Nametags Workshop

It's getting very nearly time for our Stitch Gathering Retreat! And I know some of you still haven't made your nametags yet, so I thought I would do a post with nametag ideas that might be of help with last minute panics.

I've been making a few of these to show at my Bearpaw Craft Club (August's club was last week) as I hope that all my club regulars will make their own badge for our club nights.

So here's a nice easy one to start with - an EPP hexagon rosette with the name embroidered on a solid hexy in the middle.

I then took the papers out (after giving it a good press) and sewed the running stitch with some perle cotton 8's (not strictly quilting here as I did not have any wadding or backing). I then inserted a piece of card cut to the same shape under the seams and backed it with a piece of felt (see photo of backs below).

Jane Read is my sister, by the way, she is coming to help me with the Stitch Gathering but volunteered too late to join the nametag swap. I hope you like it Jane!

Here is a slightly more ambitious attempt. Using my Darlene Zimmerman (I just love her name and like to mention it at every opportunity) "EZ Dresden Ruler" at the 1 and a half inches high mark, I made this tiny dresden plate and appliqued it to some Essex natural linen.
I then embroidered my (secret) partner's name on to a separate piece of linen and appliqued this to the centre of the dresden.

I then made it into a little quilt with wadding and a row of quilting round the centre. Before I bound it with that bias binding made from a diagonally striped fabric, I stitched a small loop of strap (cut from a longer piece I had already made for the lanyard/key fob) to the backing, which then became sewn into the binding at the back.
This is my official nametag swap badge for the Stitch Gathering, hence the covered up name.



Here's another lanyard style badge, this time for my colleague Sarah for her to wear when she comes to help me at the Craft Club (have I told you about my craft clubs yet? They are going really well and you can find out what they are here).
It's just some scrap strips sewn around a piece of linen that I have embroidered Sarah's name on and added that little tree, which is an embroidered iron-on transfer.

Using the method above, but with no quilting and with a piece of card added for extra sturdyness, I finished this badge with a few coloured buttons (Sarah loves buttons!).

Lastly here is a really simple, quick one. That funny little oval below is a flexi hoop for tiny embroideries. It measures 2 x 3 inches so is perfect for a badge, or even a decorative brooch. The wood grain plastic is a bit naff so I covered it by wrapping pretty ribbon around it. I embroidered my name using a pale pink perle no. 8, then 'shadowed' it with 2 strands of black floss to give that fancy effect.
I then stuffed the inside with some scrap wadding and backed it with felt.
If you don't have one of these frames you could just use some heavy card in a similar shape and wrap ribbon around that to make your own frame.

Here are the backs of all 4. I still need to add brooch clips or safety pins to the back of the brooch badges.

I do hope you have found this useful, especially those Stitch Gathering Retreaters or Bearpaw Craft Club members who read my blog.
Happy nametag making!