Making DIY Iron on Patches: Embroidery, Sewing, & Transfer Paper

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Make personalized patches for your clothes

Co-authored by Joy Cho and Raven Minyard, BA

Last Updated: August 11, 2024 Fact Checked

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Embroidering Patches

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Sewing Patches

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Using Transfer Paper

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Q&A

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Tips

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Things You'll Need

Iron on patches are a great way to add personal style to your clothes, and you can easily make them yourself! Simply grab some fabric, draw on your design, and choose between hand embroidering, sewing zigzag stitches, or using Inkjet transfer sheets to create your patch. Keep reading to learn the step-by-step instructions for these 3 simple methods, plus ironing tips from craft expert Joy Cho.

How to Embroider an Iron On Patch

Draw or trace your design onto the fabric you’re using for the patch.
Place the fabric in an embroidery hoop and thread your needle with embroidery floss.
Use basic embroidery stitches to fill in the design.
Remove the patch from the hoop and cut off excess fabric.
Apply Peel ‘n Stick Fabric Fuse to the back of the patch.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Creating Hand-Embroidered Patches

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1
Choose a simple design if you are new to embroidery. It is best to start with basic designs while you get the hang of hand embroidery. Draw your own simple design, or find a design online to use. Go with art you can complete with 3 or fewer colors of embroidery thread.^{[1]
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- Find a design like a smiley face, yin yang sign, or cherries.
- Or, use a short word or phrase like “peace” or “love.”
- While previous sewing experience is helpful, you can embroider your own patch even if you’ve never sewn before.
- If you already have embroidery experience, choose any design you like!
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Transfer your design onto a piece of fabric. Once you pick out your design, draw it onto your fabric with a pencil. If the design is drawn on a piece of paper, place the paper behind your fabric and trace over the lines.^{[2]
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- If you still can’t see the design through the fabric, hold both layers up to a nearby window so you can see the lines clearly.
- While any type of fabric will work, canvas material in a neutral color often works best to create durable, attractive patches.
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Place the fabric inside an embroidery hoop and tighten the screw. Embroidery hoops come with 2 wooden circles. Place the circle with the metal screws on the outside of your design and put the other circle underneath your fabric. Then, secure the hoop in place by screwing the fastener at the bottom.^{[3]
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- Keep your fabric tight when you secure your hoop. It will be more difficult to complete your designs if the fabric is loose in your hoop.
Cut the embroidery floss and insert it through the eye of your needle. Take one end of your thread and match it with the other end, so the needle is exactly in the center. Then, tie a secure, double knot at one end.^{[4]
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Make basic embroidery stitches to fill in your design. Pick a starting point and poke your needle through the fabric. Stick the needle back through the front of the fabric to make a basic embroidery stitch. Continue stitching until you fill up your artwork.^{[5]
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- When you run out of string, simply cut another and thread it through your needle. Do the same when you want to use a different color of thread.
- If you prefer, you can also make patches using an embroidery machine. After digitizing your design, adjusting your settings, and inserting your thread, the machine will do the embroidering for you. Embroidery machines are expensive, however, and might be a bit complicated for beginners.
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Remove the embroidery hoop and cut out your patch. When you finish hand-embroidering your design, loosen the screw on the embroidery hoop and pull the hoops apart to remove your fabric. Then, use fabric scissors to cut around the edges of your design to create your preferred size and shape for the patch.^{[6]
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- For example, cut your patch into a square, rectangle, circle, or triangle.
- Remember to reassemble your hoop once you take the fabric out so it’s ready to go for next time!
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Apply a Peel ‘n Stick Fabric Fuse sheet to the back of the patch. Peel ‘n Stick Fabric Fuse is a double-sided fabric adhesive used to attach patches to other fabrics. Remove the backing from the Peel ‘n Stick sheet and place the back of your patch onto the sticky side. Smooth your fingers over the sides of the patch, using firm pressure to secure it. Use a pair of scissors to trim around the shape of your patch and remove the extra Peel ‘n Stick sections. Your patch is now ready to be ironed on!^{[7]
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- Another option is to use Heat Bond. Heat Bond works the same way, though you have to iron it to get it to stick to the patch.
- Typically, one sheet of Peel ‘n Stick makes 1 patch. If you have multiple small patches, they might be able to fit on the same sheet.
- Purchase Fabric Fuse sheets at most craft stores or online.
- Iron your completed patch onto your jacket, backpack, baseball hat, or whatever you like!
- Craft expert Joy Cho says it’s important to consider the fabric of the item you’re ironing the patch onto: “There are certain materials that absorb and stick to iron-ons better than others,” like cotton rather than polyester.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Sewing with a Zigzag Stitch

