Slow Sunday Stitching: Label Time

 Task #1 for today is to sew on the label I made for my recent "Scrappy Trips" finish.

Inspired by the backing fabric (a fun flannel from Michael Miller fabrics), I came up with the idea to make a large Smiley face for the label -- yeah, I know a real stretch, LOL!  With the quilting and binding already done, that meant this would be a "hand stitched on" label.  In the past that usually was a danger zone for me but I'm no longer put off by impromptu hand work (particularly since last year's illness, quarantine and travel provided plenty of opportunities for that).

I didn't even have to think about a design:  Accuquilt solved that for me!  A while back, they had offered a limited edition "Emojis" die.  Although the die is no longer sold**, the companion embroidery software (as well as some free patterns) for it is still listed on their website which gave me inspiration pictures to work from.  

**Updated 5/31/22:  The die has been re-released and is now a part of Accuquilt's permanent die collection!

I chose a design I liked which fortunately used applique motifs I do have dies for!  I tested hearts from a few different dies for the "eyes" and settled on the one from the Stacy Mitchell's "Home" die.  The mouth was the arc from her "Ring of Oak" die.  For the tongue, I cut off one lobe of the 2" Heart from the "Hearts" die.  

I had a packet of solids scrap cuts I had purchased  at a quilt show that provided the red and black fabrics needed.  The yellow micro dot print for the "face" came from the leftovers from my "En Provence" quilt (and hopefully I will get around to using the rest of those to make a backing for that this year).  

After die cutting the face elements, I laid them out to determine how big of a "face" I needed.  I figured out that I needed a 6" finished circle so cut that with fusible and also cut a 6-1/2" circle using the "Cut Around Tool" from Philips Fiber Arts.  

The smaller circle served as a facing to make the larger outer circle opaque.  

Once fused, and the facial features stitched down, I turned under the edges of the larger circle around the smaller one so it could be sewn on.  

So after today, this quilt will REALLY be finished!  It's good to know that adding labels don't have to be a chore.  They can be another place to exercise your creativity and have some more fabric fun with your quilt project!