Make your own Clothing Labels: DIY Fabric Labels

Learn how to easily and cheaply make fabric labels for clothing and quilts on your home computer.
Supplies
========
-calico or other natural fabric
-freezer paper
-white vinegar
your home printer
WARNING - put fabric backed paper through your printer at your own risk. Printers are not technically designed for this.
Read the full article at blog.treasurie...
Hi, and welcome to Treasurie, where I aim to bring you the best sewing and craft tutorials with really easy-to-understand instructions. Thank you for watching this video. I hope you enjoy and keep up with my new sewing and craft channel. Your comments mean a lot to me, so take a second to say hello.
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[@MelodyHansenKruse-oo7yj]

Your post is 6 years ago. I never needed anything till now, and just ordered iron on printer paper... I am going to try this today; and return the paper tomorrow! omg.. genius! Thank you.

[@treasurie]

Have fun!

[@delana746]

I have been in the market for labels for some projects for my company and as a small business owner every penny counts. I am definitely going to try this. Thank you, Dixi! You saved this working girl some coins, lo!.

[@treasurie]

Happy to help :) Good luck in your business!

[@gailrussell9104]

Wow! This is amazing! Thank you. Printing right on the cloth and using vinegar for colorfastness. Then the interfacing for durability. You're a genius!

[@treasurie]

Glad it was helpful!

[@christinacarrasco7080]

I just saved myself $27 by watching this video! Thank you!

[@treasurie]

Glad I could help!

[@BabelSpeak]

Tried this on my old Canon inkjet....it works! Exciting. I do use only the original ink and not any alternative cartridge ink filler. Thanks for this easy-to-follow, concise tutorial

[@treasurie]

Thanks so much for the great feedback. Have a great week printing :)

[@VictoriaHall4949]

Your so clever, I really liked this, could pause and read the words for next step over and over, until I was safe..I love my labels and am very pleased thank you for sharing..😃

[@treasurie]

Wonderful! Thanks for watching :)

[@WENDAFRFR]

Thank you so much Treasurie

[@treasurie]

Hey, great feedback. I really appreciate it :) Have a great week.

[@WENDAFRFR]

You're So Very Welcome 😊 I just made my first handmade labels using your tutorial and they turned out AMAZING! I tied a set using red and black and you are completely right.. the red doesn't hold as well. So I made another set using all black and they are Soo Beautiful! ♥️ I can't wait to put them on my Handmade bags OBagIt.etsy.com/ ♥️ To Everyone Reading This, I Highly Recommend Using This Tutorial! You Will Not Be Disappointed!

[@plauditecives]

Brilliant! I just finished reading reviews of inkjet printer and am off tomorrow to buy one. Looking forward to using your method.

[@treasurie]

Thanks for watching :)

[@zahraorilonise821]

This video is amazing, I wasn’t sure it it would work on my HP envy 7640 printer but it did - thanks.

[@treasurie]

Thanks for watching :)

[@TruthSeekerNC]

Wow so very cool! LOVE your right ring! Thank you for sharing!

[@treasurie]

I have a cool collection of rings now for my videos! Thanks for watching.

[@irish6122]

Exactly what I was looking for. Great tutorial. Thank you!!! Now off to get wax paper. :)

[@treasurie]

Glad it was helpful!

[@TenderheartTreasuresKy]

Isnt freezer paper different than wax paper?

[@rbelliard8605]

Worked perfectly! Thank you so much :)

[@treasurie]

You're welcome!

[@tonimcdaniel5388]

Love this video! Easy to follow. Thanks for sharing.

[@treasurie]

Hi Toni, thanks so much for watching.

[@Estellamed]

Thank you so much for your tutorial. I think I must have done something wrong because, my labels completely faded following the vinegar and cold wash. I hung them outside in the patio and after a couple of hours, they were dry but hardly visible. The ink faded away and my labels were unreadable. I will try again tomorrow, but this time I will skip the vinegar bath since I will not be washing my items anyway. But, I very much appreciate your tutorial. This was exactly what I was looking for.