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1
Select your artwork and transfer it onto your fabric. Draw your own design or select an image online. Cut a piece of fabric, like canvas, to about 4 by 4 inches (10 cm × 10 cm), or use a scrap piece. If you want, draw your design directly onto the fabric or print it out and trace it on.^{[8]
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- Any design can be made into a patch, though it’s best to start with a simple design if you haven’t made a patch before. Avoid designs with complicated linework or intricate details until you master this method.
Depending on your sewing machine, there are a number of different zigzag patterns to choose from. Use the 1-08 setting for a classic zigzag stitch. These stitches will fill in your design to create the patch.^{[9]
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Adjust your stitch length to 0 and your stitch width to 2. Adjusting the stitch length and width creates very different stitches. These specific settings create thick, bold lines, perfect for patches, as they’ll allow you to fill in your design quickly and easily.^{[10]
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- Use a higher numbered stitch length if you want a longer, flatter stitch. Use small numbers if you want your stitches to be close together.
- Change the width to a higher number if you want bigger zigzags, and try smaller sizes to create tighter ones.
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Start sewing at a corner of one of your lines. Thread the needle of your sewing machine, following the machine’s instructions. Choose a starting point and lower the presser foot to your fabric using the adjustment lever. Gently press down on your foot pedal and hold the fabric with your hands to guide your stitches. Lift up on the foot control when you reach the end of your line, and continue sewing until you complete your design.^{[11]
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- Working from your longest edge is a good place to start, but choose anywhere you’d like!
- Guide your stitches along the lines of your design to create the zigzag stitches. Sew your line until you reach about ¹⁄₈–¹⁄₄ in (0.32–0.64 cm) from the edge of your fabric.
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Pivot the needle as you reach a corner. When you sew your line and reach an intersection with another line, lift your foot off the pedal to stop stitching. Raise the lever of your presser foot and leave the needle in your fabric. With the needle inside the machine, rotate the fabric in the direction of your next line. Then, lower the presser foot back onto your fabric and continue your stitches.^{[12]
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- Make sure your needle remains in the sewing machines as you change the direction of your stitches.
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Trim the patch and apply Peel ‘n Stick Fabric Fuse. When you’re done sewing, cut off extra fabric around the edges of your design with fabric scissors.^{[13]
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- Cut your design into any shape you want, like a triangle, oval, or square.
- If you’re making multiple small patches, stick a few to a single sheet of Peel ‘n Stick.
- Heat Bond is another adhesive option; it works the same way as Peel ‘n Stick, but it needs to be ironed to stick to the patch.
- Cho says it’s important to follow the iron-on instructions carefully so the patch doesn’t come off the fabric: “If you don’t do it right, it could come off. Make sure that your fabric is pre-washed and that there’s no residual anything on there. Make sure that it’s flat, and that it’s ironed in advance.”
- Cho also recommends holding your iron relatively still when applying the patch: “Sometimes people tend to move the iron around while they’re doing it, as if they’re ironing a shirt. You do want to keep moving, but for this, hold it and press it. Make sure there’s constant heat, as that’s really what’s binding the iron-on to the shirt.”

