If you're just starting your patch shopping, you may be tempted to buy any patch that catches your eye. While that's definitely one way of buying patches, you may have an issue when you get them all together and start putting them on your jacket: there's not enough room for all of them! You might also realize that some of your patches don't quite match up or look that great together. If that's the case, you might end up not using half the patches you bought and end up buying a lot of new ones. Instead of doing that, if you follow a few of these tips, you'll end up with less frustration.
First, be sure you pay attention to the measurements of the patches, especially if you're purchasing them online. Don't buy three large back patches because obviously, you won't be able to put all three on the same jacket. Likewise, you probably don't need more than two small rocker patches unless you plan on putting them on other parts of the jacket besides the shoulders.
Second, remember that you can't iron patches on to leather. Make sure if you're going to put patches on leather that they feature die cut borders. These borders make it much easier to sew the patch on. If you're putting the patch on a different material, look for patches with the iron-on backing. It makes attaching them much easier.
Third, it might help to copy the images of the patches you've bought and lay them out in a graphics program to see how they look together. You can also do this to get a good idea of the size of the patches and how they will look together.
