7:33AM
Something to think about...
Tuesday, June 15, 2010 at 7:33AM I was browsing around online, looking at various art quilts (and some regular quilts that are simply works of art!) and a thought occurred to me.
Why do quilters at best, “sign” their name to a lable on the back of a quilt?
Why don’t they “sign” the front of a beautiful quilt, much the same way a painter does?
If you make items for resale (quilts, bags, clothing, etc) why aren’t you “branding” it proudly like companies such as Nike do?
I’d love to hear some feedback on this.
Reader Comments (14)
Interesting thought..................
Why not embroider your name or logo somewhere indiscrete on front? I know back when counted cross stitch was the rage, you'd cross stitch your initials and date somewhere within the cross stitch.
I think it is mostly because a lot of us that "sign" our quilts are doing it on a label. The label doesn't usually look right on a quilt top, different color cloth ect.. When I first started to sign my quilts I used a jelly roll pen and actually wrote my name and date in a corner of the quilt. Then I switched to making a label for the back with more information including washing instructions, the labels are sometimes large if I am including other information - for instance "made for my grandson for his 5th birthday" plus who made it, date, washing instructions.
Karen
Karehttp://karensquilting.com/blog/
Signing on the front is frowned upon for quilts entered in judged contests. Otherwise, it's a good idea.
With other forms of art, there is only one side to be viewed, even with needlepoint which was usually made into a pillow or framed. So, you had to sign on the front.
I agree that the information on the label is very detailed and looks better on the back. However, I like the idea of signing/dating the front of the quilt. Perhaps we should design our "signature block" and incorporate it into all of our quilts. Mine would be a spinning star design.
Sometimes I discretely stitch/quilt my name into the corner or close to the binding area of some of the donation quilts I complete. I completed the quilting this Christmas quilt for a family and they wanted me to machine embroider their family name and date on the border. I thought it was a great idea, especially for a gift quilt. Here's a picture link:
http://picasaweb.google.com/angiesquilting/QuiltsIVeQuiltedForFriends#5210414952584660898
I think the reason I have not pursued doing a signature on the front of some of my own quilts is that I basically forget to do it!
another reason for the label is that years gone by most quilts had no label, now when people by antique quilts they have no idea (for sure) how old the quilt is, who made it, where it came from ect. By putting labels on them the future generations will know exactly who made it.
Karen
http://karensquilting.com/blog/
I don't put labels on my quilts.....I sign and date the from, usually in the small inner border in the bottom corner in a permanant marker.
You are right. For so long quilting was considered a housekeeping chore. Now it is considered an art. Quilt rules have started to change so maybe the labeling rule will need to be changed. Think about it.
Lasybug
I guess it has something to do with the point at which we a) consider ourselves to be artists and b) the quilts we produce to be works of art. I have sometimes seen works signed on the front, but mainly they have been art quilts. I guess most quilters don't feel bold enough to shout from the rooftops!
I think that is a very valid question...why not do it on the front? But maybe put the other valuable info still on a label on the back?
I usually stitch my name when doing machine quilting on my quilts and tablerunners and sometimes add the month and year. I also like to put words and stars and hearts in my meandering machine quilting. My style is rather different but it is a fun way to machine quilt!! I enjoy following your blog CJ.
I sew my signature into the binding of my quilts (small embroidery lettering) so if the label is removed, then my name is permanently a part of the quilt.
When I remember, and when a quilt leaves my place permanently, it is signed on the front somehow, in pen, embroidered or quilted, and the detaiuls go on the back, sometimes as a separate label, sometimes written directrly on the back of the quilt so it can't come off deliberately or by accident.
Judy B
I sign my ceramic work and quilting projects with my initials and date. When a lable goes on it also carries my full name and date. If I don't get around to a lable at least a date is there. These days I quilt it in on the lower right hand corner.