Friday, August 24, 2012

How to Label Patchwork Rows

I've been sewing up a storm!  While working on a throw pillow for Julia's dorm room, I had a brainstorm that I thought you might enjoy. 

There are all kinds of contraptions out there for labeling patchwork rows to keep things in order.  You can purchase pins with lettered beads or numbered flags. I made the numbered pins once by writing on flower head pins with a fine tip Sharpie. I've used bits of masking tape. My friend Karen uses those bread bag tabs. I usually pin a scrap of paper to the first piece in the row.

These blocks are so small (2.5" cut) that I didn't want to use a bulky pin. The freezer paper was still out from the stencil project, and there were even some scraps lying around.  Eureka!


I cut some little bits of freezer paper, numbered the dull side, 


and pressed them to the blocks!

Fast, easy, free (the scraps were destined for the trash), easy to remove (no sticky tape), and flat (no pins to get in the way when pressing the rows).

I'm off to stitch up these rows!

5 comments:

Mary W Quilts said...

Brilliant. Love the stars!

Deborah said...

What a great idea and what lovely stars!

Rori said...

Great idea and you are so clever!

When you take your blocks to the machine and you are sewing the blocks in the row together, what is your method? Sometimes I pin the blocks together all in a long string. Sometimes I stack them and then sew them, but I usually accidentally mix those up. Do you have a link you can send me to of an efficient way to piece the rows together or explain your method?

Archie The Wonder Dog said...

Now why didn't I think of that?!!! Top tip, I'm going to try it when I'm ready to join my hexies!

sophie said...

I will definitely be using your great idea in the future. It's a keeper.