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Create Your Own Iron-On Embroidered Patches
It’s true! Patches are making a huge comeback. No longer just for oval name tags on industrial uniforms, embroidered patches have returned to their retro roots as a fun way to show off. Patches are a great embellishment to highlight your interests, affiliations, or pay homage to something timeless and classic.
The fact that it’s easier than ever to personalize clothing and accessories has helped bring patches to the forefront again. Patches are also riding the wave of society’s push toward sustainability. Influencers promote custom patches as a fresh way to upcycle garments to reduce environmental impact.
The Big Mouth Bass Patch would glisten with a combination of Madeira Polyneon and CR Metallic to make up the fish’s body.
While you can use any color combination for this Heart Patch, this tone-on-tone look with matching fabric and thread is lovely wherever you put it.
The fact that it’s easier than ever to personalize clothing and accessories has helped bring patches to the forefront again. Patches are also riding the wave of society’s push toward sustainability. Influencers promote custom patches as a fresh way to upcycle garments to reduce environmental impact.
Embroiderers would do well to jump on the renewed interest in patches by learning how to create them and market them to their customers.
Why Choose Iron-On Patches?
Business Branding: Companies can use custom patches to brand uniforms, creating a professional and cohesive look for employees. It's a cost-effective way to display logos and company names on clothing. Patches also look clean and official, and the personalization of customer-facing work wear adds a touch of old school charm and the suggestion of attentive service.
Craft Projects: Iron-on patches are popular in various DIY and craft projects. They can be used to decorate bags, hats, jackets, quilts, and more, adding a unique touch to handmade items. The number of online tutorials and inspiration pins for DIY patches makes it obvious that creative expression through custom patches has become something of a movement.
Trend Setting: Iron-on patches have become a popular trend in the fashion world. Designers often use them to create edgy, stylish looks on jackets, jeans, and other apparel, with an eye toward brand identity or trendy social messaging.
How To Create Your Own Iron-On Embroidered Patches
Learning how to make custom iron-on embroidered patches can elevate your style and widen your customer base. We’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of basic patch-making in the guide below, offering tips and techniques to ensure your patches turn out just right. With just a little patience and the right supplies, it won’t be long until you get the hang of creating unique patches that can personalize any garment or accessory.
Helpful Tips
Choosing Your Design - Start simple if you're new to patch-making. Avoid intricate details and opt for bold, clean lines and defined areas of color and shapes. As you gain experience, you can progress to more complex designs.
Embroidery Wizard Patch From Urban Threads
Fabric Selection - Twill and felt are ideal for patches due to their durability and ease of use. For a professional look, choose fabric in a shade that allows your thread colors to stand out.
Thread Choice - High-quality polyester threads offer vibrant colors, durability and colorfastness. This is especially important if your patch will be worn on outerwear, backpacks or uniforms, where the patch will be exposed to sunlight, the elements, or industrial laundering. Our top picks are: Polyneon, CR Metallic, and Frosted Matt machine embroidery threads.
Stabilizer Use - Tear-away backing works best for creating a template for the patches applique material.
Base Film - A heat away plastic film like Madeira’s Super Film, provides a base that allows the finished patch to be popped out. Any residual plastic can be removed easily with a heat gun or hair dryer.
Sequence of Stitching - Embroider the background elements first, then move to the middle ground, and finish with foreground details. This approach ensures proper layering and depth in your design.
Heat-Seal Film Application - Choose a heat-seal like Fuse-n-Bond that's compatible with an iron-on patch, generally a heat seal material that’s double-sided. Follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully to ensure a strong bond without damaging your embroidery.
Supplies and Materials for Iron-on Embroidered Patches
- Embroidery machine
- Embroidery thread (see recommended suggestions above)
- Tear Away Stabilizer
- Base fabric (tackle twill or felt)
- Madeira Super Film (base film)
- Fuse-n-Bond
- Sharp scissors
- Iron
- Stock Designs for patches
- Digitizing software (for custom designs)
- Embroidery needles (sharps)
Step-By-Step Guide
Before You Begin
Design Your Patch - Use digitizing software to create or convert your chosen design into a format compatible with your embroidery machine. Ensure the design fits your desired patch size. You can also purchase patch designs from a stock-house design company.
