A Simple Way to Use an Embroidered Patch- Part One

I want to share an example of one way to use the hand embroidered patches I create and sell. The two basic ways they can be used are to either stitch them to the top of your garment, or apply them to the back. This example will show how to apply a patch to the back of your garment.

I have a pair of grey Levi’s that started to show their age in a few ways. Sometime last year I busted a tear into one knee. I originally repaired that tear with embroidery thread only. I was going for a colorblock effect, and I still like the color combination I chose.

But I did not like the overall effect. It felt too thick and chunky once it was finished (maybe I could have used less strands of embroidery thread) and I really should have taken the time to draw straight lines across the top and bottom, so that it would come out even. No matter how good you think you are at eyeballing a straight line, it’s a totally different story once you start putting a needle through the fabric. Also, the whole knee area was getting a bit thread bear, so to add bulk in a small area made the remaining thin fabric buckle under the pressure.

So when a smaller tear formed under this repair, I was happy for an excuse to cut it all out and start over. I ended up cutting out a square, but it could really be done in any shape that suites your needs or desires.

I cut slits into the corners so I could fold back the edges for a clean finish. I pressed the edges back with an iron and then pinned my patch in place behind the opening. I attached it with a running stitch first around the opening, and then did another around the edge of the patch so it wasn’t flapping around on the inside. The patch I used was 6” by 6”, and the finished visible area of the patch is about 4” by 4”.

I like the way this looks much better. The story of these jeans is “to be continued”… there are discolored areas on both thighs that I want to cover up. I’m debating between a large area of hand embroidery applied right to the jeans, or a large patch.

But that’s a story for another day. If you like the patch I used for the knee tear, I have a variety of designs/colors/sizes available in the Shop section "Hand Embroidered Patches," you can get there by clicking the photo below.

 Happy patching!