Patches have gained in popularity again, and since 2016, there has been a surge of patches in the fashion industry. However, you don’t have to buy jeans with patches on them. You can buy a cheap pair of jeans and embellish them with your own patches that you can get at your local craft store or on Etsy. This is an excellent DIY to do in your free time and will also be a way for you to show your personality through your clothes. So without further ado, let’s learn how to put patches on your own jeans at home.
Patches and Fashion
It is common for designers to look back in time and be inspired by the past to reinvent fashion and implement it in their clothes. Fashion, like anything, is circular, and this is why patches are in style again after being seen as retro. Patches are a relic of most of our childhood, and it makes sense that it is back in fashion again because it brings about a sense of nostalgia, and this is how patches have made their way back on the runway and on the streets. Iron on patches is the way to go if you want to make your own patched jeans at home. Buy jeans with pre-embroidered patches on them are more accessible, but this will mean that there will be other people in the world with the same jean as you; by DIYing your own pair of jeans, then you will have a pair of original jeans that no one else will have. DIY is the only way to go when it comes to jeans with patches.
Choice of Patches
The patches should say something about you, and this should be a way for you to express yourself and this is why you need to choose your patches carefully, and thankfully, Etsy is here to provide us with a plethora of patches to choose from. You can get anything from Michelangelo’s famous hands-touching painting like in the Sistine Chapel or even the Achillean flag that is my personal favorite. The patches are a way for you to show your interest and are an excellent ice breaker, and are a way for you to find people with similar interests as you. So, be as choosy or as crazy as you want with your patches because, at the end of the day, you are the one who is going to wear the jean.
Decide on a strategy.
There is no right or wrong way on where to place your patches, chaos is the name of the game when it comes to placing patches on your jean, but as long as it makes you happy, that is what matters the most. Express your creativity through your denim, which will be your way to express your personality. Personally, I have my jean decorated with books, queer stuff, and movie posters. Also, you need to remember the patch will look different when the jean is on your body as it will fit your curves, but this is what makes it fun.
Preheat the area
You are recommended to preheat the area where you are going to place your patch. Place a piece of fabric over the patch to avoid it from melting from the heat of your iron, and this won’t make any accidental burnt in case the patch overheats. Make sure that you don’t use any steam but rather use dry and hot heat and iron it on a hard surface like an ironing board or if you don’t have one, then do it on the floor like me. Ironing is an art, and you need to move the iron over the entire patch and heat it evenly for it to adhere to your jean. If you find that the patches are still a bit loose or are coming off, then put the cloth back again and heat it up for another minute to adhere completely to your jean so that it doesn’t come out. Ta-dah, and voila, you have your own patch pair of denim pants or jacket.
Show your work, flaunt your artwork, and hit the streets. Let people gawk and be fascinated by your own jewel that no one else will have. If anyone asks you about it, then simply answer by saying, “Oh this? Well I made it myself!”. Sound off in the comments section below and tell us if you want to read more about patches!
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