07.11.2023

7 Tips for designing a custom woven patch

Did you know that more than 30 million people sew as a hobby, just counting women? Sewing is a rewarding and practical hobby for people of all genders, but designing a custom-woven patch will take some practice.

How can you work to perfect your customization skills while exploring the hobby?

If you're looking into woven patches, we're here to help. Read on to learn seven simple tips on how to design the best custom patches.

1. Embroidered or woven?

The first step is to decide whether your patch is best woven or if other methods may suit it better. The differences aren't solely in the technique. Different methods of sewing a patch will give a different appearance that may not be the look you're going for.

Embroidered patches have a more 3D appearance. If you run your finger over these patches, you can feel differences in elevation. The thickness comes from different types of stitching, mostly from the larger thread with a twill backing.

Woven patches give a more modern appearance. The thinner thread leads to a flatter appearance without raised stitching or texture.

As a result, woven patches are often more detailed. These patches are ideal for complex designs or for wanting something more subtle than a large, raised patch.

Decide which of the two best fits your custom design. For something with more texture and size, you should use embroidery. For a more intricate, flatter, modern appearance, woven patches are superior.

2. Adequate colors

Once you've decided to use a woven patch, there are several steps to your design process. Your first step should be to decide the colors of your patch. You'll do this simultaneously while designing the patch.

The colors of the patch are crucial to a well-designed patch. If you're weaving something that has already been designed, this step is much easier. You can safely copy the design over, colors and all.

But if you're designing the patch yourself, choosing the colors poses more of a problem. Do your best to pick colors that go together not only with the patch but with whatever you intend to put the woven patch onto.

For example, if you have a black hat or jacket, the colors are easier to choose. Black matches nearly anything, so it's unlikely you'll make anything that clashes. If the garment you're sewing onto is green, you'd want to avoid bright yellows or reds.

3. Competent design

While deciding on the colors, you should also decide on the design of your patch. As before, if you're using an existing design, this step is mostly negligible. A flag has already been designed, so if you're designing a custom patch of a flag, you won't need to do much designing.

If you're making an original design, this step is more involved. Don't be afraid to spend a few days or weeks coming up with the perfect design.

One thing that will influence the design is what garment you're putting it onto. Some shapes will naturally fit other garments better. Circular patches are ideal for hats, while rectangular patches are great for a jacket sleeve.

Play around with your design and don't be afraid to branch out to stranger choices. Nothing is set in stone, so you can always restart if you find you don't like the design.

4. Proper sizing

An important step in deciding the design of your patch is to consider the size. How large is the patch you're designing?

The size of the patch will affect its appearance in several ways. Most obviously, a large patch has room for more detail than a smaller one. If you're making a complex design to promote a brand, a large patch will let you include more information.

If your goal is a simple logo, you may prefer smaller patches. These are easier and cheaper to manufacture while also providing enough room for your design.

Additionally, consider how well the patch will fit on clothing. An enormous patch would look silly on most hats. Similarly, an unusually small patch would look strange on a denim sleeve.

5. Comfortable backing

When designing a patch, we often get carried away with its appearance. What about the comfort of the patch?

On the back of the patch, you'll likely have the skin of whoever is wearing the garment. For thick jackets, this often isn't an issue. Most people will wear something under a jacket that has patches, blocking the patch.

But on a hat or shirt, the patch may be against the skin. If the back is rough, poorly stitched, or uncomfortable, it can irritate the skin.

Think of what sort of backing you're using for your patch. Choose the most comfortable option for most garments.

6. Bold patching

While designing your patch, you may be tempted to make a bold, outrageous design. There's no reason whatsoever that you should avoid doing this.

Patches are often the most dominant and noteworthy part of a piece of clothing. They may be advertising something or displaying some sort of message. For example, patches are exceptionally popular in the LGBT or punk communities, often as flags or messages of equality.

These patches are meant to stand out, so don't hesitate to make them stand out. Use bold and nearly-clashing colors and bright, intricate designs. As usual, if you feel you've gone overboard, you can restart your design.

7. Simple message

Don't want to get bold? There's nothing wrong with using a simple, more laid-back design to get your message across.

An excess of words can be difficult to read on a patch. Long messages may not fit onto most patches or cause readers to have to lean in.

Do your best to keep the message simple so that it's easy to get across. As a result, your patch's design will strike more people.

Picking the best woven patch

Making a custom woven patch is rewarding and can help bring your clothing to the next level. Many types of patches can fit your design ideas, so ensure that woven patches are the best choice. Once you've narrowed down your patch options, make a bold and striking design to get your message across.

For more information, be sure to browse our site. You can also contact us to learn how we can help you design the perfect patch.