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Forums > Tutorials / How To / Where To

Which stitching type

Steve4427
Sun, 05/03/2017 - 20:03

Im about to start sewing patches onto my vest and im not quite sure which stitching method i should use. Do you guys prefer whip stitching or lockstitching and if so why.


Overactive Imagination's picture

Do whatever you want my dude

Metaldemon's picture

When I put my old battle jacket together back in the early mid 80s I was taught to sew with a whip stitch cause it makes the patch become more flush with the material and protects the edges from fraying and wear and tear. I've been to many concerts and mosh fights and the patches are still in one piece. Its more of a pain in the Ass but worth it. Make the stitches close together and use heavy duty embroidery thread. I used different color thread it looks badass doing a red or white whip stitch on a black patch.

Steve4427's picture

thx for the reply man. i was thinking about using transparent nylon thread as my patches already are pretty colorful lol :D so whipstitch it is. cheers again

Metaldemon's picture

Your welcome dude. When you get the chance man upload some pics.

John Christ's picture

Looking forward to your uploads!

metalmaciejmetal's picture

I've tried the whip stitch technique and it makes a hell of a difference. It takes time but it holds well and it looks really good if you're using a contrasting color thread.

What do you think about using thick embroidery thread?

Steve4427's picture

yeah i did indeed get round to start patching (even thought I only sewed on one patch till now cos im a lazy bastard :D) and the whipstitch really is holding up pretty good. I used some quite thick thread which is called jeansthread i think and it is also used to sew sails n stuff so it should be fine with holding on my patches lol.
ill upload soonโ„ข

metalmaciejmetal's picture

Check this shit out, i'm so impressed by how this style work out. https://tshirtslayer.com/files-tshirt/styles/shirtview/public/user-19786...

I saw the thread for denim at the store and figure that one is a bit overkill. The line is as strong as a fishing line and im not sure how much more visible it actually is compared to general use thread.

Steve4427's picture

here just a quick photo of my patch with the denim thread (its kinda shitty) you can hardly see the thread only of your real close and looking for it and i even doubled up the thread
https://tshirtslayer.com/patch/iron-maiden-logo-1

metalmaciejmetal's picture

That's very intricate. Its not going anywhere. Looks like that took you a while. No wonder you aren't working on it that often. If you're gonna sew it like that, its probably not necessary for such strong thread.

Steve4427's picture

yeah that one patch took me like 1 and a half hours :D but yeah i like to have peace of mind especially when i do something like this i want it to stay there whatever abuse i throw at it

Metaldemon's picture

That's what I used back then my grandmother and auntie used to embroider shit all the time that thread is seriously strong. Check out my page you can see my old jackets you can see the whip stitching my Auntie helped alot on the sleeves and pockets. The patches on my jacket have been on there for over 35 years

metalmaciejmetal's picture

Excellent work on the stitching. I have 2 more vests im planning on doing, this exactly what I intend to do.

Into Glory Ride's picture

Whipstitching is the one where the thread goes beyond the patch instead of along the line , right?
If so, whipstitching all the way. i did it with my new jacket and it holds much more firm then along the patch.

Nevs's picture

Whipstitch: / / / / / / / / / / / / or | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Running stitch: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Metaldemon's picture

Look at my jacket on my page.

Nevs's picture

If a patch has a merrowed edge I use a running stitch. If it has a hot cut boarder with a stitched edge, I will either do a running stitch or a whipstitch depending on the quality of the boarder. I use a whipstitch if I think it is going to fray and a running stitch if it is most likely not. If it is just a stitched edge (or just a cut edge) that was most likely not hot cut, I will always use a whipstitch (to prevent fraying). The two exceptions I have is if it is a patch on the edge of the vest, I use a whipstitch around the edge. If it is over a pocket, I use a whipstitch where I go through the fabric and back out through the patch in one stitch in order to not sew the pocket shut. If it is not on a pocket, I do my whipstitch in two parts, once through the fabric, then I pull the thread tight, and then once back out through the fabric and patch.

metalmaciejmetal's picture

Good tip. I just had the hardest time trying to sew a patch over a pocket without sewing the pocket shut.

