Simple methods for applying embroidered patches to leather

Embroidered patches date back to ancient Asian civilizations; They have been around for centuries. However, until recently it was not possible to attach them to clothing with a hot iron and heat activated glue. With today’s patches, you can easily apply them to most fabrics without the need for a needle and thread. Fortunately, having the ability to glue them on with a hot iron means your fingers are not going to hurt and it is much easier and faster to do. The only problem is that you cannot iron patches into the leather, at least in the traditional sense.

High temperatures are not good for leather

When you use a hot iron to stick embroidered patches, you are essentially heating the glue on the back until it reaches a semi-liquid, tacky state. That requires a great deal of heat; heat that can damage the delicate finish of the leather.

It is true that leather is a very resistant material, but concentrated heat sources comfortably damage the surface. This presents two problems. The first problem is the fact that when the leather is damaged, the glue will not stick and then the patch falls off. And when the patch falls off, the leather will be left with an ugly mark where the iron burned it. The same can be said for vinyl and various types of synthetic leather. Another thing to keep in mind is that even if you can find a way to get the glue to adhere, a slip of the iron coming into contact with bare leather will leave a burn mark. This is why you should never have a hot iron near your leather.

There’s another way?

We said earlier that you cannot use an iron to attach embroidered patches to leather in the traditional sense. The explanation for saying this is because while you shouldn’t attempt to iron on leather patches in the traditional way, there is a non-traditional method. What this means is that there is a special glue that you can use in conjunction with an unheated iron. Yes, a cold iron. It will only be important to use your iron as an iron.

For this to work properly, you will need a special glue; Leather is notoriously difficult to work with, so you won’t be able to use just any old glue. You can find this specialty glue in craft stores, sewing stores, and even some high-end leather goods specialty stores. Just be sure to read the directions on the bottle carefully, making sure the use on leather products is specifically mentioned. Not doing this could mean that you are simply wasting your money.

The glue should be applied to the back of the patch according to the instructions on the bottle and then you should carefully place the patch on the part of the leather where you want it. The next thing to do is use your cold iron to press firmly on the patch for the amount of time indicated on the glue bottle. You can then release the iron and wait for the glue to dry. It is essential that you know where you want to have your patch before applying it. You will get an unsightly stain if you remove the patch after it has been placed on the leather.