Sewing Patches to Leather: Hand and Machine Methods for Jackets and Vests

To sew a patch onto leather, use a leather or heavy-duty needle and polyester or nylon thread. Work from inside the garment and make snug whip or back stitches about 1/8-1/4 in apart around the patch edge. Sewing is the method patch makers recommend for leather. Glue only holds the patch in place while you stitch, and patches shouldn't be ironed onto genuine leather.

This guide is part of our leather repair at home series. It covers leather jackets and biker vests, by hand or by machine.

Key takeaways- Use polyester or nylon thread, not cotton.- Pull stitches snug, not tight, or the leather puckers.- Separate the lining if you can, so the stitches go through the leather only.- Use glue only for positioning, never as the only hold.- Only use a sewing machine built for leather. If it skips stitches, switch to hand sewing.

Tools and materials

How to hold the patch in place: makers disagree

First Manufacturing says not to use pins. It holds the patch with masking tape or a light spray adhesive instead. A leatherworker forum suggests double-sided tape or Barge cement. Leather Collection's care page takes a stricter line: don't attach pins, adhesive badges or tape to leather.

If you use tape or glue, test it first on a hidden spot such as inside a facing. Apply glue only as a thin, even layer on the back of the patch.

How to sew a patch onto leather by hand

Step 1: Pick the spot and open the lining

Lay the garment flat and mark where the patch goes. If you can, unpick a section of the lining in line with the patch so the stitches go through the leather only. Laughing Lizards, a patch retailer, likewise says to avoid catching the lining.

Step 2: Position the patch

Hold the patch with your chosen method from the section above, or press a thin layer of glue onto its back and let it set as the maker directs.

Step 3: Thread the needle

Cut 16-20 in (about 40-50 cm) of polyester or nylon thread, thread the leather needle and tie a secure knot. Laughing Lizards doubles the thread for extra strength.

Step 4: Start from the inside

Push the needle up from inside the garment, close to the patch edge, so the knot stays hidden.

Step 5: Stitch around the edge

Use a whip stitch or a backstitch, spaced about 1/8-1/4 in (3-6 mm) apart. Pull each stitch snug but not tight, so the leather doesn't pucker. Use a thimble to push the needle through.

Step 6: Anchor the corners

Slow down at curves, and add an extra anchoring stitch at each corner.

Step 7: Finish inside and close the lining

Overlap your first stitch, take the needle to the inside, then tie off and trim. Restitch the lining where you opened it.

For more stitch types, see how to sew leather by hand.

How to sew a patch onto leather with a machine

Only use a machine designed for leather.

1. Fit a leather needle and use polyester thread in both the top and the bobbin. Schmetz lists its leather needle in sizes 70/10 to 90/14 for thin leather and suede, and 100/16 to 110/18 for heavier leather. One forum user machine-sews patches with #69 thread and a #16 or #18 needle.
2. Set a longer stitch length, so the needle holes don't perforate the leather like a tear line.
3. Use a smooth presser foot. Lower the needle at the patch edge and let the machine feed the leather without pulling it.
4. Support the garment's weight on a table, so it doesn't drag and pleat.
5. At corners, stop with the needle down, lift the foot, turn the garment and carry on.
6. Overlap the start by a few stitches, keep backstitching to a minimum, then trim.

If the machine skips or struggles, stop and finish by hand.

Margot from Ride it Wrench it machine-sews a patch onto a leather vest. Watch how she holds the patch with a light fabric spray adhesive on its back instead of pins, fits a leather needle and a smooth Teflon foot, lengthens the stitch to about 3-4, and sews on the patch's outer border so the edge doesn't curl. She also says the spray isn't strong enough to hold a patch by itself, so it still has to be sewn. Test any spray on a hidden spot first, as described above.

Iron-on patches and faux leather

Iron-on patches: don't iron them onto genuine leather. Sew them on like any other patch. Dutch Label Shop notes that the adhesive backing may not hold well on leather by itself. The full answer is in can you iron a patch onto leather?.

Faux leather: you can sew patches onto it, using a leather needle and strong thread. Schmetz says its leather needle isn't suitable for some synthetic leathers, so try it on a scrap or a hidden seam first.

Common mistakes

Changing a patch later? See how to remove a patch from a jacket.

Want the patches added when the vest is made?

Leather Collection doesn't sell repair kits or loose patches. Its custom leather vests are made to order, and you can add patches or embroidery such as initials or a logo when you order. Biker styles can include patch panels.

Related guides

• For machine settings on leather in general, see how to sew leather.

FAQ

What is the best stitch to use for sewing patches on leather by hand?

First Manufacturing uses a whip stitch or a backstitch, spaced about 1/8-1/4 in apart and pulled snug.

Can I sew patches on leather with a regular sewing machine?

First Manufacturing says to use only a machine designed for leather, with a leather needle and a longer stitch. If your machine skips, sew by hand.

How do you sew on fake leather?

Use a leather needle and strong thread, stitch around the patch edge, and knot inside. Test the needle on a scrap first, because it doesn't suit every synthetic.

Do iron-on patches stay on leather?

Patch makers say not to rely on the adhesive, and not to iron directly onto leather. Sew the patch on instead. For the method, see how to iron patches onto leather.