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Inkjet Transfer Paper

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1
Select an image to use for your patch and resize it if needed. Take a picture of a hand-drawn design or select an image from the internet. To change the size, use a photo editor program (or a program like Microsoft Word or Google Docs) and go to the “Resize” settings. Change the size in inches or centimeters to find the best dimensions.^{[14]
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- The patch can be any size you like. For a small patch, go with a design that’s about 2 by 2 inches (5.1 cm × 5.1 cm). For bigger patches, use designs 4 by 4 inches (10 cm × 10 cm) or larger.
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Print out your image on Inkjet transfer sheets. Load your printer’s paper tray with a sheet of Inkjet transfer paper. After you’re satisfied with the size of your image, select “Print” on your photo editing program.^{[15]
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- If you’d like, print a test page with regular printer paper before using the transfer sheet. This way, you can change the size if you need to without wasting your transfer paper.
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Place the sheet face down on your fabric and iron it on. For best results, use a thick piece of fabric, like canvas or muslin, about 4 by 4 inches (10 cm × 10 cm). Place the Inkjet sheet so the artwork faces the fabric, and let your iron warm up for about 2 minutes to reach maximum temperature. Then, place it on top of the Inkjet sheet and move it in small, circular motions all over the image. Iron for about 1–1.5 minutes, then remove the heat from your patch.^{[16]
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- Make sure to cover every edge so the entire image transfers properly.
Rain Blanken, DIY Fashion Author

Crafting personalized iron-on patches allows you to convey your distinctive style and revitalize your wardrobe. First, choose a straightforward, striking design that reflects your personality. Use fabric with colors that contrast well with your clothes for visibility. Position the patch deliberately before ironing, as the adhesive is rather strong. Apply firm pressure while ironing to solidly bond the patch to the garment. This small creative act stylishly embellishes your outfit with a custom accessory made just for you to take pride in wearing.
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Peel off the paper backing and cut your patch out. Leave your transfer sheet on your fabric for 2 minutes, then remove the paper. Your image should have transferred to the fabric of your patch. Use a pair of fabric scissors to cut around the edges to create a patch of your preferred size and shape.^{[17]
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- If you don’t have fabric scissors, that’s okay! Use a sharp pair of household scissors instead. Fabric scissors help cut straight, accurate lines in all sorts of materials.
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Adhere your patch to a sheet of Peel ‘n Stick Fabric Fuse. Use 1 piece of Peel ‘n Stick Fabric Fuse and peel off the backing sheet. Place your patch onto the adhesive side of the Fabric Fuse sheet so that the back of the patch meets the sticky side. Then, simply trim away the extra parts of the Fabric Fuse, and your patch is ready to be ironed onto clothing or whatever fabric you prefer.^{[18]
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- Another adhesive option is Heat Bond. It works the same way as Peel ‘n Stick, but the only difference is it must be ironed to stick to your patch.

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Question

How long do iron-on patches last?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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It depends. If the patch is on a garment you wash a lot, it’s likely to come off after about 25 washes. They’ll come off faster if they’re exposed to heat, since the glue becomes soft when it’s heated. They’ll last longer if you wash and dry the garment on a cool setting, and avoid exposing the patch to heat (e.g., by leaving the item in a hot car).

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Is it better to sew or iron on a patch?

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Sewing is more secure and will last longer, but ironing is quicker and easier. In general, iron-on patches are good for things like bags and jackets that don’t need to be washed frequently. For items like shirts or pants, sew-on patches work better.

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What is the best fabric glue for patches?

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Fabric glue can be great for reapplying iron-on patches after the original glue gives out. Some good options include Stitch Withery, Dritz Liquid Stitch, or Aleene’s Fabric Fusion Permanent Fabric Glue. Some fabric glues will need to air dry for several days, while others are heat activated like the glue on an iron-on patch. Read the instructions carefully.

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For best results, wash your clothing or fabric before ironing on your patch.

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Applying iron-on patches can be a great way to stop ripped jeans from fraying.

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Making your own patches for clothes, hats, or bags is a great way to add your personal touch and style to your outfit!

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