Thursday, July 5, 2007

Before and after - how to make your doll quilt label!


I wanted to do a special post for all you doll quilt swappers out there.

Truthfully, it applies to all quilters, or all those who work with fabric I suppose.

I'm in love with Copperplate calligraphy, as I've mentioned before. This style of writing was popular in the 1850's or so. I love to write all over my quilts. Tops, labels, everywhere.

After studying this writing style and trying to memorize how to make the letters in that elaborate, beautiful manner, I have boiled my quilt tatoo secret sauce down to pretty much one simple technique:

Write out your quilt label text on a plain piece of white fabric. Mark some writing lines on there if you don't want it to get too nuts and crazy looking, as your guide.

Use a pigma permanent marker. Don't try anything else, just go with this...trust me...it works!!!

Use your best handwriting, or the best that you can muster at the time.

Then..........drum roll please....go back over the writing and every time your pen writes "down", meaning - a mark that moves from the upper part of the paper to the lower part of the paper, make that line just a little tiny bit thicker.

To prove this would make any handwriting better - I didn't have to look far for my volunteer. My husband (an incredible amazing man who I adore and admire endlessly) has pretty much the worst writing I've ever seen. Even HE can't read it half the time.

I asked him to write a sentence, and afterwards, I filled a little shading in, and voilà!

Looks better, right?

6 comments:

  1. I love your nuts and crazy looking label. It's beautiful. Thanks for the instruction, I will be giving this a try. And seriously, my husband's handwriting is way worse!!

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  2. NEAT! (My husband's hand writing is so much worse... The worst part of thst is that his mom was/is an elementary school teacher!)

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  3. Wow!!! Who would of thought something so simple could be so effective. I've been trying to think of a different way to write my label for my doll quilt. Thanks!!!!!!

    Jodie

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  4. Super! You gave me good tips for my label too. I like Pigma pens, but didn't realize they would work for fabric writing. I love the style you do your labels in. And thank you for your really nice comments on Chickenblog.

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  5. I LOVE your quilt labels.. I will try it for my doll quilt that is due in 3 days!!

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  6. I am enjoying your blog! Thanks for the label inspiration. I took your suggestion on the pen. I hand scrawled a label for my quilt gift this christmas. I have some pics on my web site and a reference to your blog entry too. I like the handi work. Cheers!

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