I decided to make my own sewing labels with my embroidery machine. I used a satin ribbon for the first try. They came out ok, but I am looking for other ideas. The ribbon distorts easily when you tear off the stabilizer and ravels terribly, even when pinked. And ideas for an alternate material? I figure non-raveling yardage would be easiest to make since positioning it in the the hoop wouldn't be so fussy, and you could cut them anyway you want to sew into different seams.
I figure felt and fleece are too fuzzy for the embroidery to show up. Ultrasuede too heavy. Tyvex to scratchy. My only other idea is the thin ultrasuede. Any one know the real name for it or someplace that carries it, perferably in small pieces and white or pastel colors? Other ideas for yardage or a more appropiate ribbon or other material?
Can your embroidery machine be set to embroider a frame around the name? Then you could trim close to the frame, or cut a little distance away and make fringe.
I hate thinking about spending time and effort on labels because the first thing I do with new clothes is cut them off. Consider enclosing a brochure or a business card with your work instead.
I'm not sure who was the original poster here so I don't know who to address it to.
First I'll ask a question....wouldn't doing your own on your embroidery machine mean that you would have to be baby sitting it every second? Your time is more valuable than that. Have them made for you. If you want a very small amount at a time go to (for example) 'clotilde'. If this a very going operation where you would use a larger amount on a regular basis have them made up by a business that does just that for their business. I just googled clothing labels and got a ton of listings. Put in an inquiry for their minimum amount for several variations with several companies. Please, don't be cheap. *This is your......"advertising"......everytime a person picks up your item*.
Born merchandiser temporarily (long term) misplaced into the postal service. Hey, it pays the bills and provides *very* necessary health benefits. AK in PA
I agree about the importance of advertising if you make garments for others, and hang tags get lost. You need to remind someone where the garment came from months or years later, no right after they bought it.
Actually I only sew my own clothes, so I don't need lots. I have had the semi custom ones you can get in small quantities, but you only have a choice of limited designs, and I am a unique person - aren't we all - and I wanted MY design. And I am rather obsessive about matching, so the color of the wording on the tag has to match, or at least be the same color family, as the garment. Which isn't really that much extra effort - at least for me, since it's important - to me. The logo is a one color design and I use variegated thread. I tend to sew and wear things mostly in the pink/purple/blue color range, so I just embroidered up a bunch with different shades of these colors. And yes, I did actually make a new tag when I needed a grape purple, and the closest I had stitched out already was pink or raspberry purple, and I won't even think about the blue and greens ones. I've got the embroidery designed already - that was where the real work was. I can set up the machine to sew a bunch at the same time all with one thread, and go off and do something else.
Sewing up a few labels at the time for the limited number I need isn't a problem. I just just looking for ideas for a better material. And I know the other poster ment well, but I am looking for more couture than sharpie on satin ribbon. I sew to have unique garments inside and out and for the enjoyment of making them, and being proud to show them off. And since I've worked my name into my logo "joyous colours", in celtic lettering, there is no question it's my custom design. And there's a story behind why the Irish spelling is significant to me even though I'm in the US.
I sew to have unique garments inside and out and for the
Joy, I see the thread of meaning between the "unique garments", "joyous colours" "celtic" "Irish spelling" and I understand. I understand because the clothing I would like to make/market has a meaning behind it with the designs I have in mind, the lines' name and its' label and my heritage; both geographically and ideologically.
Instead of tear away stabilizer use water soluble. It comes in different weights, use the heaviest you can find or double/triple/multi layer it in the hoop for your ribbon. Depending on what kind of fussy material I'm embroidering I have even sandwiched fabric between multi layers of water-soluble stabilizer. I made labels on sheer organza ribbon doing this. They were a royal PITA but looked fah-boo-luss! Cut away as much stabilizer as possible and then soak it off the ribbon. Place right side of ribbon down on a towel and press while slightly damp, the embroidery will pop out very nicely. You also might just try ironing your ribbon onto Iron-On stabilizer, the lightest weight you can find, that may solve the problem of fraying, then proceed with the embroidery process.
Hope some of these suggestions help, Val
Another way I did labels made from ribbon was to sew up a length, cut them apart, fold each cut edge under and iron THEN pink off excess. If you pink first it's too hard to get a nice even fold on both edges.
I am a semi-professional seamstress. I use fabric paint to place a trademark on garments I make.
On products that need more information like size/ cleaning method/ fabric content, I use my computer and the paper for iron on t-shirt fronts. This gives me a whole 8.5x11 sheet of tags to iron on as needed.
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