Custom patches have been thriving among people for ages, and their reasons are also very obvious. Everyone leverages badges to drive different benefits, whether a business, combatting organizations, academies, or fashionistas.

The best thing about these tiny pieces is that you can use them for meaningful purposes, like commemorating or making anything memorable. The great news about custom patches is that you can easily create them like a pro.

Want to know how?

You might already have a blurry idea about creating them by hand or using an embroidery machine. However, we have got a method that is poles apart from those, but a fun and effective one! This guide will reveal six valuable steps to create customized badges using inkjet transfer sheets. We will also share some relevant handy tips to achieve better results.

So, let’s get down to the business!

6 Useful Steps To Create Custom Patches Using Inkjet Transfer Sheets

1. Pick An Image For Your Design

Pick an image you want to see on your patch and resize it according to your desired size. You can either hand draw the sketch or take the photo from anywhere online. Consider a photo editor software, paint, or even Microsoft Word to change the image size. If you want a tiny motif, go for two by two inches (5.1 cm × 5.1 cm).

In contrast, opt for four by four inches (10 cm × 10 cm) to have a more prominent badge. We shared the standard sizes set by professional makers, but you can go beyond that and choose the best for your design and apparel.

2. Print Out Your Image Through A Printer

Once you have chosen the artwork and resized it accordingly, print it on an inkjet transfer sheet. If you have a printer at home, load its paper tray with inkjet transfer paper. Click on the ‘Print’ option on your photo editing software.

A pro tip is that you can print the design using regular paper to verify the image and size, then carry out the process with a transfer sheet. You can also use the inkjet printer to create custom stickers of your desired theme. So, investing in that technology is beneficial, especially for business purposes.

3. Place The Printed Artwork On Your Fabric

You can choose 4 inches (10 cm × 10 cm) sized cloth or get a scrap piece. Place the printed sheet on your fabric so the artwork faces down onto a clothing piece. You can pick any material for the patch-making but prefer thick ones like canvas or muslin. Besides, select them in neutral tones, such as tan or white.

4. Provide Heat To The Artwork

After placing the artwork sheet onto the fabric, heat its artwork via a household iron. However, let the machine heat up for two minutes and then put it above the printed sheet. Move the iron consistently over the photo in circular motions for about one to two minutes. Ensure you heat the entire image so it transfers onto the cloth piece. After that, keep the iron aside, and don’t touch the sheet or fabric for a while.

5. Take Off The Sheet And Cut Out The Patch

When you feel no heat left in the attachment, peel off the sheet from the cloth piece. Ideally, the image should be transferred to the fabric at this point. By now, your drawing would be visible on the patch piece.

Grab a pair of sharp fabric scissors and trim your badge’s edges according to your chosen size or shape. In case of unavailability of fabric scissors, you can also use the household ones. Nonetheless, ensure they’re sharp enough to easily cut out the excess border and get the desired shape accurately.

6. Create A Backing For The Patch

Your patch is ready at this point! However, to adhere to any garment or accessory and elevate its look, create a backing. Consider a piece of peel ‘n stick fabric fuse and peel off its backing sheet. Remove the sheet from one side to expose the adhesive side and place it onto the backside of your badge. Provide firm pressure over it.

Later, trim away any excessive parts of the fabric fuse using a pair of scissors. So, remove sheets from another side whenever you want to adhere to your created Canada patches. Adhere the exposed sticky side to the targeted spot of your garment. You can also use an iron machine to provide more heat to it for enhanced attachment. Thus, you can attach the personalized badges to anything you want and amp up its style.

Some Essential Tips To Keep In Mind While Creating Custom Patches

Here are some essential tips that you should uncover to amplify the odds of creating the perfect custom patches:

Stick To Decent Artwork: Intricately designed artwork doesn’t translate well onto a small patch size, especially onto the embroidered types. Therefore, choose decent graphics focusing on simple, clean, or bold designs to make your emblems stand out. Besides, you should go for the vector artwork if outsourcing to professional makers.

Be Careful With The Size Choices: If you want your logo or message to stand out, avoid choosing tiny sizes for your patches. Choose the sizing and typography carefully to maximize the readability of your motifs and printing accuracy. But it doesn’t mean you choose oversized ones, which may not look professional. Nonetheless, the ideal size is between 3″ and 5″.

Limit The Variety Of Colors: We understand that you might feel tempted to choose multiple colors to make your badge vibrant. But the right way is to limit the colors and pick the hues according to the emblems’ purpose or usage. Avoid incorporating hues that are irrelevant to your brand. Even if you feel you can easily integrate more shades onto your emblem, the results might not be as appealing as expected. It can even clash with the garment’s colors.

Align The Border And Background With The Rest Of Your Patch

Sometimes, some badges’ borders appear entirely different from the rest of the emblem. Choose matching edges, colors, and styles if you don’t want your motif to become like that. As a result, the background or the edges will contribute to the whole look of the motif.

Add A Wow Factor To Your Shape: There is nothing wrong with choosing the standard shapes if they suit your requirements. However, customize the body to make your badges go beyond the ordinary and add a wow factor. Hiring professional patch makers is also a great way to get a uniquely shaped motif with a polished touch.

Conclusion

Creating custom patches like a pro in bulk quantity is the best way to amplify your brand’s marketing while sticking to your budget. Hopefully, you would have grasped a different badges-making process this time, i.e., using an inkjet printer. It is a quick and easy manufacturing process that can let you personalize your clothing or accessories. Additionally, consider the shared handy tips to enhance the attractiveness of your emblem and create the best-ever personalized patches. Happy patch-making!