[@treasurie]

The vinegar normally does wonders but there are so many inks in printers. Do you use original ink or aftermarket? I found that with my HP printer the original ink worked ten times better. Thanks for watching.

[@kelleybailon9543]

That’s what happened to mine. After washing the ink faded. I had to remove them from my items. 😢

[@MIZ932]

Thanks ❤

[@treasurie]

You're welcome 😊

[@misstitinasland]

thank u very much for ur tutorial!!! really helpful!!

[@treasurie]

You're welcome!

[@tonie1106]

Thank you for sharing

[@treasurie]

Thanks for watching :)

[@lasharonbrown9454]

So nice. Love ur video!

[@treasurie]

You are so kind

[@lailaalrabighi7867]

thank you for your tutorial , it help me

[@treasurie]

You are welcome!

[@pamketron]

What a fun idea. I’ll have to make some of these. Thanks for showing me how. I just love ALL of your tutorials. They are the best. Have a great day! 🌺💖💕

[@treasurie]

Hi Pam, thanks for your kind words as always. :)

[@nimvaughen9895]

Thank You!!!

[@treasurie]

You're welcome!

[@janatnalwoga]

Great work I had to subscribe

[@treasurie]

Thanks for the sub!

[@Reina12375]

Thanks

[@treasurie]

Welcome

[@brittanybeauty916]

I need a printer now!! 😍

[@treasurie]

How do you survive without a printer :) Thanks for watching.

[@brittanybeauty916]

i ask myself that question. I need one honestly so I can stop going to the post office 24/7 😂😂 I definitely need to get one!

[@tamaraweed3124]

Thank you for your tutorial nice and easy to understand 😍

[@treasurie]

Hey Tamara, thanks for watching :)

[@angelel9579]

Hey so what’s making this ink waterproof and not bleeding? Is it the combination of heat and vinegar?

[@treasurie]

Yes the vinegar sets the ink. You can also buy commercial dye setters.

[@angelel9579]

Awesome thanks!

[@clsmith614]

Interesting diy. I'm wandering if it's okay to skip the vinegar soak altogether - too many add steps. Since this video was made some 4 years ago if there has been any updates.

[@treasurie]

You need the vinegar to set the ink. Thanks for watching :)

[@fashionwork540]

Wowwwwwww mem i like it soooooo much by heart mem really

[@treasurie]

Thanks so much for watching

[@thewelderandhiswife]

I've seen similar tutorials without using a vinegar rinse. What does the vinegar do for the tags? Thanks.

[@treasurie]

It stops the ink from bleeding and makes it last longer. If you don't need to ever wash the item you could skip the vinegar.

[@thewelderandhiswife]

@@treasurie thanks 😊

[@RobinMuddSimpleDesigns]

so easy, thank you I am going to try it.

[@treasurie]

You are welcome! Let me know how it turns out :)

[@bevsanders7549]

Hi from Adelaide, South Australia. I'm assuming the freezer paper you used is not the plastic used to separate food to be frozen, what is it please.

[@treasurie]

In Australia you buy freezer paper from craft stores. Try Spotlight or ebay. It is usually used for quilting.

[@fralou1]

Could you just heat set the labels? For example put a paper on top of your labels then press with a hot iron?.

[@treasurie]

Do you mean so the ink transfers from the paper to the fabric? I haven't tried that but it sounds like it might work. You can also get transfer paper for printing t-shirt designs. That works well too for fabric labels.

[@fralou1]

Treasurie no. The reason I said put a paper was just in case ironing would spread the writing hence the paper between the iron and label. When I dye yarn vinegar is a mordant. Heat setting is what helps keep the dye on the yarn. I hope this makes sense lol I would like to see a demo on the proramr to make labels. Thanks for your video.

[@williamstorey5024]

Thanks! What is the point of the vinegar?

[@treasurie]

It stops the ink from bleeding or fading by setting the dye. Just normal white vinegar from the supermarket.

