Using sew on patches is a great way to transform any piece of garment, accessory, home linen or even upholstery easily. All you will need to do is use a little bit of creativity and imagination and you can get the patch that you really like. You can look online to see the huge variety of patches for your use. From floral patterns, to dolls, logos of cars, bands, toys and abstract forms you have a plethora of pattern choices. You even have the option of getting your patch customized at these portals.
Another way of getting your patch customized is by making it yourself. You don’t have to spend all the time waiting for your patches to be delivered. Also making patches yourself will be much cheaper than buying them from outside. If you like to embroider and have a neat hand then you don’t even have to worry about your patch not looking store bought. If you don’t have much embroidering experience but would like to improve then with a tiny bit of practice you can become a pro at embroidering sew on patches.
To begin making your patches it is best to approach it in a systematic and methodical manner. First decide the theme behind the patch which you can easily get by deciding its purpose. For example if you are making a quilt for your kids then you can choose a theme and make patches around it. So if you choose a sailing theme then you can have patches with anchors, sails, boats, sailors, tubes etc. Get as creative as you want and get to work drawing out your patch sketches.
Once you have a final sketch you are ready to begin making your patches. Trace the design of the patch on the cloth that you are using. If you are making borders for your patches use a slightly higher thread count to make the border. This will give your patch a frame like effect. Always secure a backing sheet to your patch to make sure that the stitch is flat and uniform. Also use an embroidery frame with the pattern in the centre for easy embroidering.
Once you have finished embroidering your sew on patches cut out the patch leaving a small seam space. You will be using this seam space to stitch the patch in place. Place the patches on the points that you want and then fix some pins on them to secure them in place. Now stitch the patch all the way along the perimeter on to the cloth, garment, quilt etc. The thread that you use can be the one matching the patch color or can be one in contrast or of the base cloth. You can get creative with the stitches as well. Once you have used the basic neat straight stitch to secure the patch firmly in place you can embroider around it as well. Use a sewing machine to stitch the patch in place if you don’t want to do it by hand. All it takes it a few simple steps and you can create something new in a jiffy with these sew on patches.