Learn more about cloth patches, why they are so popular, what you need and how you can make them easily, cleanly and beautifully with your embroidery machine.  

One of the best places to start practising sewing is to add cloth patches to your clothes, but one of the best ways to learn embroidery techniques for your machine is to learn how to make patches.

Unlike direct embroidery, which can be difficult to do with a machine, cutting a piece of cloth to size and using a dedicated machine to recreate a design in thread is incredibly satisfying, especially if you have a particular vision for your design.

Alongside the military, police, scouts and guides, and members of motorcycle clubs, patches are especially popular in the music community, with heavy metal fans particularly fond of sewing patches onto battle jackets.

This sense of personal identity makes embroidered patches a tremendous opportunity to learn embroidery, carve your own sense of identity or sell custom patches to a devoted audience.

How do you make one? Whilst the technology has improved, the core techniques remain the same.

Step-By-Step Guide To Making An Embroidered Patch

What You Will Need

• Embroidery Machine - Many modern machines allow you to scan designs directly into them, making the only limit your imagination.
• Patch Fabric - Polyester is the primary backing material used for professional patches, but canvas, felt, or even twill can work. 
• Fabric Stabiliser - These hold fabrics in place and keep them stable, making them essential to avoid puckering threads.
• Embroidery Thread - Polyester floss is once again the gold standard, but other decorative threads are an option as long as your backing and design are durable enough.
• Embroidery Hoop - Regardless of your machine or method, an embroidery hoop is vital for even stitching by keeping your fabric taut and stable. A magnetic embroidery hoop can make it even easier.
• Adhesive - Fabric glue, double-sided fabric tape and iron-on adhesives can all help to seal stitches and keep your patch strong, even if you do not plan to iron them on later.

Step 1: Prepare And Stabilise Your Fabric

Choose your fabric, place it on top of your stabiliser and use a heat press to bond the two sides together. In most cases, your fabric and stabiliser will be between two Teflon sheets to ensure that they do not stick.

Step 2: Cut Your Patch Material To Size

If you have a cutting machine or your embroidery machine has a cutting setting, pre-cut your patch shape using a dedicated file or template. If you do not, stitch an outline onto your fabric using a template and cut along the line.

Step 3: Apply Adhesive Backing

Depending on the type of stabiliser you use, you can either use a spray adhesive to keep your patch in place, or peel off the backing if you are using a double-sided fusible system.

Step 4: Embroider Your Chosen Design

Use your embroidering hoop to secure your stabiliser in place, and use the software on your embroidering machine to run a placement stitch around the exact shape of your patch.

Stitch your chosen design and end with a thick border to provide a clean, professional finish. Remove the hoop from the machine, trim the excess thread and cut off excess stabiliser. Finally, tear away or rinse off the stabiliser to reveal your final, professional-looking patch.

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