How to Make Embroidered Name Tags 

What’s one thing you need at every event? A name tag, so it’s easy to meet people! It makes sense that this project is a Spoonflower team fave for conferences and events. Not only is it a fun “make-and-take” craft for attendees, it’s also a more creative (and memorable!) way to learn people’s names than your standard sticker paper name tag. As a bonus, it uses a magnet so you can re-use your name tag again and again, cutting down on landfill waste. Ready to add this craft to your next event? Follow Nicole’s instructions and you’ll be on your way to custom-embroidered name tag success in no time. 

Each event deserves its own custom name tag design in our opinion! We’ve been sizing our event name tags 3” x 2” (7.62 cm x 5.08 cm) and printing with 4-5″ (10.16-12.7 cm) of space built in around each side to allow room for embroidery hoops. 

Here are some things to keep in mind when designing your name tag:  

– Do you want any phrase, like “Hello! My name is” on your name tag? 
– Is there an event or conference logo you can include?  
– When designing, be sure to leave enough room for stitching long names! 
– Adding opportunities for expression (social media handles, pronouns, etc.) allows for extra individuality
– If you’re creating tags with names, a cursive/script font can be a lovely choice

Here are some examples of embroidered name tags made with the Spoonflower team at different events by attendees!

If you’re stitching your own name tags (or name tags for your teammates or friends!) before your event or just as fun items to have on hand, you can skip down to the next section.  

1. Precut your name tag and backing fabrics. A few days before the event, I like to block some time with teammates to prep so there are fewer tasks to do at the event.

2. Name tag fabric prep: To prep the Linen Cotton Canvas name tag fabric for the hoop stage, use straight edge scissors or rotary blade to cut evenly between each tag. 

3. Backing fabric prep: Using quilting rulers (or cardboard templates) and pinking rotary blades, cut the Dogwood Denim backing fabric into pieces that are 3.5” x 4.5” (8.89 cm x 11.43 cm). This is the size that’s worked for us, but feel free to test a few sizes to see what you would prefer! A taller backing fabric leaves plenty of room for collectible event pins below your name, for example. 

4. Plan your event set up. When planning how to arrange your event, think about the size of group that may be doing this at one time. At QuiltCon, we used a long table set up in stations that worked well for a small group. At one end of the table, we set up little bins of name tag fabric and backing fabric, pencils, embroidery supplies and embroidery thread in a variety of colors. Along the table there were seats for embroiderers, and then at the other end an ironing station with our mini irons, ironing mats and the heat-activated seam tape. Place the magnets and pins near the ironing station for easy access after ironing. 

1. Write your name on your name tag with a pencil. Think about what stitches you might want to do while writing your name. I like using cursive or script because it connects each letter, which is so helpful for embroidery. You can also use print handwriting, block letters or whatever you would like.  

2. Put your fabric in your embroidery hoop. Tighten the hoop so the fabric is taut and ready for embroidery.  

3. Thread your needle. If you’re using stranded floss, after you’ve selected your embroidery thread color, thread your needle with all 6 embroidery thread strands for the boldest line. If you’d like a thinner line, you can separate the thread and use 3 or 4 strands instead. You’ll be using a single length of thread as you stitch—doubling the lengths will cause the text to be 2x as thick.  

4. Knot your thread and start embroidering your name! I like to use the back stitch for the most part, with French knots for dots. The sky is the limit here! Encourage each stitcher to add their own creative touches. 

5. After embroidering, tie off your stitching with a knot at the back and snip your thread. Next, remove the embroidery hoop and use the pinking shears or rotary blade to cut out your name tag around the outside border. You can uses scissors here too, but this will cause the fabric to fray a bit at the edges.

6. Cut two pieces of seam tape around 3” (7.62 cm) long, then sandwich them between your name tag and backing fabric. Carefully flip the sandwich over so that the name tag is on top, the seam tape is in the middle and the backing fabric is at the bottom. If the seam tape or fabric has moved or shifted during the flip, place it back where you’d like for it to be permanently.  

7. Using a pressing cloth to protect the synthetic threads in your embroidery, iron your name tag for 10-15 seconds on each side. Since heat activates the double-sided seam tape, ironing fuses the name tag and backing fabric together. 

8. Once you’re done pressing both sides, check and see if the seam tape has adhered all three layers together. You can do this by trying to lift the sides of the embroidered name tag.  

9. Remove the paper from the adhesive side of your magnet or pin and stick it to the back of your embroidered name tag. Tip: Place the magnet near the top of your name tag, so gravity doesn’t cause the fabric to fold in half. 

That’s it! We hope to see you at a future event and learn your name while embroidering!