Need to Personalize?

One way to personalize is by adding a custom embroidered label. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Need to Personalize?

Periodically a potential customer asks for help to personalize an item without us having the item in hand.

Sound impossible? Not really.

Our suggestion is to custom embroider the name and special date on a matching and complimentary fabric so that a label shape can be ironed before it is hand sewn onto the fabric item.

If they don’t have time to get it machine embroidered, they can hand embroider on the fabric. If they can’t hand embroider, indelible pens come in handy to write out names and special dates.

We have made the custom personalized embroidered labels to be added to clothing, quilts, handbags, fabric totes - even hats although sewing through the hat canvas was challenging without heavy duty sewing needles.

Sometimes the customer doesn’t want the custom personalized embroidery on the front of a handmade quilt, like this burgundy double wedding ring quilt so we added it to the back of a quilt corner so the name and date is on the quilt commemorating that very special day.

How have you added custom personalized embroidery to your handmade gifts?

Charlotte

How to Make Magnetic Book Marks

How to Make Magnetic Book Marks

Handmade magnetic bookmarks are a nice way to combine a gift card with something practical. Magnetic bookmarks slip easily over a book page and help mark where a reader left off reading without damaging the page corners. Nice addition to a gift book, such a set of Sesame Street books.

You will need

Cardboard, either new stock or re-use holiday and birthday cards. Magnet strips, available at most craft stores. You can also re-use magnet strips from other projects. Different-colored marking pens. Magazine cut-outs, copies of favorite photos, stickers. Paper glue. Paper scissors.

To make

Cut cardboard into 4x1.5 inch cardboard strips. You can make them bigger or smaller as long as it is a rectangle.

Fold so one side is slightly smaller than the other. Decide whether to attach at the top of the page or to the right side.

Decorate the smaller size with a photo or design.

Decorate the larger side with a dedication and signature.

Cut magnet strip into two pieces. Remove backing.

Glue magnet inside the shorter size; glue the other magnet to the first piece, then fold cardboard to the second magnet so both magnet pieces match.

Allow to dry for 15 minutes.

Apply to a book, or a gift book, as page markers or give all by themselves as handmade gifts.

Charlotte