
This month’s Aurifil Artisan challenge is embroidery, and I’ve been working on something that brings me a ton of joy – embroidered patches!
I am really passionate about visible mending; about keeping otherwise-still-wearable clothing out of landfills, buying clothing used, and holding on to pieces that fit me well and that I love for a long time to come. I’m always looking for new and creative ways to mend my clothing, and this was a new one that was so much fun to try!
I hand-embroidered patches onto pieces of scrap fabric and wool felt using Aurifloss thread. I love the wool felt because the edges don’t fray, making it a really great choice for a patch.

I bought this jean jacket at the thrift store for a couple of dollars. I love the color and the fit, and it still has a ton of life left in it. It also has a couple of holes in the front, which I wanted to address before they become a bigger issue.


What better way to spruce it up than with a patch! I added the heart patch to the front of the jacket, not only adding a statement and uniqueness to the garment, but also extending its life by protecting the area from becoming a bigger problem.


I still have some scrap wool left, so I think I’ll keep making patches. It will be fun to have a whole collection of them to choose from when I have a garment that needs mending. Plus, it is a fun project that is easy to take with me on-the-go and satisfying to complete!


Where did you get the heart and anchor patterns?
Tks.
I googled “free sailor tattoo clip art” and went from there. Any simple line drawings, clip art, or coloring pages work well for hand embroidery. Just make sure that they are royalty free images!