When you begin to discover how the special stitches on a machine can be used, life takes a turn for the better.

I’ve been playing with the HQ Stitch 710 and making quilt labels with the alphabets.

It takes a little practice but it’s worth the effort. Let’s get started.

Decide on what your label will say. Generally you want your name as the maker, the quilt’s name if it has one, when and where it was made, and the quilter’s name as needed. If it’s a gift, you can say who it’s for and what the occasion was. My simplest labels give the quilt’s name, my name and the year.

A guideline is that you don’t need to include anything that someone could figure out by looking at the front of the quilt. For example, you don’t need to say that it’s a Log Cabin quilt or that it’s blue and yellow or how big it is.

For this label you’ll use the alphabet in Mode 3 on the HQ Stitch 710. Create the first line by selecting Mode 3, and then typing in the number that corresponds with each letter followed by “M” for memory. Use 98 for a medium-sized space between each word, followed by M.

I like to make a practice piece first. Using scrap fabric and embroidery stabilizer or heavy interfacing on the back, sew the first line out.

This gives you an idea of how long the line will be. I marked the center of the line with a green plus well above it. Continue creating and stitching out the lines of your practice piece.

I tried to center the lines by guess and by golly but realized I needed a better method. (More on that in a minute.) I also struggled to keep the lines straight, so for the labels after this, I placed painter’s tape as a guide or used the presser foot as a guide.

I’m all about creative solutions, so I thought that maybe I could draw some funky artwork around the crooked lines and make it work, but I eventually abandoned this one.

On the next try, I used the information my practice piece had given me. I marked the center of the first line. Then since I knew how long each line would be, I could eyeball-estimate where to begin sewing so the line would be centered. It’s not exactly perfect but it’s pretty good! Here’s how it turned out.

I made another label today, too. Here are a few more step-by-step instructions.

First I created the lines of text on the HQ Stitch 710. After pressing, I trimmed about 3/4″ outside the text on all sides.

I cut 1.5″ strips in a coordinating fabric, and sewed them to the sides, trimmed, and sewed strips to the top and bottom.

I cut a backing for the label and trimmed it to the same size as the label front. With right sides together, I sewed all the way around the label with a 1/4″ seam. I trimmed the corners to eliminate bulk, and then cut a slit in the backing about 3″ long.

I turned it right sides out through the slit, pushed the corners out gently, and pressed it flat.

A finished label, ready to be sewn to the quilt. Find a more detailed step-by-step tutorial. 

I usually sew the label to the back of the quilt at the bottom right corner. There’s no official place that is correct as far as I know, but that’s the place that seems right to me. The quilt police won’t come if you decide to position it elsewhere.

Many of my quilts are not labeled, but I’m working to correct that. I’ll keep you posted on my progress.

Up next: Make a nametag you can wear to quilt events!

Check out HQ Stitch sewing machines. 

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