Best Ways To Make Your Own Hand Embroidered Patches.
Patches are a fun and popular way to add style to your favorite denim jacket or bag. DIY embroidered patches are easy to make. You can create any design of embroidered patch and personalize it exactly as you wish.
This tutorial will walk you through four methods for making and attaching your handmade patches. For each of these, choose patterns based on how large you want the patches to be. There’s no rule for this, but smaller designs, such as the elements in a fruit pattern, work well.
While there are four distinct methods for making patches, you’ll find that you can mix and match some of the techniques. For example, you can make a felt patch with adhesive, or a pin with different edge stitching. Have fun experimenting with these four DIY patch making processes.
Iron-On Patches
Iron-on patches are fast and easy to attach, which is always helpful. Plus, you can give these patches as gifts. Just include some simple iron-on instructions.
For iron-on patches you will need a pattern, two pieces of fabric, and two pieces of a paper-backed fusible web.
Instructions for Iron-On Patches
Choose a pattern, marking it with the transfer method that works best for the fabric you’re using (the patch in this tutorial was stitched on linen).
Stitch the design, leaving room around the edges.
Cut a second piece of fabric to a similar size, as well as two pieces of a paper-backed fusible web.
Iron one piece of fusible web to the non-embroidered piece of fabric. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and watch that you place your iron on the paper side.
Iron-On Patches: Fuse Fabric to the Embroidered Piece
Peel the paper off the fusible web and place the fabric, web side down, on the back of the embroidered fabric.
Iron the non-embroidered piece to fuse the layers together. This gives your patch more stability and helps prevent the edges from fraying.
Iron the second piece of fusible web to the plain back of your fused patch and remove the paper.
Iron-On Patches: Cut and Finish Patch
Cut around the embroidered shape, following the lines of the motif and leaving some space around the embroidery.
The fusible web helps prevent fraying, but you can also stitch a line of running stitch near the edge to add extra insurance against fraying. To make your patch look more like a commercially made patch, use whip stitch around the edge as shown in the pin patch tutorial below. If you are attaching this to an item that is washed regularly, you may want to wait to add the line of stitching after it’s ironed in place for extra security.
When you’re ready to attach your iron-on patch, hold it in place and iron the patch from the back of the item you’re attaching it to. Make sure your iron is set on a high enough heat setting to get through the layers.
Felt Sew On Patches
This patch style requires minimal edge finishing because the felt won’t fray like other fabrics. It’s also sewn in place, so you know that your stitching won’t go anywhere.
To make felt patches, you need only the felt to embroider on, a marking method, and thread to attach it with.
Instructions for Felt Sew-on Patches
To embroider on felt, mark the pattern with a water-soluble stabilizer or the tracing paper method. Be sure to arrange the embroidery so that there is ample space around the design for trimming the patch.
Embroider the pattern however you like. Satin stitching looks great on small patches, but you can also stick to all outlines.
When the embroidery is done, remove the markings. If you used the tracing paper method, carefully tear away the paper. For the water-soluble stabilizer method, soak the finished stitching and when the material dissolves, let the felt dry flat.
If you are using wool or wool blend felt (which hold up the best), it is very important that you use cool or room temperature water when you soak the embroidery. Warm water will cause your patch to shrink.
