DuhBe.com

This is part 3 of my 3 part blog series on making your own fabric labels.  Links to the previous 2 posts are below.  And I apologize for you having to see my “DuhBe” logo over and over again in this tutorial.  But those are the only labels I make, so they are everywhere on my clothes!

part 1 – what to say (or what the FTC wants you to put on your labels)

part 2 – how to make them (DIY process of printing & cutting the labels on fabric)

part 3 – how to attach them (considerations for comfortable labels) (you are here)

The first bit of advice I can give here is for you to look in your closet at the labels on clothes you have bought.  Look at all the different kinds of labels and attachment methods those clothing makers use.  There are foldover labels sewn into seams, there are flat labels sewn all the way around in a rectangle (like that leather patch on the outside of levi’s jeans), and then you may even have some that are printed directly on the fabric.  Look around for options and decide what works for you.

The second bit of advice if you are making labels for something that will be worn is to consider the comfort of the person who will wear your item.  If your tags are stiff and scratchy, the wearer will go after them like a rabid dog with a pair of scissors.  Itchy labels are a nuisance!  So consider this for your own wearables.

Assuming you already made something soft and non-scratchy during part 2, now you need to attach them to the item.  There are 2 main ways I see doing this:

1. Sew-in labels
2. Iron On labels

I’ll talk about the sew-in method first and share some photos.  Then I’ll briefly cover the iron-on method and what materials work for that.

Sewing labels onto clothing

I’m going to share what I have learned from my own limited label experience.  This is not meant to be an exhaustive guide, just some tips and tricks from someone who has made some mistakes and now thinks I’ve got a way that works for me.

You should always consider your labels BEFORE you construct your garment.  If you decide to incorporate your label into a seam, you can’t do that once the garment is finished.  So when you design a new piece, think about where you will put your label and then don’t forget to sew it in at the right time.

I’ve started sewing my labels in after the garment is finished rather than during seam construction becuase of the syle of labels I’ve made.  Here is a photo of one of my labels at the neckline.  Both inside and outside of the jacket are shown.

I sew around the big label and catch the edge of the foldover label in the process.  I also use invisible thread in my bobbin so the label is as inconspicous as possible on the outside.   I use a soft and strong polyester thread in the needle.  Do not use invisible thread in the needle since stray ends of that thread are itchy on bare skin.

You can pin the label in place to start out, but that may not be necessary unless your fabric is slippery.  One of the things I learned about sewing labels this way is not to start stitching in the corner.  Start on the long edge and sew around until you come back to it.  Since you’re not sewing seams here, backstitching is not required but that’s just my opinion and sometimes I do it anyway.

For pants with a foldover waistband, or anything with a lining or 2 layers, you can attach your label to the inner layer before construction and the label will not show on the outside at all.  Here’s a foldover waistband that is very stretchy.  I used a stretch stitch to attach the label just to insure the stitches didn’t break when this waistband gets streteched out while pulling the pants on.  (you might notice I started stitching in the corner, this is before I knew better.)

Below is one example of one of my oder labels that was sewn into the seam during construction.  This is a rolled edge, but you get the idea.  This was an iron-on tranfer applied to ribbon.  I stopped making those labels because they are very scratchy and the lettering melts away under a hot iron.

And finally, you may find that sewing all around the label shows too much, or maybe you want more stretch.  You can also sew on 2 sides of the label or even tack it in place in the corners.  Here is one I did with 2 side bars.  It’s sloppy, but you get the idea.  And speaking of sloppy, I like the tattered looking labels for my clothing line, but if your style is more refined, you will probably want to press under the edges of your label before sewing, much like an applique.  Also consider your thread colors in the overall design of your labels.

Hopefully that gives you several ideas on how to sew your labels onto your items as well as ways to make it comfortable for the person wearing it.  You want that label to stay in there as a reminder of where the item came from.  I believe it helps with repeat business in the long run.

Iron-On labels

Maybe you don’t want to sew your labels in.  Maybe it ruins the look of your garment, you don’t want to sew, or maybe you just need something less permanent?  Consider iron-on labels using fusible web.  I don’t think that stuff lasts for very many washings, but at least you will have a label on there.  So here’s how to make those.

You can either apply fusible web while you have your full sheet of labels from the printer, or after they are cut up.  If you’re making a stash of iron-on labels, I would advise you follow these steps from part 2 of making labels:  1. print labels  2. remove freezer paper & rinse labels, then dry  3. iron on a sheet of fusible web to the back of your sheet of labels  4. cut them to size.

If you’ve already cut up your labels, you can still cut tiny pieces of fusible web, or use strips of stitch witch to fuse labels onto your items.  I cut up a few tiny pieces of heat-n-bond, iron the tacky side to my label, removed the paper backing (wait for it to cool first!) then iron on to my item.  Picture progression of those steps is below.

Besides the fusible web not being permanent (in my opinion), the iron-on option has another flaw.  If your item is not iron safe, you will have problems with iron-on labels.  See the nylon lace in the photo above?  It melted right onto my iron.  I just don’t like fusible web in place of sewing.  I’m biased on that, I know some people love the stuff, but it’s not my preference.   I included the iron-on label instructions because I know some people prefer it, but I only did it as an example and would prefer to sew the label onto my lining for the coffee cozy above.

That’s it!  That’s everything I have to say about making your own labels and putting them into your handmade items.  Questions or more ideas you can offer?  Please leave a comment so others can learn from you too.

And one final note on why I did this tutorial on labels…

I am a research hound and will spend hours digging up info.  Imagine my surprise when I couldn’t find anything comprehensive on clothing labels!  Since I couldn’t find it, I decided to figure it out for myself and share what I learned.  Hopefully this post gets up in Google searches so others can get easy access to this.  If you found this information useful and have a blog or website, please consider posting a link to part 1 of this label tutorial so others can benefit from this info as well.  Thanks!

~DuhBe

Related Posts

1. DIY Clothing labels – part 1 – what to say
2. DIY Clothing labels – part 2 – how to make them