First up: don’t sew patches on your jacket! It compromises its safety and makes it less waterproof. Sew them on your vest. Iron-on patches do not work on leather; they need to be sewn on. Placement is a personal choice of course, but will depend on type of vest and whether it has pockets, plaits, straps etc. If you are in a club, there will usually be a template for positioning your club patches. Some clubs can be fussy, others not so much. The best place to place ride patches (charity rides you’ve been on etc) is on the back, down the bottom. That way you can put the following year’s patch above it if you go again.
Light weight vests can usually be sewn by a seamstress, but heavier leather vests will need to be sewn with an industrial machine so you may need to find a leather worker. Boot repairers can usually do them. If you want a patch sewn on or over a pocket, the sewer will need a free-arm machine. Best to ask other bikers if you are not sure where to go to have your patches sewn on. Don’t glue the patches on as they’ll eventually fall off and the glue can wreck your leather.
Are you having trouble getting your patches sewn on? Or are they taking too long or charging too much? Do they sew your pockets shut? Send them to me!
Lay your vest down, place the patches where you want them and take a photo. Don’t glue them! Glue can harm your leather. Buy two prepaid post satchels, self-address one and send it and the vest to me in the other one, emailing your pics to [email protected].
I can sew over and on pockets without sewing the pockets shut (both inside and outside pockets) and over thick seams. Leather thickness is no problem as my K6 can virtually sew through anything!
Minimum cost is $15 for two small patches. $7.50 each for small patches similar to those in the pics below, $15 for large patches like the skull and crossbones below. Any particularly difficult job will be quoted when I receive the vest and patches. I can also fix eyelets, clips, buckles, laces, straps etc. Email for a quote.
Cheers
Trish