Everyone needs to feel at their best some days, so why not show it off with a sassy patch ribbon? This tutorial will show you two quick and easy ways to dress up your embroidered in-the-hoop patches as award winning merit ribbons!
Supplies
To craft your award winning patch ribbon, you will need:
- Your choice of in-the-hoop patch embroidery design (we used the Ugliest Sweater Award design) -- round shapes work well for this project
- Medium weight tearaway stabilizer OR heavy duty water-soluble stabilizer
- Temporary spray adhesive
- Fabric for your patch
- Scissors
- Tape
- 7-9 inches of ribbon
Designs Used
Begin by printing the DL_front and DL_back template files using embroidery software. If you do not have software, Wilcom has a free program you can download here. If you need a reminder on how to print templates, read this.
Use both of these templates to cut your fabric, by lightly spraying the paper template with temporary spray adhesive and pressing it onto your fabric before carefully cutting around the pattern.
We recommend using a medium weight tearaway stabilizer OR a heavy duty water soluble stabilizer to make your patch design.
Using the smallest hoop possible for your design, hoop up your stabilizer taut, and get stitching!
First, a dieline will stitch onto your stabilizer to show you where to place your fabric. Spray the back of your fabric piece generously with temporary spray adhesive, and stick it carefully inside the stitched dieline.
Once your fabric is set, your machine will stitch a tackdown all the way around your patch, to hold the fabric in place. After that, all of the inside elements will sew. Now it's time to add your ribbon!
Grab 7 to 9 inches of ribbon and cut a triangle into each end to give it a nice finished look.
Fold the ribbon evenly in half.
Carefully remove the hoop from the embroidery machine, but do not unhoop the stabilizer. Turn over your hoop and carefully tape the folded ribbon to the back side of your patch.
Finally, place the back patch fabric with temporary spray adhesive (on top of the taped ribbon).
Place the hoop back on the machine. A tackdown will stitch to hold the fabric in place, followed by a satin stitch border all the way around your design. Your patch is done!
Tear away the stabilizer to reveal your beautiful patch award!
This can easily be done with any in-the-hoop patch designs.
If you like, you can take your patches an extra step further by adding even more ribbons!
To add that bit of extra flair to your patch design, you will need:
- Your patch design (we used the Achievement in Adulting design)
- Hot glue gun and glue
- Scissors and pins
- 1-2 yards of various sizes of ribbon
First, you will need to fully stitch your patch design. After you have hooped your stabilizer, start stitching!
A dieline will stitch onto your stabilizer to show you where to place your fabric. Spray the back of your patch fabric piece generously with temporary spray adhesive, and stick it carefully inside the stitched dieline.
Once your fabric is set, your machine will stitch a tackdown all the way around your patch, to hold the fabric in place. After that, all of the inside elements will sew.
Finally, you will need to turn over your hoop and carefully place the back patch fabric with temporary spray adhesive. This will be followed by a second tacktown and satin stitch border all the way around your design. Your patch is done!
Now for the fun part! Take just over a yard of 1.5 inch wide ribbon (or whatever ribbon you are using to go around the badge) and begin folding it over, like so.
Use pins to keep your loops and folds in even place and stitch 0.25 inches up from the bottom all the way to the end.
Once your ribbon is stitched, use hot glue to work your way around the back side of your embroidered patch.
NOTE: If you have a raw edge on one side of your ribbon, make sure to tuck it behind the finished edge, so it doesn't show on the front side.
Next, grab varying sizes of ribbon and cut into 8 inch pieces. Fold each ribbon in half, then finish off the tips by cutting a small triangle into the edges.
Use your hot glue to adhere each of the ribbon layers together and then to the back of the patch.
Finish the piece out by attaching a pin or clasp so the patch can be worn!
Show off your embroidered patch award!
