all this week we'll be talking about techniques to make your sewing more professional. today it's all about labels.

when i first started sewing i ordered my labels online. however i always felt they were a tad overpriced ($1 apiece), took a little too long arrive (6 weeks or more), and no matter how much time i spent designing them they didn't quite have the look i was going for. so last year i decided to try making my own. they turned out great so i thought i would share my process.

materials

white cotton fabric (i've found something with a little rougher texture and heavier weight, like muslin. absorbs the ink better than smooth or really lightweight fabrics like cotton sateen or lawn)
interfacing (optional, depending on the fabric you are using)
stamps (i use basic letter stamps from the craft store and a stamp of my logo i had made for like $10)
fabric ink pad
iron
pinking sheers
clear ruler
pencil
scrap fabric or paper towel

instructions

1. iron it out

iron your fabric, depending on the texture and weight of it you might want to also interface it.

2. size it up

decide on the desired finished size of your label and add a little bit for an allowance. then using the ruler and pencil draw your lines. for my logo and text i've found 1.75 by 2.5 inch box works well.

3. get stamping

stamp through assembly line style, being careful not to smudge the surrounding labels.

i've found for the logo stamp i need to press firmly and re-ink each time. for the letters i need to have the stamp 'kiss' or 'peck' the fabric, i usually get two stamps then need to re-ink.

when you're done with each stamp get all the ink off by stamping it on the paper towel or scrap fabric.

4. cut 'em

using the pinking shears cut out the labels along the lines.

5. attach

when it comes time to attach your label you might want to trim up the sides (i usually do and remove the pinking sheer cut lines). i've also found that it works best to first attach them with iron on tape then sew them into place with a zig zag stitch.

things to note

with this method things aren't perfectly/identically spaced because i do all my stamping freehand. personally i think this goes well with the 'love aunt maggie' aesthetic, but if you want something different for yours you might want to have single stamp made.

while i've refined my process and gotten a lot better not every label comes out perfect. there are always a flew flubs and smudges. with this batch of 30 there are two maybe three i won't use.

hope your labels come out beautiful and come back tomorrow when we'll be talking about french seams!