Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Making Labels Using Freezer Paper with tutorial

Update:   Please be advised to observe copyright laws.

Do you label your quilts?  Some of the things we make will last for a hundred years or more and end up in someone's possession who might wonder who made it!  Those with a label will be cherished even more!  Here are a couple labels I've made recently with freezer paper.



My quest to try a new method for making a label started when I didn't like how my label was turning out.
I thought I'd make a label that included a scripture for the "LOVE" wall hanging I made a week or so ago.  I couldn't make the writing look pretty-- looks like chicken scratch-- and I made a mistake and didn't want to try it again

I remember reading about how people iron freezer paper onto fabric and print on it with their printers.  I had bought some freezer paper many months ago!

I cut a piece of fabric and a piece of freezer paper 8 1/2 inches wide.


I pressed the white fabric first

Then laid the freezer paper (shiny side down) onto the fabric and ironed it.

I ironed it for about 10 seconds or so with a dry iron

I laid the fabric face down (freezer paper on top) since my printer will print on the opposite side of the paper.

When the printer grabbed the paper, it pulled it in unevenly and you can see that it didn't print right.  But I was impressed with the quality of the printing that did turn out. 

So I decided not to give up and try it again.  I ironed an extra strip of freezer paper (folded so it is on each side of the top).  ALSO when I hit the print button, I gently held both my hands on the paper to gently prevent the printer from grabbing it crookedly.   Note:  I found the image used here when I googled the scripture and it didn't seem to have a problem with copyright since I was able to copy the image.

I ironed on the freezer paper again to fabric and you can see the extra strip of freezer paper I ironed on the top a little better here

The quality of the printing is pretty good!   In the picture on the left, my printer ink started running out.  I wonder if the printing will hold up in the wash.  (Update:  I have a picture at the end of the post of a label that I washed.)

This is the LOVE wall hanging I was talking about.

I ironed it to set the ink and stitched it onto the back.
I tried out another label.  Found these images when I googled Halloween clip art and incorporated them into this label, using the Paint program.


I made a matching label for the cookie mix and added the Halloween fabric onto the lid.

Here's the label sewn to the back of the "Crumb Catcher" which you can find the tutorial for at http://thecraftyquilter.com/2013/10/christmas-once-a-month-cookie-plate-crumb-catcher/
 If you have any questions about any of this that's unclear, check with me and I'll be glad to help or if you have suggestions to improve the process, I'd appreciate any tips.

Update:  Label after washing
The label on the right was washed in with some towels with bleach added.  It did fade a bit.

4 comments:

legato1958 said...

This is a very interesting process. Thanks for showing us how to use the freezer paper with fabric.

Susie

Elaine said...

Sheri, I love that label idea because it's personal! I usually put the Summercrafter label which is pretty but doesn't convey any love to the receiver. I'll have to work on that. Freezer paper?

Ivory Spring said...

What a smart idea - thanks for sharing!

Annie said...

Just because you can copy an image does not mean that is is copyright free. I haven't ironed freezer paper onto fabric for printing. What I do is to design and print my label onto regular paper, then use a light box and a black Pigma Micron pen to trace the words onto fabric. The pen has permanent ink, safe for fabric use, which does not fade.

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