Making Garment and Stash Labels from Scraps

Have you ever pulled a fabric out of your stash, realizing that you've forgotten what exactly it is or how to care for it? How do you know what thread or needle to use? What if it's meant to be washed on cold, or worse, dry cleaned, and you through it in on hot?

My solution is simple: I wash the fabric according to the bolt instructions as soon as I bring it home and then I pin a little homemade tag to it with the fibre content, collection name (if any), place purchased, season purchased, and care instructions. This can either be done from a piece of the fabric itself or a small piece of muslin.

Two stash label variations and a "cold/line dry/medium iron" care label for my new shirtdress

I chose the fashion fabric option when I know I won't need the corner or if I cut it out right away and want to label the scraps (which I neatly fold and store away "just in case.").

The muslin option is great if you're not yet ready to cut into your new fabric. Unleashed muslin is often used by museums to preserve fabric so, you won't have to worry about it affecting your fabric while it sits in your queue.

(Hint: if your fabric is such that will mark or fray easily, pin the tag to one of the selvages.)

Today, I thought of an additional use for this sort of tag. Having care info on the fabric is helpful but it would be even better to have it on the garment itself! Using a permanent marker (local craft stores should carry a fabric-safe one), draw the appropriate care symbols on a small scrap and pink or finish all sides. When cutting, don't forget to leave a tail on one side to allow it to be sewn in the side or back seam.

If you're like me and do not have a steady hand, you can buy iron-on printer paper and create your own custom name and care labels on your computer, as seen here (I found this handy little tutorial whilst browsing for nicer looking alternatives - isn't it great!?). Just print and iron it right onto your scraps or some pretty ribbon!

Happy labeling! x