[@marietteforget7804]

Thank you very much ! 😎🌸

[@treasurie]

😊 Thanks for watching.

[@TheLionPear]

Do you need the fusible adhesive if you are just doing the smaller tags with the intention of sewing just the top edge to the clothing piece? I'm guessing the fusible adhesive helps make the larger labels stick to an item where you intend to sew all the way around it, right?

[@treasurie]

Yes you don't need the fusible interfacing. I just found it held it in place and stopped the edges fraying a bit.

[@lilianagonzalez1364]

Is it safe to put in the washing machine ?

[@treasurie]

Best to hand wash to last the longest. Thanks for watching :) Have an amazing week.

[@marilynariasatty]

Hi thanks for the tutorial -- I was wondering I only have a laser printer -- I noticed you mentioned no laser to someone -- would you happen to know how I would be able to use a laser printer ?

[@treasurie]

Laser printers use different ink and are usually expensive so not recommended.

[@marilynariasatty]

@@treasurie Thank you .. but is it not possible because its expensive or just not possible .. because unfortunately that is all I have is a laser printer would I not be able to use it and or if I could do you know where I can find out how I could use laser .. I wish I had a regular printer but this was a gift so its all I have

[@Jenni.C]

Marilyn A im curious too.

[@bhargavi6429]

@@marilynariasatty , @Treasurie Please respond... I would like to know.. how can we work it with lazer printer..

[@marilynariasatty]

@@bhargavi6429 I dont know that was what I was trying to find out because I only have a laser printer and wanted to know how to be able to print them on laser printers but I never really got an answer from anyone .. sorry

[@lydiaboafo5363]

Great

[@treasurie]

Thanks for watching

[@bsandmg]

Thanks, love this

[@treasurie]

thanks so much for watching

[@jiminbae3589]

Can I use apple vinegar instead of white vinegar?

[@treasurie]

White vinegar works best. The apple might stain. Try it on a scrap fist.

[@jiminbae3589]

@@treasurie okay thank you

[@laurelleprice2520]

can apple cider vinegar be used instead of white?

[@treasurie]

No use regular white vinegar. Thanks for watching :)

[@paularoper6243]

This is exactly what I was looking for. My next question is how you went about making the outlines for your logo. Did you have to pay for that or can you explain how to do it?

[@treasurie]

I put the outlines in the artwork so I could cut accurately. Photoshop works well for this. Thanks so much for watching :)

[@hjkennaugh]

That was brilliant! Thank you. I particularly like the clothes tags. When I make pyjama legs I can never tell which is the back quickly as there is no label to find, this would solve my problem.

[@treasurie]

Hi Hazel, thanks so much for watching. I use them in pants too!

[@tinabrewer4121]

H azel Co ok fl

[@e60060]

Hazel, how have they stood up to regular washings?

[@bellsunny8502]

Hi Treasurie, How long the ink could dry completely? or how to know the ink dry completely? after one hour, the ink also bleeding when bathing white vinegar.

[@treasurie]

Hi Bell, are you using after-market (generic inks or refills?) The first time I tested I used cheap ink refils and they were more prone to bleeding. Name brand inks generally don't bleed. Leave it overnight and try a test again.

[@debtaylor5156]

Hi when you press the labels onto interfacing are you using steam?

[@treasurie]

No I didn't use steam. Thanks for watching

[@earth2brooklyn]

Or you can use printer safe Avery heat transfer paper at no risk to your printer. But this is creative

[@treasurie]

Yes, I've used that too. It is a great product but not cheap in all countries. Thanks for watching

[@doroteja9665]

Hey, I love experimenting:) I’d love to try this out. Do you think coloured printing would stay in as well?

[@treasurie]

I found that color was not as good as black. It faded a lot more particularly red. But experiment and see what works on your fabric and printer.

[@smokeyyunickk]

How long does the ink on the label last with regular washing?

