Printed labels on fabric printer sheets
Elaray
| Posted in General Discussion on
I’ve been making labels using fabric printer sheets, but I’m not entirely happy with my method. Previously, I used a business card template, about 2 x 3.5 inches, and turned under the edges. The size made it easy to hem the edges, but I felt the label was way too big. Now I use a smaller mailing label template, but the label is too small to turn under the edges. Most of the garments I make are casual and I attach the label by sewing all four edges. Do I really need to turn under the edges? Will the edges eventially ravel if I don’t?
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I sew, therefore I am
Replies
If you use a zig zag stitch and a fairly short length you would in effect be satin stitching around the label and it would not ravel but might add bulk in an area that could cause irritation. Since you said that you are sewing causual clothes how about you try adding some Heat and Bond Lite on the back of the label and then stitch around the edges to keep them down?
Before I had labels made, I used to make a fairly large label from hand-dyed muslin that I attached with a very short stitch, sewing 1/4" from the raw edge all the way around the rectangle. Then I ravelled it up to the stitching, creating a bit of fringe. My customers thought it was pretty and unique.
You mentioned that you had labels made. Do you have a good source for purchasing labels?
I had them made by a small company here in Alberta, Canada. If you are interested in the details, I will go through my file and find their name and address. They are lovely embroidered labels, done as per the artwork I emailed them. Prices vary depending on size and detail, but the work was very well done.
I don't suppose you could post a photo of one of your labels? Do they have a web-site that would show some examples of the labels?
I had the labels made by Poplar Bay in Calgary, formerly known as Opal Embroidery. I picked up a pamphlet at the sewing show in Edmonton back in the spring of 2002, which had many samples in it, and ordered shortly thereafter. The service was prompt and the work excellent - it was a bit pricey, but since I'm operating a business I wanted a professional looking label and it was worth it to me. I paid $145 CDN for 500 labels, plus a set up charge of $60 and $10 for shipping. For further orders of the same label, the set up charge would be waived. They do have a web site, but it really doesn't tell you very much. I expect you would have to contact them and ask for information and samples. http://www.poplar-bay.comNow comes the hard part.....I have to figure out how to attach a picture of my label ;-) I'll do it as a separate post in case I have problems.
Here goes.....
Sorry, folks! This is the first time I've attached a photo and I haven't a clue what I'm doing....its way too large and out of focus (the attachment, not the jpeg itself). Can someone help? Or give me lessons?
What a nice simple and attractive label! Here it is a smaller file. I'll bet a simple photo editing program came with your camera or there is one already on your computer. Sizing pictures is pretty easy. Do I remember you have a teenager? Usually the perfect teacher for this kind of thing!
Edited 6/8/2005 8:25 am ET by Elisabeth
Thanks for fixing this for me. I haven't had the camera very long and so haven't even begun to explore the software. Soon. I appreciate the compliment on the label - it took awhile to come up with something simple that I liked. Fortunately my sister is a fine artist who works as a graphic artist, so she was a godsend.As for the teenager, he could probably figure it all out, but things here aren't going too well with him. Seems he decided to have a little fun before the move and managed to get himself charged with marijuana possession last weekend. The Canadian courts may not take such activities very seriously, but the military does, and we lost our posting to Norway. Fortunately our household goods were scheduled to be shipped yesterday, so there was time to put a halt to it. But the rest of the move it a bit of a mess - an administrative snafu cancelled our movers completely instead of changing the destination, so here we are with a closing date on Friday and everyone scrambling to get us out of this house. Needless to say, we are a little stressed out. We will be moving to Ottawa, Ontario, instead. Disappointing. (You were right, I fell in love with Norway on sight. Maybe next year?)
Stressed out is probably putting it mildly! The teen boy years are tough on the boys and everyone around them. I really enjoyed that time with my son, so funny and full of himself, but it was also heartache and stress with a shopliftng incident and the drinking parties and such. Your boy's "fun" is having a pretty darn big family wide impact. That is a lot of processing for a young mind. I wish you the best in all the moving and craziness. And don't worry, Norway will be there waiting for you when the time is right.
Sancy,
You can crop and resize at the same time. Set your picture size for no more than 5-7" and at the same time set the dpi to 72. this will give you a picture that is the right size for screen viewing a small enough file to send and be recieved easily.
Nancy
Thanks, Nancy. I'll have to try this when I get a chance to play.
To reduce the size of the photo: assuming you are using Windows, right click on it and you will get a list of actions which begins with "Open link". Run down the list until you come to "Zoom out" and click on that. You will need to do it more than once to get it small enough.FrancesC
It looked great to me! Very elegant. Sometime digital cameras cannot focus on small items...it may also be looking to focus on the table behind the lable which causes bluriness. Try shooting a bit farther away, and resize the photo to capture the lable only.
Thanks everyone for your sympathy and good wishes. DH and I found a house to buy in the Ottawa area this afternoon, after two days of looking. That's pretty good, considering we have a total of five days in which to accomplish everything, including inspections, meeting with a lawyer, etc. We are thrilled with our find and are keeping our fingers crossed that the inspection goes well. And we can be moved in on July 15, which we are amazed at....we have been out of our last home for a week now and were doubtful that we would find something to move into before mid-August. Hopefully this is a sign that things are on the upswing for us....our dog managed to escape the boarding kennel while we were en route to Ottawa on Wednesday, if you can imagine! Fortunately, she has been seen in the area repeatedly - they just have to figure out how to capture her. A little good luck would be most welcome about now ;-)
Congrats on the instant house! Being homeless is an adventure, but only for so long. Rover is homeless too - I have heard great stories from friends and others of dogs that get returned home when lost on the way so that looks good. Hope all goes smoothly now and that you have some of that beautiful Canadian summer weather to enjoy too.
Thanks for posting the photo of your label, and thanks to Elizabeth for the reduction, made it much easier to get the overall view. Nice and simple as well as giving a garment the elegant touch.
To bad about Norway, besides me I'm sure everyone else was waiting for you to fill us in on the sewing market there, what fabrics are available, what the fabric stores are like etc. Good luck with the move to Ottawa, when I visited my aunt and uncle one summer it rained, drizzlled or misted every day for most of the two months I was there! My uncle was also with the military.
Thank you for posting the label information. The labels are very nice. I will check the website that you provided. After reading your subsequent messages, all I can say is "Oh My!" I have now decided that the stressors in my life are far less significant. Good luck with your current situation.
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