Name Tag Tutorial

The Non-Embroidered Name Tag Tutorial

Do you want to make a cute name tag, but hate all the hand stitching and embroidery required to add your name to it?  Then I have the perfect name tag tutorial for you.  My name tag tutorial requires no hand stitching or embroidery.  All you need are a few supplies and you will be on your way to a unique and fun name tag that you can use anywhere.  Also intermingled  in this tutorial are some handy tips to help you along as you complete your own name tag.

Supplies: 

Inkjet printer

1     8-1/2”x11” piece of Printable fabric

4     1” x 1”  scraps of coordinating fabric

1     3” x 6” piece of white fabric

1     1”x 14” strip of border fabric (not binding fabric)
1     1-1/2"x 60” strip of binding fabric 

1     4” x 5” piece of batting

1     4” x 5” piece of backing fabric 

note 1  : This is not a comprehensive list.  Assembly supplies are implied (i.e., iron, sewing     machine, pins, etc.).

note 2: All seam allowances in this tutorial are a scant 1/4” unless otherwise noted.

Handy Tip #1:   A scant 1/4” seams means a seam allowance that is not quite 1/4”.  It helps the creases to lay flatter.

_________________________________________________________________

Lets begin:

Step 1:  In a word processing program, type your name and any other identifying information that you want on your name tag.  

I used this font http://www.dafont.com/fabrics.font for my name with a 48 point font size and this font http://www.dafont.com/kg-seven-sixteen.font for my quilting blog title with a 24 point font size. 

Here is what it looked like on my computer: 

 LISA 

                             The Scrapbucket Quilter LISAi a

PHX MQG

Step 2: On an inkjet printer, print out your text on regular printer paper until you get the look and color you want.  Make sure that you print with at least a 1” margin on all four sides of your text.

Once you have the text looking the way you want it, print it onto printable fabric following the directions on the package,  You might want to consider printing multiple copies of your text all on the same sheet incase you make a mistake during assembly.  Follow the directions on the back of printable fabric packaging to set the ink to the fabric.  Cut text block to 2-1/2” tall 
                                                                                   by 3-1/2” wide.  

Step 3: Cut 4 pieces of scraps into squares measuring 5/8” x 5/8”. Next, cut a 1”x6” strip of white fabric .  

Step 4: Start with a runner if desired before sewing the squares to the white fabric.  With right sides together, sew each of the four squares to the raw edge of the white strip in a chain, leaving a little space in-between each square. 



Handy Tip #2:  Sewing in a chain means that you sew your fabric one right after the other without stopping and cutting thread in between.  This cuts down on wasted thread as well as speeds up the sewing time. After all your pieces are sewn in a line, then you go back and cut the threads in between.

Handy Tip #3: When you sew little pieces of fabric , it is helpful to start with a runner ( a random scrap of fabric that you sew first before  you start sewing your first piece.)  This keeps the little pieces of fabric from getting pushed down into the bobbin hole by the needle.  It is also easier for the needle to grab the little scraps you will be running through behind the runner. .

Step 5: With chain still in tact, press seams to the squares. Do not cut fabric yet. 

Step 6: With the chain pressed open, cut the white fabric strip side 1/2” beyond the seam.  

Step 7: Now cut apart the strips using the edges of the colored squares as your width guide. 

Step 8: Arrange the strips in the order desired with the white side to the right. Use the chain method to sew the white side of piece 1 to the color side of piece 2 and  the white side of piece 3 to the color side of piece 4.  Cut threads between chain and sew piece the white side of piece 1-2 to the colored side of piece 3-4.

Step 9: Sew an additional white piece of fabric about 1” x 1-1/2” long to the left side of the chain so that you begin and end the chain with a white piece of fabric.  Press all the seams towards the colored squares. 


Measure the length of your finished chain. (Mine is 3”).

Step 10: Cut two more strips of white fabric, 3” x 1” each if your chain measured 3", otherwise adjust the length to however long your finished chain ends up.  Sew one strip of white fabric to the top length of the chain and the other strip of white fabric to the bottom length of the chain.  Trim up sides of the finished piece leaving 1/2” of white fabric on top and bottom and about 3/8” of white fabric on the sides.  

Step 11: Lay your block of squares below the printed text block.  If your block of squares ends up not as wide as your printed text block, then add an addition fabric border to the block of squares.  Sew a scrap of fabric to the top and bottom of the block.  

Step 12: Then even off the sides and sew a strip of fabric to the sides of the block until you now have a color border (or you could just add more white fabric).  Press seams and square up block.

Handy Tip #4: Squaring up a block means, using a quilters ruler, make sure that the top and bottom of the square and the same length, the left and right sides are the same length and that all four corners are a 90 degree angle.  

Step 13: Put a small crease in the bottom center of the text block and a small crease in the top center of the four square block.    Line up creases to center the fabrics.  Pin and sew the top of the four square block to the bottom of the text block. There will be extra border fabric to the right and left of the four square strip.  Square up the entire name tag one more time. Press seam toward the four square block.

Step14: Cut a piece of batting and backing fabric the same size as the name tag front. (mine were about 4” x 5”).  Pin all three layers together with either pins or safety pins and square up all three layers together. 

Binding:

Step 15: Either cut one continuous piece of fabric 
1-1/2"x 60" or cut multiple shorter strips of binding fabric into 1-1/2” strips and sew together end to end until you have a piece of fabric roughly measuring 1-1/2” x 60”.  Press seams to one side.  

Step 16: Iron binding in half length wise.  Open up and iron again folding raw edges towards the middle crease as you iron.  

Handy tip #5: Typically I iron the top  raw edge first and then go back and iron the bottom raw edge.  

Step 17: Cut a piece of your pressed binding the same length as the top of your name tag (mine was about 3 1/2” long).  Fold up the raw edges of the binding along the outside creases.  Slip the binding over the top edge of the name tag.  Stitch the binding from the front side of the name tag, making sure to catch the binding on the back side at the same time.  Even up the sides.

Step 18: Take the remaining strip (about 56"-57") of binding and put a small crease in the center lengthwise (about 28" or so from the end of the strip).  Line up this crease with the middle of the bottom of the name tag.  Pin and bind using your preferred method.  Prepare the rest of the lose binding by folding in the raw edges and pinning. Start sewing down the right side, about 1" below the raw edge of the binding strip, then sew across the bottom of the name tag and then up the left side to the top, stopping 1" from the top of the left side.  

Step 19: Place the right  side of the binding's raw edge inside the left side of the binding's raw edge, folding under the left raw edge and sew together for a nice clean seam.

Step 20: Add your own quilting effects. I stitched in the ditch where the text block and the four square block meet.  I also used a wave stitch already preset on my sewing machine and lengthened the stitch so it made longer waves.  I sewed them on a diagonal across the text block.  Then I sewed wonky squares around the four colored blocks on the square block.  I used a grey thread, but you could match your thread to your fabric for a more discrete look.

Handy Tip #6: To add a decorative stitch to your quilting, you can lengthen one of the decorative                            stitches already on your machine.

VOILA, you now have a non embroidered name tag that will fool your friends.  Your finished name tag should look something like this. 

Make sure and post your finished name tag here in the flickr group for others to see.  I would love to see your take on this name tag tutorial.


If you like this tutorial, check out some of my other tutorials here and here.