Fabric Name Tags--How to Make Them

A group of quilters called the Sunday Sew and Sews are starting the 2019 Block of the Month soon. We have grown to 25 people and will  meet one Sunday a month. With such a large group it is important to me that everyone feel included--learning each other's names is a great first step.

So I made them all a name tag:

It was easy. Using Word, I created a document that had all the names on one page, keeping the spacing as even as possible.  I printed the document on fabric prepared for printing, the same product I use for quilt labels:

I cut each name apart, trying to keep them as close to the same size as possible. It would have been easier if each person's name was the same number of letters, but that was not to be.

Then I created little "quilts" where the  names were the blocks and I used sashing strips that I cut 2.5" wide:

 When I ran out of pink fabric, I switched to green:

All 25 ready to be layered and quilted

quilted

I used three different back fabrics, just pulling from the scrap pile, and scraps of Quilter's Dream Cotton batting:

Ready for quilting

Quilting was simply straight lines with my Bernina Q20 sit down machine and a ruler--free motion and fast, with variegated thread. One start and one stop, traveling at the outer edges which I knew would be cut away:

Then they were cut apart with a wavy blade rotary cutter--that was all the finishing to do. I could have added binding or finished with decorative stitches but keeping this simple was the idea. I added a safety pin to the back of each and they were done.

I made one a little bit special. This person found us the meeting space, she arrives early to help me be sure we are ready, and stays late to help me clean up. She is the designated "Teacher's Pet" and she didn't know that until she got her official Name Tag:

It took a few hours to do this but I think it is a fun way for them to learn each other's names. I told them there would be a test in December, without name tags!

Let's quilt!

Barbara