This is just one of them How to Make a Quilt Label.
Being the perfectionist that I am and not liking my hand writing, I decided to embroidery my labels. I embroidery them before I attach them. I usually put a decorative stitch across the top, put my name, year the item was made and I also put my signature white dove with the olive branch.
The dove has a special meaning for me and has become my trademark. My family knows if there is a dove on something they get that it came from me and was made with LOVE! I hope that each time they see the dove, they think of me and know how special they are to me!
The story behind the dove:
My father-in-law had cancer and was sick for quite some time. Hospice told us he only had a couple of days to live so we didn't want to leave his side. My daughter was getting Confirmed so we left for Confirmation and returned immediately after the ceremony. He passed the next day. For those of you who are Catholic, you know that the dove is the sign of the Holy Spirit and the olive branch has to do with Noah's ark and a sign of land. A couple of weeks after his passing, my daughter and I was driving to Sunday mass and we saw a white dove hovering in the air with a small branch in its mouth. It was just hovering in thin air. She looked and me and I looked at her and we both said did you see that. Still gives me goose bumps to this day. It was my father-in-laws way of telling us he was okay!!! It's something I will never forget. I feel like he is looking over us and protecting us and I smile each time I make something and add the dove to the label.
I'd love to hear if you label your items and if so, I'd love to see some pics of your labels!!!
Note: The label has sparkly material - of course this quilt was a gift to my sparkly rainbow daughter who introduced me to making my own labels!!! (Mom- I teared up earlier and now laughed out loud at that last sentence)
Note: If I'm making items in bulk to give to grandkids and relatives like this swim bag or Cushy Career Doctor Pillow - I don't typically add a label.
Note: If I'm making items in bulk to give to grandkids and relatives like this swim bag or Cushy Career Doctor Pillow - I don't typically add a label.
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