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I'm bored with my label. I have used the same one for years. It is one of the standard options available from NameMaker:
I was inspired by Emily, who "named" her clothing line and had designer labels printed up (see this post). I decided to do the same and spent quite a bit of time playing with ideas for a name of my own.
I wanted to capture the joy and happiness that sewing brings into my life, as well as the love that I feel for the people that I sew for. I thought about using a foreign word, such as "joyeux", the French word for joyous.
But for some reason, I struggled with picking a language - French, Spanish, Italian... Nothing seemed right. None of those languages really have anything to do with me. Then it hit me - I'm half Welsh. Why not find a word or phrase in Welsh for my label?
As usual, the internet rode to the rescue and I found a number of English - Welsh translation sites to help in my search. (Click here for the one I used the most.) Imagine my delight to discover that "gwyn" (a variant of my name) means (among other things) "blessed" and that one of the Welsh words for "cloak" is "hug"!
In other words, the phrase "gwyn hug" looks like "a hug from Gwen" in English, and (loosely translated) means "a blessed cloak" in Welsh! How perfect is that for a label for my clothing? (Especially for clothes that I make for others!)
Note: I say "loosely translated" because apparently, in Welsh, adjectives are supposed to follow their nouns - so strictly speaking I have the order wrong. On the other hand, Welsh doesn't have an indefinite article ("a" or "an"), so "hug" really does translate to "a cloak".
I'm thinking of making my label look something like this:
I picked a fun font, instead of a flowing, graceful font, because most of my sewing is bright, happy and fun. (Think Hawaiian shirts, wild outfits for kids, summer sundresses, etc...)
So, what do you think? Do you like it? And how about you? Do you put labels in the clothes that you sew? What do your labels look like and where do you get them?
8 comments:
I do have labels and sometimes I even remember to put them in!:)
Years ago I came across the word "MSHONI" which means dressmaker in Swahili. As an African-American that really resonated with me. And it rhymes with Toni! An old roommate of mine surprised me with an order of labels over 10 years ago that I am still using today.
I was just given a gift of an order of labels! I can't wait to start sewing them into my creations! ;)
it's cute! too cutesy for me, but i think it fits you well. i have labels, they are ivory with two lines of text in tan. first line is in small block letters saying "custom made by" and second line is in larger script saying "Linda F......". i only put labels in things i make for other people -- i find them scratchy and cut them out of my RTW too.
Those are so cute! It's been really fun for me to put labels in the things I make. Definitely makes it seem more "couture."
I like it. Seems very "you."
Believe it or not, I don't have labels! I would use them if I have them, but I haven't found any I liked until this week. Cennetta had a post with some labels that she has that are vintage looking. When I get around to ordering labels, that's what I'll get. Here's the link to her post: http://themahoganystylist.blogspot.com/2008/08/vogue-1015-final-bits-and-pieces.html
I think your label is very appropriate for you - well done.
No labels for me. Don't feel the need to have them on clothes I make for myself.
I also pretty much sew for just myself, so I don't bother with labels. The only recent exception I can think of (which is actually from last summer) is a reconstructed tank top that I sewed one of the labels from the original shirt into so I could tell which side was the front! ;)
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