Hi guys, just wondering the best way of laying out patches before I start sewing. I'm not keen on using pins incase it puts holes in the patch so was thinking of fabric glue. Anyone ever used it? Any tips. Cheers.
NEVER use any kind of glue!!
Pins are perfect. Once sewed on, nobody will notice the small holes anyway or like Kofuv6 said, try and pit them close to the border. \m/
*Be wary of patches with glue backing as they can be more difficult to sew, and can potentially be a bit more dangerous if you have to apply a lot of pressure just to get the needle through. Using pliers can help.
*Incidentally, if you end up applying your own glue backing make sure to read the directions, and make sure you don't leave the iron on the patch for too long as the backing may un-adhere to the front stitching and will create bubbles, or a blister effects where the rest of your patch-front is firm and immovable but you'll have certain sections raised up and can be freely moved around.
*Definitely pin your Patches, but make sure you compensate for the contour of your body, you'll gain more surface area and you're patches will be seated properly. You can pin them horizontally or vertically (vertically placing pins makes it easier for a sewing machine,)
*Make your stitches firm and taught, but not to the point where you put stress on your patch and cause it to bunch up. After every few stitches give the thread a little tug, you'll be surprised how much slack is there.
*be mindful of the pin going in a out of your fabrics, the last thing you want to do accidentally stitch yourself to the jacket or sew the jacket up in a manner that makes it impossible to wear.
*If you're using old thread you can strengthen it by doubling it by making one long strand and folding it over in the middle.
*If you're worried about certain rare/valuable patches getting nasty or frayed, consider putting them in a spot on your jacket that will have minimal issues. Ie: chest patches are at risk of food and liquid stains [like beer,] patches close to the rear-bottom-hem of jacket may get dirty faster because of chairs/couches, same with the arm pits.
*If you're doing a leather jacket then take your time making sure to carefully pin your patches into proper positions so you don't fill the jacket with loads of holes. But, also make sure that you don't force your needle through with excessive force, should it slip through at a great force then it can potentially injure you or someone/thing else near you. And that means PETS! Be wary of your surroundings!
*Understand that it's gonna take some time to get this done, set goals, prioritize; what patches would look good when you get your first ones on? If you have a backpatch I recommend doing that first, (though, I do recommend double stitching your back patch on just for added strength. But, above all, understand that it'll take time to sew everything on, you can be sewing for hours, stop and then be like "where did all the time go?" I think that's how many women lived in the middle ages, literally passing time by stitching and knitting constantly. xD
Also, I've found that taking pics of your layout and checking them is a great way to see whether your layout looks good or needs tweaking. 'Something about just highlights what's wrong and what works...
Photoshop or any other digital media editor works great at layout possibilities and potential patches you'd want (but aren't sure if they fit right in your current layout,) in this regard it helps by saving money.
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Kofuv6 on
put pins on the border or as close to the border as possible, no one will notice
Looking into th... on
NEVER use any kind of glue!!
Pins are perfect. Once sewed on, nobody will notice the small holes anyway or like Kofuv6 said, try and pit them close to the border. \m/
Noods on
Awesome, cheers guys.
Kofuv6 on
np man
Metalmate on
It's called a battle vest for a reason. Don't worry about pinholes. Once it's covered in Metal fluids no on is gonna notice a pinhole :)
GoreGrinder666 on
Cheers!
oldmate on
metal fluids :)
MorticiA on
I have a load of tips.
*Be wary of patches with glue backing as they can be more difficult to sew, and can potentially be a bit more dangerous if you have to apply a lot of pressure just to get the needle through. Using pliers can help.
*Incidentally, if you end up applying your own glue backing make sure to read the directions, and make sure you don't leave the iron on the patch for too long as the backing may un-adhere to the front stitching and will create bubbles, or a blister effects where the rest of your patch-front is firm and immovable but you'll have certain sections raised up and can be freely moved around.
*Definitely pin your Patches, but make sure you compensate for the contour of your body, you'll gain more surface area and you're patches will be seated properly. You can pin them horizontally or vertically (vertically placing pins makes it easier for a sewing machine,)
*Make your stitches firm and taught, but not to the point where you put stress on your patch and cause it to bunch up. After every few stitches give the thread a little tug, you'll be surprised how much slack is there.
*be mindful of the pin going in a out of your fabrics, the last thing you want to do accidentally stitch yourself to the jacket or sew the jacket up in a manner that makes it impossible to wear.
*If you're using old thread you can strengthen it by doubling it by making one long strand and folding it over in the middle.
*If you're worried about certain rare/valuable patches getting nasty or frayed, consider putting them in a spot on your jacket that will have minimal issues. Ie: chest patches are at risk of food and liquid stains [like beer,] patches close to the rear-bottom-hem of jacket may get dirty faster because of chairs/couches, same with the arm pits.
*If you're doing a leather jacket then take your time making sure to carefully pin your patches into proper positions so you don't fill the jacket with loads of holes. But, also make sure that you don't force your needle through with excessive force, should it slip through at a great force then it can potentially injure you or someone/thing else near you. And that means PETS! Be wary of your surroundings!
*Understand that it's gonna take some time to get this done, set goals, prioritize; what patches would look good when you get your first ones on? If you have a backpatch I recommend doing that first, (though, I do recommend double stitching your back patch on just for added strength. But, above all, understand that it'll take time to sew everything on, you can be sewing for hours, stop and then be like "where did all the time go?" I think that's how many women lived in the middle ages, literally passing time by stitching and knitting constantly. xD
Noods on
Awesome, cheers. I'll make make sure I don't rush it. Looking forward to when its done.
MorticiA on
Also, I've found that taking pics of your layout and checking them is a great way to see whether your layout looks good or needs tweaking. 'Something about just highlights what's wrong and what works...
Photoshop or any other digital media editor works great at layout possibilities and potential patches you'd want (but aren't sure if they fit right in your current layout,) in this regard it helps by saving money.