[@treasurie]

It will depend on your printer ink but you can do a test. Make sure you do the vinegar wash at the end as it makes a huge difference. You can also get commercial dye setters. Hand washing items always makes the labels last longer.

[@reginacline897]

What does the white vinegar do? Does it keep the ink from washing out? ?????

[@treasurie]

Hi Regina, Yes that is right. It sets the ink. It is actually an old fashioned technique to set dyes. Works for your clothes too! You can buy commercial ink setters but this video was meant to be a cheap option for making labels.

[@odessa_illustration]

Could you let me know why the vinegar? I tried it and the ink sort of bled and it's currently drying so that may be normal but I'm wondering if it can be done without the vinegar?

[@treasurie]

You need something to set the dye as most inks aren't washable. You can buy commercial dye fixatives but vinegar is the old fashioned, cheapest way to do it. Make sure you are printing on natural fabric that is tightly woven. Genuine inks also work much better than aftermarket refills. Thanks for watching.

[@odessa_illustration]

Ah yes. I didn't even think about washing- I make labels for dolls that can't be thrown in the washing machine anyway so I don't think it's an issue for me but it does make sense if you have to wash something. Okay thank you! Very helpful video!

[@harrietjones-walker3518]

Hi won't these fray if done on cotton?

[@treasurie]

Interfacing can help stop fraying. Other options are to fold the edges or to use pinking shears. Choose a tight weave fabric too.

[@harrietjones-walker3518]

@@treasurie great, thanks :)

[@lovetravel22]

Does the edges fray after washing it?

[@treasurie]

Depends on your fabric but it is better to fold the edges under if you can.

[@ms.courageoux2464]

Can we use any printer? Like a regular printer??

[@treasurie]

Injet (not laser) printers. These are normally cheapest and the most common as well. Thanks for watching

[@janetroberts244]

Did I miss something... is the printer inkjet or laser and do you need special ink, please

[@treasurie]

Must be an inkjet and just the regular inks. I did find that original inks worked better than refills and generic brands. I have a cheap HP printer.

[@ktnwells]

Curious on what the vinegar bath does?

[@treasurie]

It sets the dye so it doesn't run when you wash it.

[@loweredrecordings]

lovely video. do you not get problems with the label fraying after washes? thankyou

[@treasurie]

When I put interfacing it didn't fray so much. You can always turn the edges under and stitch around if you have a fabric that frays a lot.

[@andreasmith6113]

What can be used in place of freezer paper?

[@treasurie]

Try your local quilting or fabric shop as they often sell freezer paper even though it is a kitchen product.

[@renzoruisu]

what could be an alternative to freezer paper?

[@treasurie]

Large sticky labels that go through a printer. Check amazon or eBay for freezer paper. Many quilting fabric shops carry it.

[@sophiaonus3108]

Can I get a substitute for the freezer paper. Not avialable in my region

[@treasurie]

It is available on Amazon. A good alternative is to use a sticky label and stick the fabric to that. You don't need to iron it then of course. This will allow the fabric to go through the printer. At own risk of course.

[@rothiadutoit6497]

What is freezer paper? Do not think we have it in South Africa

[@treasurie]

No I don't think you have it in the supermarket. It is often sold by quilting stores. Also try Amazon or eBay.

[@e60060]

Anyone who has tried this know how it withstands to washing if applied to clothing?

[@treasurie]

I've put them on some clothing and it washes great. Not quite as good as commercial woven tags but they are great for items that are washed occasionally. Thanks so much for watching :)

[@Nicole_Ashe]

What kind of printer are you using?

[@treasurie]

Just a cheap hp printer.

[@mshortyscreations]

Hi, thanks for the tutorial, question, i'm on the vinegar bath step right now, i am wondering if I could skip the interfacing step? i'm fairly new to sewing, and i bought interfacing but I really don't know how to use it yet and i don't have the packaging to know which side is which or if its even interfacing paper lol so , i wonder if i can skip it?

[@treasurie]

Yes you can! Thanks for watching.

