Help! Label sewing

[HaplessHousewife]

So, I have some stickers that say they are washing machine and dishwasher proof but I'm sewing some labels.

Stupid question alert - do I just sew the ends or around the whole label?

Up to you, really. Make sure you fold the ends under too or they will fray.

I sewed just ends in her cardigans to give her a hanging loop to hang them on her peg, but her coat already had a hanging loop, and I'm more bothered about making sure they didn't come off as it is worth more, so I sewed all round.

I sewed all round and (money saving tip!) I bought so many when he was a baby that I had enough to last from nursery to sixth form, and that included those wonderful days when I had to sew tags on all his socks.

1. sew in a loopy loop
2. lay nametape flat and just sew ends - a flatter loop
3. sew all the way round

It could depend what you are sewing onto. I'd say (2) for socks but ensuring there's enough 'give' for stretching. My DM had some sewing nametapes and iron-on nametapes and I remember the awfulness of ironed-on tapes in my socks, they wouldn't stretch for shit!!

I'm 38, I still have some nametapes left over from school

Or the name tags that come with a plastic press-stud. I find the iron-on ones come off in the wash and the sew-on ones are too time consuming.

Step 1: Parcel up all school clothes requiring labels
Step 2: Send to mum who enjoys sewing labels
Step 3: Await return of parcel with labels neatly sewn in
Step 4: Send to mum

1. Buy a sharpie.
2. Write initials on all items of clothing.

As per beanandspud's directions, but send them to me, and make that lots of .

(FWIW, I sew all round)

For socks, fold tape over back edge of sock and sew the tape to itself, through the sock.

Name labels in socks?!

I didn't know that people really did that!

I still remember having to sew in all my own name tapes for secondary school. I use clothing tattoos from stuckonyou.biz which melt into the fabric.

DS has just gone into Yr 5 and I ave got tid off all his socks fom reception, still with the labels attached. Some had added, but not come off!

Faded. Not added

I only name socks for DD, who scatters possessions about her as she goes through the day, and when DS is going away and they have to be labelled for laundry. Parents of boarders clearly have to too (unless they pay the matrons to do it).

I was at boarding school where every pair of socks and knickers had to be labelled - plus both uniform, non-uniform clothes and bed linen and towels. My mother used to spend every evening for weeks doing them (4 of us).

I ordered mine from eBay - same quality as Cashes and a fraction of the price (plus they do pink text on white).

Tights I do the tapes folded over and sewn at the ends only (like a tag), dresses and polos I sew all the way round, cardigans I either do ends only so there's a hanging loop or stitch all the way round. I also stitch one onto her book-bag.

That way I can cut them out and re-use or pass the clothes on to others and have them label free. DD also insists that all labels are cut out of clothes so there are none to write on anyway...

My mother still has pillow cases with my father's name tapes from 60 years ago!

Sew all round - it's just as quick as starting and finishing the thread twice (once for each end, IYSWIM) but more secure.

I fold the tag in half and sew it to the shop label so it pokes out the bottom or side like a size label.

Thanks everyone. pyrrah, your poor mum!

Right, I did a combination of stickers for things she'll keep and no-one else will want. Ends for cardigans (so she can hang them up) and elasticated items. All around for dresses etc. I shall assess doing socks if we start losing them.

Phew, who knew something which seems so easy could cause so much aggro.

I use labels only when I can't use a pen. Firmly sewn on, with machine if possible .
Also, secondary uniform PE kit. I sew extra labels on those, discretely & everywhere. PE kit is always the thing most likely to go missing.

X post, life is too short for sewing labels on socks.

Def just ignore the socks - life's too short.
Something it IS worth labelling though, are swimming goggles. Use one of your name labels and sew the 2 ends together, around the strap of the goggles, so the label ends up like a polo with the rubbery bit going through the hole. Best tip I had in many years was that one.

Ooh, that is brilliant about the swimming goggles! Socks are cheap, goggles are not. I have been writing in ours with sharpies, but the chlorine makes it fade fast.

I do goggles like that too. Sew end together with right sides out, then turn inside out and sew again to seal in ends and stop them fraying.

My DC lose goggles so regularly that I often have a spare pair at home ready to go - not so expensive though - sports direct do perfectly adequate ones for £1.99

Aren't those sew-on or iron-on labels just a ruse to keep women tied to the menial duties of another century? A laundry pen does just as well and takes 1 second. Also you can mark the inside of shoes with them.

Might not be the right way forward if you want to put child's full name on everything and then relabel for a second child but I just put our surname and hey presto - they are done.