Skip to main content

Guest Post: Victory Patterns.

Now this is awesome!
I stumbled upon Victory Pattern's blog while admiring their patterns and 
found this tutorial on how to make your own custom clothing labels.
I just had to share!
So today we welcome our guest blogger, Kristiann from Victory Patterns.
Add an extra touch of class to your hand made item by making your own clothing labels! Making tags is quick and easy, all you need is a photocopy version of your own logo, name or artwork, and a few supplies. 
Make sure that your artwork or text is in mirror image to the original format. 
These tags use a chemical called xylene from blender markers to dissolve photocopy toner onto fabric. When the toner is transferred onto natural fibre, it creates a wash-fast transfer. You can expand on this idea and transfer images to clothing!

 Materials List

Photocopy of logo or your name in mirror image
100% Cotton fabric or 1″ twill tape
Xylene blender marker from your art store
Scotch tape
Thread

 Tape down your fabric or twill tape. Place your paper tag face down so the writing faces the fabric. Make sure to position it so it is centered.
Now comes the fun part! Take the xylene marker and using pressure, colour in all over the back of the tag. Keep on using pressure until you have transferred the toner. Use in a well ventilated area.
 Carefully peel away one side of the paper. Check to see if you have made a good transfer. If the image is still faint, tape it back down and reapply the marker.
 Now pull up the paper. The fabric will be wet with xylene, just let it evaporate
To make your fabric into a tag press the top and bottom edges of your tag.  Topstitch the edges. Now fold and press the sides.  Pin the tag onto your garment and sew along the pressed edge.
 Voila! Custom made clothing labels!

Thank you, Victory Patterns!
Check out their other wonderful posts on their blog here: 
http://www.victorypatterns.com/blog/



Comments

  1. Thanks for this! I can't afford to buy custom labels yet, so this will be a great money-saver for me!

    -Jules

    ReplyDelete
  2. We have bought custom labels before (embroidered) and I honestly think these labels are much more appealing, and the cost doesn't hurt either!! This is also a great idea to use for wash instructions on fabric that won't itch! Thanks so much for this post!

    ReplyDelete
  3. It should be noted, though, that xylene is toxic and flammable - it's found in gasoline, paint thinners, etc. OSHA has guidelines about xylene usage: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/healthguidelines/xylene/recognition.html

    The reason I'm posting this is that xylene is not just problematic because of its fumes. It is specifically a skin irritant, and it's not clear that those irritants disappear completely in the wash. Anyone with sensitive skin should take caution when using this method. I personally wouldn't use it for children's clothing. Sure, the amount of xylene used per label is minimal, but if you make all your child's clothing and label them this way, that adds up to a lot of potential exposure.

    Just a thought.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks Kristiann. Great tutorial and very cost effective. I can't wait to try it.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Revisiting a Pattern After Five Years

Have you ever used a sewing pattern and then immediately vowed never to sew it again? Well, I have. It all began in the spring of 2020 at the start of the pandemic lockdown. I tackled sewing projects that were more challenging to help me grow as a seamstress. There was one pattern in particular that almost did me in, the Seamwork Penny shirt dress. The Penny dress pattern has a classic button-up dress shirt style bodice with a gathered skirt and pockets. It is a beautiful take on a shirt dress, and my sister and I loved it. The only downside is that it was recommended for intermediate-level sewists and I was only an adventurous beginner back then.  I think I had only ever made one button-up shirt before attempting this Penny Dress and it didn’t even have a collar! Despite all of this, I thought “Why not try it, what’s the worst that can happen?”  Thankfully the worst didn’t happen, and the dress turned out surprisingly wearable, but I had some intense frustration at the end. I...

Made By A Fabricista: A Simple Frock for Spring

Hello friends! I’m really into sewing and wearing tent dresses at the moment. A tent dress is basically a wide A-line style gown. For this month’s project, I’ve opted to try out The Assembly Line’s Square Neck Dress. This style is a little avant-garde in its enormity and shape, and boasts the squared neckline it’s named after, plus some cute hem side slits.  All that volume is fun to move around in, plus there’s loads of air circulation which is cooling. This dress’s main feature–its wide and high squared neckline–really piqued my interest recently, and I added it to my Make Nine plans for 2025. I find it so satisfying to check off those boxes as I sew!  This beautiful shirtweight linen is a color I simply adore; a muted medium blue. Stormy skies, worn-in denim, and ocean waves all come to mind, and that is exactly what I want to be all wrapped up in. While I think a wild or large print would be amazingly on display in this big canvas of a dress, I also thought that a subtle ...

Made By A Fabricista: Bold Aspen Dress for Spring

 As I write this in mid-April, central New Jersey weather is showing small signs of spring. My neighbor’s daffodils are blooming and our magnolia tree is trying to unfold its vibrant magenta petals. I am in the midst of preparing my wardrobe for the warmer months, even if we are still huddling against windy 30 degree days. For me, warm weather means linen. I love breathable, floaty linen sundresses and drapey, loose linen wide-leg pants. My vision for a spring piece was something bold and bright, inspired by the natural colors of blooming flowers, but also something that could transition well between the warmer and cooler months. When I saw Fabric Godmother’s Apsen Dress, I knew that it had the sensible transitional opportunities I was looking for while also providing a blank canvas for fun prints, patterns and colors. With the pattern in mind, I then turned to the stunning linen collection that Fabric Mart always has on hand to see what colors or patterns would best suit my visio...