[@lehmans3fsu]

Have you done this on polyester/satin at all? I know tie dye doesn’t work on polys, does that mean ink won’t take as well? Hmmm...

[@treasurie]

Hi Shay, polyester doesn't normally take dyes. Of course you could always try! Also polyester will probably fray on the edges of the labels. Use a tight woven cotton for best results.

[@preetigopichand]

Hi could you also suggest me what size fusible is appropriate

[@treasurie]

I used a heavyweight fusible at the end but it depends on what you want to use the labels for. If you need to fold them then I'd use a thinner weight. The fusible just gives a little body to the labels and stops the edges fraying as much.

[@kittykitten617]

Superb.. Where i can get the special fabric and freezer papper? Pls.... From,.. India., Tamilnadu

[@treasurie]

The fabric I used was just calico which is unbleached cotton and very cheap. If you can't get the freezer paper, you could put the fabric through the printer by sticking it to sticky labels (at own risk of course). You can get a4 or letter sized sticky labels to print. If you try Amazon or Ebay for the freezer paper you might find someone to post to India. It is very light so hopefully, postage would be cheap.

[@kittykitten617]

Thanks a lot for your reply.. I will try this.

[@BabelSpeak]

You can try a hack using waxed paper usually used to wrap takeaways, that this blogger discovered: intergalacticgalacticgalactic.blogspot.com/2012/01/tutorial-freezer-paper-honeycomb-fabric.html

[@leighhansen738]

Great video, thanks. Just wondering what program/template you used to get the different labels on the one sheet?

[@treasurie]

Leigh Hansen I’ve used illustrator and photoshop. Even word or excel will work, just put it into a table.

[@mamasaidsew4843]

Is the ink going to wash off when laundered? I'm wanting to make a label for my own clothing, but want to be able to wash clothing freely. If anyone knows please respond.

[@treasurie]

Hi Terri, Yes I have washed my labels lots of time and they look great. This is the key - your fabric must be cotton (nothing synthetic), use original inks and not aftermarket ones and most importantly don't skip the vinegar process. The ink doesn't set without a fixative. If you are going to make them for clothing to sell, I would invest in a bottle of dye fixative instead of the vinegar. But vinegar is cheap and works surprisingly well. Do some experimenting and let me know how you go.

[@treasurie]

continued - and I got the best results with black ink. Red washed out much more quickly but I guess you'd expect that. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@nicholelitton9142]

What's the purpose of the vinegar???

[@treasurie]

Sets the ink. Thanks for watching :)

[@beew7770]

Does this work with laser printers?

[@treasurie]

No the ink is different. They are also much more expensive printers so I wouldn't risk it. Just a cheap inkjet is best and read the disclaimer :)

[@nuriaom7637]

I think your printer is not laser printer, do you know if this technique can apply to laser prints as well? thanks

[@treasurie]

Yes this is for inkjet printers most people have at home. The technique is the same for a laser printer but you would need to test if the ink is washable after the vinegar bath. Proceed with caution and please check back and let me know if you try and it works :)

[@nuriaom7637]

Thanks, I will try this out

[@anihahn6900]

Nuria OM did you try this with the laser printer?

[@leonandukwu1937]

Please where can I get freezer paper

[@treasurie]

Reynolds is a common brand. Try amazon or eBay. It is common in quilting and fabric shops too or sold in supermarkets in the US.

[@farzanatasleem6381]

Nechy chypi lgayi h ya bukram

[@treasurie]

Thanks for watching

[@Windy888City]

Thanks Treasurie - your printer looks like an inkjet - does this work on a laser printer do you know?

[@treasurie]

Hi Windmill, yes it is an inkjet. I haven't tried on a laser so it is a little trial and error. Generally, laser printing is better quality. Just be careful as your printer is probably more expensive being laser. The worst that has ever happened to my printer though is a paper jam when I didn't bond the fabric at the edges.

