Velcro Patches

Adding iron on patches to your clothing is a cost effective way to show the world your great design ideas, or turn a $5 dollar bag into one that gets you $200 worth of compliments. So how do you get started using iron on patches? It’s simpler than you think, and has big benefits for the small amount of work you’ll be putting in.

Iron On Patches – Procedure

All you need to begin is an iron on patch, an iron and ironing board, a towel, and the clothing you want to customize. Some good ideas to add patches to include cotton shopping bags, school backpacks, jeans, hats, or sweatshirts. Although iron on patches can be applied to a variety of surfaces, the best fabrics to choose are denim, or cotton. If you use a fabric that has plastic in it, you may actually burn or melt your piece of clothing, ruining your patch as well.

Most iron on patches are incredibly easy to apply. All that’s required is turning your iron on to a high cotton steam setting, and applying it to the fabric. Keep in mind that because patches as thick, that ironing them for less than the required time will make them less durable, and prone to falling off. Most patches you purchases should come with instructions, so as long as you don’t hurry through the process and follow through the instructions, you’ll quickly have your own custom apparel.

It’s a simple process, but ironing on a patch will have permanent results. When laying out the patch on fabric, try a variety of placements before settling on a single choice. Use a safety pin to attach the patch while ironing. One of the worst outcomes you can have is to have a patch slightly out of place because of skipping this step. It’s a small point, but one that could potentially save you a lot of money in wasted patches and fabric!

Before you take the final plunge and grab the iron, make sure that your ironing board is stable – again, we don’t want the patches to be misaligned – and that you have a towel or a couple sheets of paper handy. Lay the paper or towel over top of the patch; it will protect the fabric from burning and apply an even distribution of heat as your custom patch is attached to the fabric.

Iron On Patches – Double-check

In most cases, a patch requires around ten to fifteen seconds of firm pressure and heat to attach. To check if it worked, remove the paper and try to gently peel back the edges of the patch. If they come up, even slightly, then you need to apply a couple more seconds of heat. Check to ensure that your iron is at the correct temperature setting, for the first couple patches it may be cooler than recommended, and will require more time to work.

Now that you have the know how, get patching, and see how iron on patches are one of the cheapest ways to make any piece of clothing or fabric your own personal work of art. Consider also looking into Velcro patches for another great way to customize your clothing.