How to Sew a Patch On a Shirt

You can repair a hole in a shirt, or add a purely decorative touch, by covering part of it with a patch. The patch can be a scrap of fabric that closely matches the shirt to help hide the patch, or a contrasting fabric for a decorative patch. You can use just about any scrap of fabric for the shirt patch, but it’s best to use the same type of fabric as the rest of the shirt. The patch can be a rectangle (for a patch that’s easiest to sew), or a rounded or even triangular shape. If the patch is for the body of the shirt, you can sew the patch on by hand or by machine. To put a patch on the sleeve, you’ll need to sew it on by hand.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Shirt
• Scrap of Fabric
• Matching Thread
• Scissors
• Iron
• Ironing Board
• Straight Pins
• Sewing Machine
• Needle

Sew a Patch On a Shirt

1. Cut a scrap of fabric at least 1/2 inch larger on each side than you want the finished patch. If you are covering a hole in the shirt, the patch should be at least 1 inch larger than the hole.

2. For a patch with curved or rounded edges, cut small slits, about 1/4 inch deep and 1 inch apart, around the edges. These slits will help the curves lie flat when you fold them.

3. Place the scrap of fabric right side down on the ironing board.

4. Fold the edges of the scrap over about 1/2 inch toward the wrong side of the fabric. These folds will be the hems of the patch, to keep the edges from raveling.

5. Press the folds of fabric firmly to hold them in place. Use steam, or a spray bottle of water, if needed to make sharp creases in the fabric.

6. Place the patch right side up on the outside of the shirt, centering it over the hole (if any). Pin the patch to the shirt.

7. Stitch the edges of the patch to the shirt, with a zig-zag stitch if you’re using a sewing machine or a whip stitch if you’re sewing by hand. Be careful to sew through only one layer of the shirt. That's so you don’t sew it shut.

Tips & Warnings

• If you’re covering a hole in one elbow of the shirt with a patch, you may want to sew an identical patch to the other elbow of the shirt to make the patches look more like decorations, or parts of the shirt, rather than repairs.
• Use caution when working with scissors, irons, pins, sewing machines and sewing needles.