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How To Make A Hand Embroidered Patch

If you’ve ever wanted to make an embroidered patch by hand, you’re in the right place! It isn’t hard to do and you don’t need a sewing machine to make one. Making patches is a great option to add a personal touch to your clothing, bags, and accessories.

a pink hand embroidered patch with the letter E on it

Disclaimer: This post contains some affiliate links

How To Make A Patch By Hand

Supplies You’ll Need

  • Fabric
  • Embroidery Needle
  • Embroidery Floss
  • Embroidery hoop that is the diameter you want to make your patch
  • Another embroidery hoop that is at least 2″ larger
  • Scissors
  • A fabric pen or marker
  • Heat n’ Bond (if you want to make the patch iron on)

First, you’ll need to design and stitch the embroidery. If you already have an existing embroidery you’d like to turn into a patch, you can skip to the instructions for assembling your patch.

Fabrics To Choose

You can use felt or any natural, evenly woven fabric that can easily be embroidered on for this project. This tutorial will show you how to reinforce the edges of the patch, so it’s totally fine to use fabrics that naturally fray when cut. For this project, I used linen.

Getting Started

First, complete the embroidery on a piece of fabric. I recommend embroidering on a larger piece of fabric first before you cut it into a patch. This way, you can place the fabric in an embroidery hoop, which will make it much easier to stitch.

fabric in an embroidery hoop with a floral letter design transferred onto it

Transfer Your Design

Transfer your design to the fabric using your favorite transfer method. If you’re not sure which one to use, water soluble pens and stick and stitch are 2 or my favorites.

For this project, I made an embroidered “E”. If you’d like to stitch a letter that’s similar, you can read the full tutorial for creating your own floral alphabet embroidery.

an embroidery of a capital letter "E" on pink fabric

Stitching The Design

There are many different embroidery stitches you can use to create your patch.

Here are a few ideas:

Assembling The Patch

Once you’ve made the embroidery, it’s time to turn it into a patch. However, don’t cut anything out just yet! First, we need to reinforce the edges of the patch.

YouTube video
tracing a circle around the embroidery design that will be turned into a patch

Place the embroidery in the larger hoop. Using the smaller embroidery hoop, place it on top of the fabric and center your design. Then trace around the inner ring of the hoop with a fabric marker.

measuring the thread that will be secured around the patch

Double up a piece of embroidery floss and cut it so it is slightly longer than the circumference of the circle.

securing thread around the patch

Tie a knot in the end of the floss you just cut. Bring the floss up through the fabric along the outline of the circle, laying it along the marked outline.

Cut another piece of thread and begin securing the thread to the fabric with couching stitches. The small anchor stitches can be spaced out evenly around the circle, but the laid thread does not have to be completely covered up yet.

couching stitches

Secure the piece of thread around the entire outline of the patch. Then secure the threads on the back.

blanket stitch step 1

Next, we’ll completely cover up the thread. You can use a satin stitch or a blanket stitch to do this. For this example, I used the blanket stitch.

blanket stitch step 2

I used variegated floss for my patch, but if you want the stitches to blend in more you can use a color that matches the fabric.

blanket stitch step 3

blanket stitch step 4

Work your way around the outline of the patch until all of the thread is covered.

ironing on backing to the patch

Iron the embroidery and cut a piece of the iron on backing that will cover the entire patch.

Place the backing so the shiny, adhesive side is face down on the fabric. (The paper side should be facing you.) Using medium heat, iron on the backing.

finished embroidery patch

Carefully cut out the extra fabric, being careful not to clip any of the stitches along the edge.

the back of embroidery patch that has iron on backing

Peel off the paper backing, and you have yourself an embroidered patch!

How To Secure The Patch Onto Clothing

Ironing On A Patch

For iron on patches, it’s best to select clothing that is made of medium to heavy weight natural fabrics.

To secure your patch onto the article of clothing, use medium heat and press firmly for 8 seconds along each area of the patch.

Sewing On A Patch

Use some thread that matches the color of the patch. Sew a running stitch around the perimeter of the patch to secure it.

Patch Care And Washing

For washing, follow the instructions on the Heat N’ Bond package, keeping in mind the care instructions for the particular garment you have attached it to.

It will also be helpful for you to review the information in this post that is all about washing and caring for embroidery on clothing.

FAQs

I hope you you found this tutorial helpful and I hope you enjoy your hand embroidered patches for years to come!

You may also enjoy this tutorial about embroidering directly onto clothing.

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