[@nicolabenson869]

Windmill I'm keen to know if you tried using a laser printer and what your results were ☺️

[@guscimelbourne]

what's with the vinegar?

[@treasurie]

It sets the ink so it doesn't run when washed.

[@reesieboocreations707]

Hello, I just purchased the Ava Peasant Dress pattern. Would you please do a sewing tutorial for it? I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you.

[@treasurie]

Hi Reesieboo, Thanks for purchasing my pattern. I've added your suggestion to my video idea list. Have a great week and if you have any questions about the pattern just email me. :) xx Dixi

[@reesieboocreations707]

Thank you

[@salmonte7849]

So easy! But why the vinegar?

[@treasurie]

Hi Sherri, the vinegar sets the ink and stops it bleeding on the fabric when you wash it. You can buy commercial dye fixatives that work well but vinegar is cheap and easy to get. White vinegar of course. If you don't need your labels to be washable you could skip this. I did tests washing my labels with and without the vinegar and there was a huge difference. Thanks for watching :)

[@salmonte7849]

Thank you!!

[@rx4u2c2]

Do you use SF101 or a different interfacing? Thanks.

[@treasurie]

I just used a generic one I had in my stash. SF101 (by Pellon) is a very nice quality though and if you are in the US and can get it cheaply I'd use that instead. Also think about finding a double sided interfacing so you can iron the labels on to your fabric. I also found that the double sided interfacing stoped the edges from fraying. Thanks for watching

[@cherrybooboo6993]

Hiya did you use light/medium or heavy weight double sided interfacing? Xx

[@treasurie]

Most double-sided interfacing is quite light. Mine was Pellon brand from memory but most brands seem to be a similar weight. If you are using single sided then go for a medium. It all depends on your final use and what you will attach the tag to. It is a cheap method so experiment with what suits your product. Thanks for watching. Cute dog in your photo :)

[@cherrybooboo6993]

Ok thank you for replying xx

[@machorodriguez3804]

Hi luv ur logo I will luv for u to customize my logo n how much will cost

[@treasurie]

Hi Macho, I'm glad you like it but sorry I don't do logos. Just sewing videos :) Thanks for the appreciation.

[@hillarylynn93]

Why hang dry instead of dryer?

[@treasurie]

A dryer is too rough.

[@LoremIpsumPeach]

What is the point of the paper that is ironed on the final label? Could you skip this step?

[@treasurie]

I think you mean the interfacing at the end. Yes, you could skip this if you wanted. It just gives a stiffer label which suits some applications. You can also buy double-sided fusible interfacing which means you can just iron your label on. Thanks so much for watching and commenting.

[@LoremIpsumPeach]

Oh okay, thanks for explaining that. And thanks for the video!

[@lindaobrien2791]

Has anyone used a color other than black ink?

[@treasurie]

I didn't have luck with the other colors. They worked but faded really fast.

[@RainorShine1]

Inkjet?

[@treasurie]

Yes inkjet and not laser. Thanks for watching

[@NYMediaStudio]

3:52 what is the size of that?

[@treasurie]

I think they were 1 inch by 2 inches. Thanks for watching.

[@shiliyap2902]

what kind of scissors do you use to cut out the labels with jagged patterns?

[@treasurie]

They are called pinking shears. Thanks for watching :)

[@cynthiabennett8]

Great tutorial. Those poor scissors cutting paper.

[@treasurie]

Haha, yes I'm not as careful as I should be!

[@TheRivana]

There was a lot of ironing in this video 😂

[@treasurie]

Yes I hate ironing too :) At least ironing a square of fabric is easier than ironing a shirt. Thanks for watching and have fun with the ironing part.

[@joycebach1345]

Video needs an audio.

[@treasurie]

Hi Joyce, thanks for the feedback and for watching anyway :)

[@juliakariuki195]

What is a freezer paper?

[@treasurie]

Read my article at blog.treasurie.com/what-is-freezer-paper/ It is a wax coated paper on one side. That way the iron melts the wax to the fabric to stiffen it.