to ask on AIBU whether sew-in or iron-on name tags are better?

[parakeet]

My PFB has just started in reception so I'm new to all this. I know someone will probably tell me I should be posting this on a different forum, probably Domestic Goddess Chat or some such like, but I know you lot will give me a faster answer.

I'm suspicious the iron-on ones will fall off after a few hot washes, but cannot face the drudgery of sewing them all in.

the iron ones do fall off after a while.

the sew in ones can also fall off if you've not sewn them properly.

Another alternative is to buy a fabric pen and write the name on the label - a lot of school clothes have an actual name tag for this purpose.

Personally I use a combination of the three above methods, and the (usual) method of grabbing the nearest felt tip and scrawling something vaguely resembling our name on a bit of available label space on the morning of a PE lesson because I realise that I've picked the one jumper without an actual name on it, only to repeat the process next week because it's been through the wash and the felt tip has washed off.

Iron on win my vote as they last longer than the clothes unless my dear friend sews the normal ones in (she did all the labels in my ds's uniform this term when he started a new school bless her).

Normaly I'm like squonk and resort to writing on the labels!

We went to the parent info evening at DD's Primary 1 class at the start of the week and the teacher said the iron on ones come off after a few months, making things tricky when it comes to changing for gym. However, she just suggested checking regularly and putting new ones on.

I'm SO lucky that my gran (who is 84!) volunteered to do the sewing on as the thought of it was making me lose the will to live.

Neither, we use a fabric pen or marker pen as mentioned above. We usually write DD's full name if we can fit it in or her initials which she recognises easily now.

I have sew in ones sitting in the packet. The iron in ones got stuck on the inside of my washing machine. I have a fabric pen which is fantastic and I also bought some plastic stickers which are great and last in uniforms for about 4/5 weeks. I stick them on everything, lunch boxes, books, bags, shoes etc.

These are the ones I have got but there are plenty around

FYI Biro lasts for about 1/2 washes.

I use stick on ones - never had one fall off yet. They are brilliant!

Label planet is the make (I'll go and check)

Iron On ones from M & S. Never had one fall off and who the bloody hell has got the time or inclination to sew name tags into 10 pairs of socks??

I quite enjoy the sewing but have been hugely impressed with the stick-on ones - ds1 has been going around for months with another boy's name in his handmedown clothes as I simply can't get the b*ggers to come off!

Iron on.
It was impossible to peel them off DD2's uniform when i passed it onto a friend, not one had come off in the wash or tumble drier. Depends which ones you get i think DD1's aren't as good as the ones i got DD2! (different make)

I can personally testify that 'Stuck On You' labels do not come off easily - a mum at school where I work was given a PE T shirt in the wrong house colour and had already labelled it when we discovered the mistake. I thought I'd be able to peel the label off easily - I've now been picking at the damn thing in odd moments, (while on the phone or waiting for the computer to do something) for about two weeks and it's still mostly there...

I sew them in, as I am a glutton for punishment.

It is a bore but once in you can forget about them. I would find it more hassle to have to check for labels in danger of falling off and keep renewing them.

Writing with a pen is ok for shoes but looks messy on clothes, I am a bit anal about this Im afraid!

I sew them in, as I am a glutton for punishment.

It is a bore but once in you can forget about them. I would find it more hassle to have to check for labels in danger of falling off and keep renewing them.

Writing with a pen is ok for shoes but looks messy on clothes, I am a bit anal about this Im afraid!

Thank you everyone for the advice, I have ordered some stick-on ones from Label Planet.

They're £6.50 for 60 so I guess it's not the end of the world if they turn out to be shite.

I have used the sew in ones, just had to do 2 more tonight! I have also written his name in most of his clothes too!

Sew on.

You can sit on the sofa at the same time. They don't need too many stitches to make them secure.

can you say sharpie?

I order 75 iron on and 75 stick on from www.mynametags. The stick on ones are dishwasher proof and apparently never come off. They are stuck on book bags, luchboxes, water bottles, shoes etc and so far have proved to be unremovable - (i've tried!!)

There £9.95 for the 150 and tbh worth every penny IMO - and I'm on a budget.

I wouldn't have the patience for sew on ones myself .

I do sew on ones from Cash. It makes me feel like a proper mother.

Sharpie are rubbish.

I write in clothes on the care lable.

I ordered some sew in ones once. Loads of them because I just ordered surname so I could use them for DD's clothes and then her little brother's. 18 years later I still have some all of them.

So i suppose I could use them for DC5's stuff.

Or I might bequeath them to the grandchildren.

I have had:

• sew in (can no longer be arsed)

• iron on white labels (take forever to iron on and fall off in washing machine.)

• iron on coloured labels where it sort of becomes part of the fabric (worked patchily, and my poor little brain struggled with the mirror image issue)

• stick on labels not designed for clothes, used when in a hurry (come off in the washing machine which is fair enough as they are not meant to be washed. And credit where it's due though - they stick well to the drum)

• biro-type laundry marker (a bit faint and crap right from the start)

• sharpie felt-tip style laundry marker (works well but very thick so best way is to just write surname in very big neat letters)

I pay someone to do it and its worth every penny

I use sew in but used the sewing machine to do them. Did about 40 items in less than an hour, dead easy if you've got a machine?

I asked my MIL, using the classic line "I am so rubbish at sewing, I'd be really grateful for your help". Everyone's a winner.

I sew them in (or get dh to do it, he sews much better than me).

& then I cut them out before passing things on & put the tag into the sewing basket against the day when I run out & will be glad to have tags to thriftily re-use.

This will probably be in about 30 year's time, but it makes me feel like a 'proper' mum nonetheless!