- Create a Template - Hoop a piece of tear away backing and run a placement stitch to the shape and size of your patch in the center. This will be the template for your finished patch. Cut out the template shape along the stitch line, use it to trace onto your patch fabric (the twill or felt) and cut the shape out.
- Hoop the heat film - Hoop a single layer of Madeira Super Film and run the placement stitch on the film.
- Prepare the patch - Spray the back of your patch fabric shape with spray adhesive and center it over the placement stitch on the Super Film. Press to adhere and run a tack down stitch on your machine.
- Embroider your design - Now embroider your chosen patch design onto the patch fabric that is tacked to the Super Film. Once it’s finished running, pop it out from the film.
- Prepare the Fuse Material - Trace an outline of the patch onto the Fuse-n-Bond film and cut out the shape Apply the Fuse-n-Bond onto the back of the patch with an iron (260° F) and let it cool. Be sure when ironing that the protective sheet on the back of the Fuse-n-Bond faces the iron.
- Bond your Patch - Once the patch has cooled down, remove the protective sheet from the Fuse-n-Bond and press the patch onto the garment, hat, etc. Using the same temperature, we recommend using a press cloth between the iron and the front of the patch to protect it.
You can print an illustrated PDF of these steps here
Spice It Up With Specialty Threads!
Add Metallic Shine - Metallic Embroidery threads add sparkle to your patches Madeira’s CR Metallic is a 100% polyester embroidery thread that shines like conventional metallics. CR is a great choice for patches because of its durable polyester construction. It also comes in various colors to go with any patch design.
Go Crisp & Clean With Frosted Matt - Add contrast and dimension with Madeira Frosted Matt, a smooth, bright eggshell finish thread. The flat, bright colors add increased definition and are highly colorfast in UV conditions. When used alongside conventional shiny threads, Frosted Matt is incredibly eye-popping.
Add Text - Personalize your patches further by incorporating names, dates, or meaningful phrases. Choose fonts that are easy to read at your chosen patch size. For small lettering under ½”, use 60 weight Polyneon for crisp readability.
Experiment With Other Combinations
Don't be afraid to play with different color combinations, fabrics, and techniques. The beauty of DIY patches is the ability to create something truly unique. Try resizing your designs for variety – a design that works at 4" might have a different impact at 2" or 6" depending on the size of the garment or item on which it will be placed.
Remember, practice makes perfect. Each patch you create will help you refine your technique and develop your personal style.
Patch and design by Natalie Northcutt and Janet Gross
Where To Get Blank Patches
If you're looking to start with a blank canvas, we have an excellent lineup of blank twill patches ready for your custom designs. These patches come in various shapes and sizes, providing a perfect base for your creative embroidery projects.
Whether you need a classic rectangle patch, a sleek oval, or a fun round, we offer high-quality blank twill patches made from durable tackle twill.
Where To Get Patch Embroidery Designs
Our friends at Embroidery Library have a variety of designs that would look great on a patch. Here are three of our recommended picks.
This Explore The Outdoors Patch can be used for messenger bags, jackets, and backpacks. The bold areas of color and crisp lines would play well with Madeira Frosted Matt.
The Big Mouth Bass Patch would glisten with a combination of Madeira Polyneon and CR Metallic to make up the fish’s body.
While you can use any color combination for this Heart Patch, this tone-on-tone look with matching fabric and thread is lovely wherever you put it.
These designs can be purchased from Embroidery Library and Urban Threads. They have a wide range of categories to choose from. Whether you’re working on clothing, gifts, or accessories, you’ll find designs that perfectly match your project's theme and style.
What If It Needs To Be Removed
It happens. Sometimes a patch is placed incorrectly or in the wrong spot. Removing an iron-on patch might seem daunting, but it can be done with a few careful steps:
- Heat Application: Place a cloth or towel over the patch and apply heat using an iron set to a medium-high setting. The goal is to soften the adhesive without damaging the fabric underneath.
- Peeling Off: Once the adhesive is softened, use a blunt knife or your fingernail to gently lift the edge of the patch. Slowly peel it off, applying more heat if necessary to loosen the adhesive.
- Adhesive Residue: To remove any leftover adhesive, you can use a commercial adhesive remover or a solution of equal parts water and vinegar. Apply the solution to a cloth and gently rub the residue until it's gone.
- Cleaning: After the patch and adhesive are removed, wash the garment according to its care instructions to remove any remaining residue and restore its appearance.
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