do you sign your work?

On Wed, 20 Jul 2005 17:02:35 GMT, KCat muttered something like:

I usually do it with needle and thread, with my name and the (4-digit) year. Sometimes if it wouldn't go well with the rest of the thing, I do it way down in the margin where it won't show after it's framed, but someone will still find it if they take it apart in the future.

It's probably pretty unlikely that anyone will care decades from now, but you never know--it may be that after civilization has collapsed and been rebuilt, I'll be world-famous because my stitching projects were the only ones they could find with names on them. :P

-Bertha

I use my initial and month/year in thread at the bottom of the piece. I read somewhere to use the full year -- 2005 not 05 for the year. I have a *large* piece that I will sign with my full name,year started, and year ended, but that is the only one I have planned to sign that way. I never thought to sign the frame...that is a good idea too.

Denise

Usually just initials and date in one corner - as small as clarity allows using one strand.

Pat P

I used to always stitch either initials or my first name, plus the date (the year), but now I wait until it's framed and just sign the back with a sharpie -- I also have little stickers that say I've handstitched it, and I sign alongside that, dating the piece.

I started this because when I went back to some of my earlier pieces, I would have really liked to know when I did them, plus I have some of my mother's, and they're not signed in any way, and I wish they were.

-- Jere

As someone who has inherited pieces from the 1700's and even earlier, some unsigned, etc. Yes I definitely sign my work.

All work gets as a minimum my initials and 4 digit year stitched - even small ornaments.

Medium or large pieces are a bit more extravagant. Along the bottom edge (and side too if needed), I stitch the following information:

- Design name

- Designer's name

- My full name including middle name or at least initial.

- Date started, Date finished

- Length of time to stitch, if I've kept track.

- Who it is for, assuming it's a gift.

- Reason I'm giving it to that individual (e.g In celebration of his 65th birthday)

It might seem obsessive. But you never know who will care about a piece in the future - whether they are your future relatives, or even some stranger who buys it in a thrift shop, and is curious about the stitcher.

As I said, I started this about 8 or 9 years ago after realising how sad it was that I didn't know when my great grandmother had stitched a certain piece and why. It takes me a few extra minutes at the end of stitching something. But it's worth it, in my opinion.

Shannon L.

Hardly ever - if it's a piece to hang on the wall, I don't like to mess up the design - besides, someone might think I'm showing off - they suspect I made it, so.....

On a framed gift, I write the name and date on the back.

I DID stitch my initials and the year on a pillow which I kept - done in green and hidden in lots of leaves and vines, so it's barely detectable..... only _I_ know it's there.

I have only on a couple of pieces. One was a sampler that had a charted place for name and year. The other was an early piece I gave my grandmother--I stitched my initials and two-digit year on it (egads! that was about 25 years ago).

I've thought about stitching something on the back of at least one of the ornaments I'm making for my daughter but haven't got my head wrapped around what direction I would need to do the stitching and how much space I'd have for it. The ornament is a diamond shape worked on a square of fabric. The four corners are pulled in to the middle and stitched closed (stuffing as I go). I've completely finished three of the six so probably wouldn't go back and stitch on those.

I sign my work , but on the back ,usualy not on the front , unless the work calls for my name as part of the work . mirjam

Hi KC

Yes, yes and yes!

Sometimes I even include visible titles as part of the work.

Sometimes my initials are hidden within the work but visible.

But in ALL CASES, my full name is stitched into the backing before the work is even started and sometimes the title of the work as well in the same color as the backing, usually white. Of course, it would not be visible at all once the work is completed since I stitch every square and leave no backing exposed.

If I'm working from a pattern that someone else designed, I do not put my initials as visible on the piece, but may incorporate them into a pattern on the piece. But if I designed and stitched it, you can bet your boots and dollars you will find my initials clearly visible on the piece, if it's not a distraction.

Since it takes me so long to do some of my pieces, eg The Old Mill at Pigeon Forge, now on it's 3rd year as a WIP. I often change techniques of applying my initials. My thoughts on this piece have been to use a single dark gray piece of monofilament, blended with the stitch color in use for that stitch, while removing one of the floss strands from my needle. Since I am stitching this particular piece using 3 strands of floss in the needle, I would then have 2 strands of floss and 1 strand of the dark gray monofilament, in a dark area in the scene. One would have to be up close to even see there are initials woven into the work. But at the same time, they would be just visible enough to see the initials clearly up close.

TTUL Gary

Shannon L, that's a really good idea that I think I'll start incorporating on my larger pieces that will be framed. I usually just use initials and 4-digit year.

I'm now revising my vision of my next large piece to include the designer's name and piece title at the bottom (centered), and then I'll still do my own signature off where it will be hidden by mats.

On the framed pieces, I have purchased labels and stick them on the back with simply my signature. It occured to me a while back that the kids might not know which pieces are mine later when I am gone. barbie in williamsburg

Hi Bertha,

A couple of years ago my MIL died and of course the sisters set about to go through 60+ years of belongings which included paintings and stitchwork that may or may not have been done by her. She signed most of her painting but not any stitchwork. It would have been nice for them to know if Mom actually did that work and would have meant more to them in terms of deciding whether something had sentimental value or the like.

But the other part of this is my memory is shot! I wish I had put a date on several pieces I did for this house because that would have been nice to relate the date to other events of that year. If I do something for our new house (someday!) then it seems it should be dated so I can later say "yes, I made that especially for **** Lane in x year when...."

Hi Denise. I guess their is potential some years from now for someone to claim it was created in 1905? of course, a quick materials review would fix that but as with works of calligraphy and copperplate, there are very clever ways to fool people. Using blank pages from antique books, mixing inks from the very things used in the 1800s, etc. they can still be found out - but it takes more work.

that's all I can guess - otherwise I don't know anyone who was alive before

consider my comments to Bertha and those made by Shannon. Your family may appreciate it later.

but that has been my approach in the past and now I regret it. :(

I always stitch at least my initials and year into each piece. I thought it was kind of sad that one person didn't think anyone would care in a few decades. I have a really large tablecloth and some small tabletopper type cloths that I THINK were done by my mother but really don't know. I would love for her to have put her name/initials and the year somewhere on the cloths. I have three nieces & two nephews, most of whoom appear to at least appreciate handwork, if they don't actually do it, so I'm sure most of my items will go to one of them.

If something is for a family member I may just put "Liz" and the year. If it is for someone else I sometimes just put LH with the year. On the two pieces I've done for the library, I put my full name somewhere on the piece as well as a written explanation on the paper backing. Liz from Humbug

Most pieces, with a self-designed sigil, along with a 2-digit year. Others with first, middle initial, and last, sometimes with the sigil, sometimes with 4-digit year and sometimes with 2-digit year (but always with the year). Darla Sacred cows make great hamburgers. Picture Trail Gallery:

Ditto, though mine looks like a house. Not always both on the same side, on smaller pieces sometimes the logo on one side and the 4 digit year on the other for balance. Sometimes tone on background, if it will detract too much from the piece, other times it's with a colour from the work itself.

Hmm, do quilters 'sign' their pieces?

Tara

Yes. There's usually a label with the name of the quilt, the name/names of the person/people involved in making the quilt and the date, +/- the name of the recipient and any other information that might be relevant.

In a Friendship Quilt, where many people have made blocks, they usually sign the individual blocks.

emerald