# Embroidering a patch to a cap.



## AmericanMadeCap (Mar 22, 2016)

Hello all, 

Not entirely new to the scene, just getting old and forgot my original username.. 

I am in a bind at my shop. We manufacture baseball caps here in Texas. We also just invested in our first Merrow patch bordering machine.

We are trying to figure out how best to embroider a complete patch onto the front of a finished cap. 

What we have done so far:
-Single stitches into the four corners and middle top and bottom to ensure correct placement before we run the rectangle run stitch around the patch.

-Stabilizer, and square run stitches run before placement of the cap to set boundaries for placement as well.

The Issue so Far:
-Merrow edges are not going to be exact from patch to patch. We are running into the issue of placement being 98% spot on, but because one corner may have taken a sharper turn on the Merrow, the run stitch hits the edge..


Does anyone have any idea, or experience in this type of application? Any help would be appreciated!


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

Glue might be your only option. Since there is no way to guarantee the placement of the merrow, there is really no way to guarantee the tackdown stitches either. Only other option I can think of is to sew them by hand on a sewing machine where the operator can adjust on the fly where the stitches are placed. I'm not aware of any other machine that can adjust the stitches on the fly according to the placement.

We do a lot of die cut appliques that are heat pressed first and like you, the placement was an issue. Since ours are always guaranteed to be the same size, we opted for a Brother PR1000 with the built in camera so we can place the design precisely over the applique after it has been pressed onto the shirt. I don't see that is being much help for you since you don't always have the exact same size stitching needed...


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## AmericanMadeCap (Mar 22, 2016)

Was afraid of this. We have a variety of sewing machines. After the cap is assembled, its increasingly difficult to get a straight stitch near that Merrow.

There are some Yuupong/Flex-fit caps out with patches sewn on, we are trying to achieve that level of quality. 

There has to be a secret to it!

Thanks for the reply.


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## cathyr (Feb 10, 2009)

I do this a little bit different. On a finished cap that needs a patch sewn onto it, I sew an outline of the patch onto the hat. This outline is to the edge of the outside of the patches merrowed border. I spray KK100 onto the patch and place the patch inside the outline. I then sew two rounds of zigzag stitches directly down onto the merrowed border. If the patch is a little different in shape the zig zag blends into the merrow border and does not show. I like this method because a straight stitch shows, the zig zag blends.


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## AmericanMadeCap (Mar 22, 2016)

Thanks Cathyr, digitizing a run of this now.


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## CDC (Apr 22, 2013)

Since you all manufacture yourselves, you might want to look into embroidering before hat is fully assembled (running flat). This could potentially open up a whole new avenue of sales, since very few folks out here manufacture. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using T-Shirt Forums


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## palodemango (Aug 10, 2017)

Try a Saddler Machine or a machine to sew leather an take the press foot and take or grind one half away. It#s like when you are sewing a zipper. You can try this, maybe its a good idea. First fix the patch with spra or glue and press cold wit a cap press machine until glue dry, then sew mit saddler machine. Best way I know.


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## djque (Feb 5, 2013)

this is what I use. P600 5-Mil 49.5″ Permanent
https://twillusa.com/product/adhesive-by-the-yard/


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## Hugo888 (Apr 14, 2020)

Need absolutely to proceed flat on the 2 front panels before sewing others panels to get the best effect.


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