Metaldemon's picture

Need small hands that's why I had my Aunt do it for me. Also she used a glovers needle its used for leather but needed for denim.

Nevs's picture

I just use regular hand-sewing kneedles like sharps, betweens, and embroidery needles, whatever I have around at the time. Using a whipstitch that goes into fabric and back out through fabric and patch I don't even need my full hand in the pocket, it just cannot be laying flat. When sewing I use pliers to push and pull the needle through whenever it is tough, which seams to work really good for me. I also use nylon upholstery thread, so it is virtually impossible to break the thread by pulling too hard.

Metaldemon's picture

Yeeeeaah but its hard to go through a seam! I mean really hard!

grulog's picture

as far as seams, sometimes you gotta suck it up and plow through em. i have slightly larger gauge stainless steel sewing needles, a leather thimble, and a relatively decent sized spool of gutterman thread in my sewing kit (i used to work at the largest sewing supplies retailer in the united states, so i had access to the best stuff there is). i use the thimble to push through harder patches or areas like seams, sometimes you can kinda cheat and catch half of the seam - saves a lot of frustration.

studding through seams, on the other hand, is the worst thing ever.

grulog's picture

depending on how big the pocket is, i generally just make a fold around the edge of the patch i'm sewing. i tack em in place with a little knotted thread, and then fold the edge over behind the patch. with a whip stitch it almost never sews through and catches the back of the pocket in the stitch.

grulog's picture

Whip stitch, always.

NocturnalOccultist's picture

blind stitch

Metaldemon's picture

If it was me id take the advice of somebody who's had patches stitched on a jacket for over 30 + years that's been thru a lot of concerts and keg parties. And has visited the honorable Mosh pit more than a dozen times. Just sayin!! Lol!!

NocturnalOccultist's picture

I don't like using punk stitch or whip stitch on patches anymore since I purchased coloured bordered ones. Look at my previous jackets in my profile old man. I use punk stitching there and I'm not that guy who does karate moves in the pit so the patches are secure.

Metaldemon's picture

What the Hell are you talking about Karate moves??? Who the fuck does that? And what the hell is a PUNK STITCH? This old man been around before all of you millenials could even comprehend a Battle jacket bud! Some of us whip stitched and some of us used a fuckin sewing machines. My patch jacket has been together for 30 plus when yours even gets to that age little one then talk some shit Scooter!!

Into Glory Ride's picture

Could You please elborate more on how wise and experienced You are on the field of battlejacketcrafting?
No offense, but i think we understood it by now. :)

Into Glory Ride's picture

Could You please elborate more on how wise and experienced You are on the field of battlejacketcrafting?
No offense, but i think we understood it by now. :)

Metaldemon's picture

I never said I was. I said That my patches have been on my jacket for over 30 years and NocturnilOcculist is acting like I don't know what the fuck I'm talking about. I don't give a shit what you guys do or how you do it but if your gonna sew a patch on I had RECOMMENED a few posts back that whip stitching is the way to go. But if somebody is gonna be a smartass (NocturnilOcculis) your gonna piss me off. Fuck! Use fuckin airplane glue or staple the shit I don't care!! A proven technique we all used to do back in the day using strong quality thread and whip stitched on. That's it bud weighed and measured it works use the knowledge or don't. Whatever man!

NocturnalOccultist's picture

Whatever. I'm not going to argue. Let me rephrase it. I use whip stitch before but if I have colored border and I don't have a matching thread then I had to use running stitch. I called whip stitch a punk stitch because some punks use that to add a cooler look.

Nater90's picture
metalmaciejmetal's picture

Dude, I'm impressed you had the patience to do such a thing. Lets see how keen you'll be when you have 4 or 5 more to sew on. If only there was a sewing machine pattern that can do that.

Nater90's picture

Cheers mate.

I'm onto my second patch now and have no plans of stopping nor changing! I am not one to conform to what's deemed normal.

Alter dicker Mann's picture

www.metalkutten.de ....da werden sie jeholfen :D

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