Sunday, January 6, 2013

Labels Anyone?

I still have no camera so I can't show any of the items I'm dying to write about. One of these is a fur-backed denim trench coat I made for Tamara which she absolutely loves.  Another is a coat set for Riley which she wore eating Christmas dinner ,so I guess she loved it too. I made several ponchos that were well received too and animal print faux fur handbags. More on those when my camera arrives in the mail!

I've had a Kenmore Elite 19005 with embroidery capabilities for  more than two years now but rarely embroider anything. The reason I wanted it in the first place was to make some sewing labels for  the clothing I make. This weekend, I suddenly decided to try to come up with a few different  samples. It was lots of fun.
I haven't really found THE ONE yet but I did produce a few usable labels. Here they are, pictures taken with my phone.

Which do you like?



 I think my favorite is the blue one on the end and I also like the monogram.




I know. Pictures leave a lot to be desired!

 I really like the stitching on these



And the patterns on these.

 The problem for me is that all my initials (all three of them ) are D. Doesn't make for a very exciting      monogram ,does it? I even tried one using SP for Sew Passionista. I might work on that one for fun pieces that are not too serious.


The labels I've come up with so far are a little big  ( about 2" or 3") and would be fine for coats and jackets.
I want to try simpler and smaller  labels too for lighter garments.

I worked on choosing colour combinations that are classy.I started with light green, pink and brown which I really like.Then pink and brown, brown and blue and blue and cream. I love all but most of all the green/pink/brown and blue/cream combos.

I think black and white would be nice too but I've run out of black embroidery thread ???(don't know how that happened!) so that will have to wait.

Another consideration has been fabric. For all these ,I used Bemberg lining. I've used silk/cotton in the past with less success. I even used light weight denim for a label for the above mentioned trench jacket. What would you suggest?

My DD has wanted me to put labels on the things I make her for a long time. She'll get her wish at last!

More later from


10 comments:

twotoast said...

They are lovely - and it must be fun to be able to design your own! My favorite is the last one, the diamond.

I had some woven labels made up (my machine doesn't embroider) and I love putting labels in my 'me made' clothes. I made a few Christmas gifts (sewn and knitted) and one of the recipients was quite upset that there was no label on the knitted scarf!

pdiddly said...

I am always experimenting with my embroidery machine to fine a label I like - someone mentioned that sewing the labels on grosgrain ribbon was a good idea and it works really well, you can get different widths.

I also like the Blue one with the large and the smaller D, I only have two initials PD and it doesn't even make a very exciting monogram either.

RebeccaHoward said...

How about using 3D instead of DDD?

Summer Flies said...

They are all beautiful... I'd love that on some hankies! I am getting some labels made up to put on my stuff. I don't have an embroidery machine and I won't be getting one unless I get given it! No chance of that, as I only have 2 friends that sew! Very very nice.

Jean said...

All of the labels are fantastic, but if I had to choose, I really like the two blue "D"s. So elegant. As for background fabric, I saw an interesting label for a ready to wear top made of lace fabric. Could be an option!

Susan Fogel said...

Happy New Year Diana!
all of your labelsare interesting.
I like By Diana and the upper and lower case Ds.
What fun.
Did Santa bring you the Lutterloh system?
Are you busy working with it?
Let me know.
Susan ( Bajasusana on PR)

Faye Lewis said...

Your labels are really nice.

Mary said...

Very pretty labels, Diana. I also like the blue one with the different size D's. Have you considered D cubed...a D with a small 3? That might be fun.
Can't wait to see the trench coat.

Vicki said...

I really like the blue and cream. How about just one D?

Cennetta said...

I like them all. But my favorites are the second on the top row and the third on the bottom row.

Wait wait to read about your new coats.