ImagesMagUK_September_2021

Patchwork Erich Campbell identifies the key areas to master if you want to profit from personalising clothes with patches T here’s currently a resurgence of classic patch (aka emblem) embroidery on garments and accessories, from placements on uniforms and outerwear to caps. As a result, more and more decorators are looking at adding emblems to their product mix. However, orders are often for small quantities yet require highly customised decoration, together with multiple potential placements that call for complex methods or specialised equipment for attaching the emblems to garments or accessories. This has led many embroiderers to look for alternative approaches that avoid the need for large, outsourced orders for traditional patches, while at the same time reducing additional labour and equipment requirements for attaching separate patches – whether they are produced in-house or ordered abroad. In this article, I’ll examine the qualities that customers love about the classic patch look and discuss alternative methods you can use to replicate the timeless patch style without the headache of outsourcing or the need for complex, multi-step production and attachment processes, including fully embroidered designs and 3D foam, contrasting filled backgrounds and borders, and twill appliqué bordered by a classic overlock-edge texture. Edge Perhaps the most crucial aspect of creating a patch-style decoration is the replication of the solidly uniform border. Although some embroiderers will be happy to make their stock embroidery design patch-like by adding a surrounding shape with simple satin- stitch outlining, you may want to use additional materials instead to recreate the thickness and dimension of a traditional patch. 3D foam is a ready option for many embroiderers; paired with a satin stitch, potentially with a textured stitching overlay, the ‘puffy’ foam patch border creates the edge and shadow that you expect to see with an attached traditional patch. It gives the dimension of the wrapped overlock edge, if not the lifted edge or the precise texture. It’s also possible to use what some software programs call ‘3D Satin’ stitches – these consist of a stack of increasingly wider The ‘puffy’ foam patch border creates the edge and shadow expected with a traditional patch Though more precise positioning is required when using a pre-printed appliqué, this rough-cut canvas appliqué was bordered and attached in a simple step without stitching before decoration. Rough-edged applications like these may be unconventional, but the lifted edge does hint at the essence of patch style This cut appliqué has a little ‘swing’ to the placement, but is attached at the point of decoration, requiring fewer steps than a traditional patch design, while the contour shape and loose edge give it that patch dimension With the lifted edge of the oval felt patch contrasting with the in-place embroidered decoration and having a completely even, single-width reveal, it does a great job of evoking a classic border without a stitched edge All images are courtesy of Tom Farr, Buzzard’s Bay Embroidery unless credited otherwise KB TIPS & TECHNIQUES www.images-magazine.com 74 images SEPTEMBER 2021