An embroidered patch is a small stitched design with a finished edge that you can iron or sew onto a jacket, a bag or a hat. Store patches are made by machine, but you can make one by hand with floss, a hoop and an evening. This tutorial follows Shmoxd, who stitches a cartoon pizza slice from a drawing, backs it with iron-on adhesive and wraps the edge in black satin stitch so it looks like the real thing.
How to make an embroidered patch: the short version
- Trace your design onto tear-away backing.
- Hoop the backing and fabric together, tight like a drum.
- Fill each color with close straight stitches.
- Stitch the dark detail lines on top.
- Tear off the backing and iron heat bond onto the back.
- Cut out the patch, seal the edge and stitch a border around it.
Choosing a design that works as a patch
Pick a shape with a simple outline and big blocks of color. A pizza slice, a heart, a mushroom or a small star all work well. Thin parts and deep inside corners are hard to wrap with a border, so round them off when you draw. Keep it about 2 to 3 inches across for a first try. Smaller than that and every stitch shows. Larger than that and the fill takes a long time.
Fabric, floss and backing
Use a firm cotton or a cotton twill. It holds stitches without puckering and survives the iron. Regular six strand floss is fine for everything. Shmoxd stitches with all six strands for the fill so it covers fast, then splits the floss to tie off. Tear-away stabilizer keeps the fabric from stretching while you work. Iron-on adhesive such as HeatnBond turns the finished piece into an iron-on patch. Skip it if you would rather sew the patch on.
Getting a smooth, full fill
The fill is long straight stitches laid side by side. Work in one direction per color, and change direction for a new area so it catches the light differently. Shmoxd runs the cheese across and the crust up and down. Keep the stitches touching. If fabric shows through, go back over the gap with a second layer. A phone light held under the hoop helps you see the traced lines through the cloth.
Ironing it on or sewing it on
Heat bond holds well on denim and canvas. For a jacket or a backpack that gets washed a lot, iron it on and then add a few stitches around the border to be safe. Never iron directly on the floss; lay a cloth over it. You can also skip the adhesive and stitch the patch down by hand through the border.
Common problems
- Fabric puckers around the design. The hoop was loose. Tighten the screw and pull the cloth taut before you start.
- Edge frays through the border. Cut a little wider, about an eighth of an inch, and seal it with fray glue before stitching.
- Border looks gappy. Pack the stitches closer. No cloth should show between them.
- Floss tangles. Use shorter lengths, about 18 inches.
More to stitch
Practice the border with satin stitch, and learn how to separate embroidery floss for finer lines. When it is done, here is how to iron on a patch and how to sew on a patch so it stays put.
