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How to Make Custom Patches?

Started by Anders, December 13, 2008, 07:25:41 AM

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Anders

Good day, my friends.  I found myself today drooling over those beautiful Miskatonic Antarctic Expedition patches posted by Propnomicon, and the thought entered my head that I could make some pretty cool patches of my own with design ideas I've had.  Then came that moment of crushing despair when I realized that I know absolutely nothing about patch-making, and almost as little about embroidery (I know that the pointy end of the needle goes in the cloth, not in my thumb).

I consulted the mighty aether-search-engine Google, but alas, I could find no information appropriate to my level.  So, would one of you be so kind as to tell me what I would need to learn and the materials necessary for creating a custom patch?

akumabito

I am fairly sure there are online services where you can upload your own design, specify size and quantity, and they'll produce the patch(es) for you..

*googles*

Companies like this one will do it: http://www.americanpatch.com/

Anders

#2
That would be perfect if I wanted at least 50, but I'm not sure I even have that many articles of clothing!  Besides, I'm feeling that DIY urge recently.

I have hand-sewn part of a costume together (and a book binding, but does that even count?) so I'm not "baby in the swimming pool" new to this...more like "5-year-old with arm floaties dog paddling in the shallow end" new  ;D

Silas P. Morgan

This isn't a nice looking as machine embroiled patches, but it may work for your project...

Figure out your design, and then make a mirror image of it, if you have a scanner, a graphics program and a printer this is much easier than having to do it freehand... trace each of the parts for the patch onto the paper side of "Craft Weight fuseable pellon" (Wall Mart sells small rolls of it in the fabric/craft section, or you can ask for it at a Fabric Store... they usually keep it under or next to the counter, just make sure it is the doublesided Pellon with a paper backing... It dosen't "have" to be Craft Weight, but because Craft Weight is thicker, it's easier to work with) ... iron the pellon onto scraps of cloth (double knit works well because it doesn't unravel) and then carefully cut them out... peel the paper backing off each of the parts, exposing the shinny glue side, and lay all of the little pieces of cloth over your backing cloth, being carefully that they have the pellon side down (the shinny side)...(it's like putting together a jig saw puzzle)   And then iron everything into place (a piece of paper between the iron and the patch helps to keep some of the small parts from sticking to the iron)... finally, zig-zag the edges of the small parts down (you can skip this step, but the patch wont be as sturdy, and may fall apart in the future)


Anders

Thanks for the suggestion, Silas.  It sounds like a good way to do patches with lots of colored-in areas.

It just occurred to me--I might do well to buy some patch blanks instead of starting purely from scratch.  I'm going to walk down to the general store now and see if I can't pick up one or two!  If I find what I want, it will save considerable amounts of time, especially since I'm not very experienced.

PennyDreadful

Many malls and such have embroidery kiosks that will embroider a design on the things they sell like hats and blankets. They might be willing to help you though you might have to provide them with the blank or a prepared piece of canvas with backing.

If you wish to make your own, find heavy canvas in the color you want the background and heavy pellon fusable interfacing for the back. That is the foundation of a patch. You can hand embroider one but it usually takes a fairly skilled embroiderer to make it look superior to a machine embroidered one.
Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.
    Oscar Wilde

JohnSmith

Simple options include paint or marker-based cloth patches or iron-on transfers.
Embroidery: Felt, floss, needles, hoop (hand or machine).
Very comfortable Try Chenille embroidered patches (do an internet search for "The Embroider Chenille Embroidery") to get that Miskatonic patch look.

also YouTube has a ton of basic lessons too!

RJBowman

There are mass produced sewing machines that can embroider from digital files. They are common enough that you might be able to find a local business that has one. Look for custom embroidery; sometimes it's done by the same shops that do custom T-shirt printing, and sometimes trophy shops can do it.

There is some variation in quality; to get something that looks as good as an official patch, someone needs to design the stitch paths taken by the machine and there will be an up front cost to pay a person to do this. If you choose the cheaper option of just having the stitch paths done by software, it won't look quite as good if you look at it closely, but for small runs it might not be worth the additional expense.

JohnSmith

Embroidering custom patches can seem daunting at first, but it's totally doable with the right tools and a bit of guidance. Here's a quick rundown:

  • Materials: You'll need an embroidery machine, hoops, threads, and fabric backing.
  • Design Process: Sketch your idea, use digital software if needed, and finalize size and colors.
  • Getting It Done: Consider using online service for custom embroidered patches for convenience and quality assurance.