Applying Leather patches without sewing? Any suggestions?

[im_mcguire]

So We have a job for some leather patches to be applied to some Carharrt Jackets CTTSJ140.
They don't want them stitched on, and they are not coming with heat seal backing on them.  Do you have any suggestions on to adhere these to the jackets as best as possible?

Thank you for any suggestions.

The patch is 4" x 1.65" tall

[Frog]

maybe this? I've never used it but the description seems to fit the bill
https://www.stahls.com/thermo-adhesive

[TCT]

There is "Liquid Stitch" that works. How well and how durable, I can't say exactly as we just tried it in a pinch last week on 6 items when our post bed was getting a upgrade. It can be bought at a craft store like Michaels. Be careful putting too much on though, it can seep out from under the patch and then it stays on the garments.

Side note, we have never been able to heat press leather patches or even synthetic leather patches, the heat from the heat press changes the color of the leather as it burns it...

[3Deep]

If possible heat the patch from the other side of the garment or hat, that heat transfers straight through to the glue on the patch depending on the thickness of your garment, you might want to stick in place first with a little heat or glue then flip it inside out....

[Homer]

what frog linked. we do it all the time if we are stitching or not. works great. cheap insurance

[Ullrich]

Are they durable when you stitch them like this?

[mooseman]

White Elmers glue.....don't laugh.
completely cover the back of the patch place it and clamp it down, weight it down HOWEVER be careful of glue squeeze out it will not wash out of the canvas.
Second process.......mix Elmers glue about 60% glue and 40% water. Coat the back of the patch and a masked off area on the jacket slightly smaller than the patch.
Allow the coating to completely dry on both surfaces, re-coat if necessary until you have a semi shiny coating .
Elmers is 'white' glue is PVA, and remains water soluble. The 'Yellow' glue as well as PVA contains aliphatic resins which cross link as the water evaporates rendering it 'water resistant' –  and when heated even with a household iron the Elmers glue  will bond to itself.
The heat required for this is relatively low.

I have used this process to attach a balsa wood skin to expanded bead foam wings (RC aircraft) with just an iron.

The best suggestion I can give you is TEST   TEST TEST.....buy some duck cloth and some leather and work on the technique and heat.

Lastly I have in the past applied patches via the applique' process on an embroidery machine.
I know they do not want the patches sewn however if you stick the patch to the jacket with fabric tac. and properly digitize the sew stitch you can lay it down just in the border stitching of the patch (match the thread color) and you can avoid the typical over the edge stitching and pretty much make the attachment stitching invisible .

moosegoldberg