Naprawowanki are associated with the times of our childhood. At that time they were quite matte, thick and stiff, but of course fashionable. Today they are much more sophisticated, varied (for example, with crystals, glitter, sequins) and malleable and durable. This is a great, very simple way to add a touch of your own style to an old jacket, pair of jeans, hat, shoes or handbag. It will also work well if you want to cover up any rips, tears and holes. So basically, before you think about getting rid of any clothes, consider refreshing them with iron-on patches. Below you will find instructions on how not to ruin the clothes you decide to redo with the help of an iron.
What you will need:
iron
ironing board
your choice of iron-on patches
a thin piece of fabric (for example a pillow case, sheet, cloth or slightly damp towel),
clothing that you want to personalize
towels (possibly)
needle and thread (possibly)
Tips for materials:
Before you start, it’s good to know that iron-on patches don’t work very well on some materials, such as nylon, artificial silk, leather or waterproof fabrics. In that case, you can try using an iron, and if that doesn’t work, just sew them on with a needle and thread. Iron-on labels, on the other hand, work great on cotton, denim and polyester. It is also worth looking at the garment labels as not all of them like ironing and high temperatures.
Step by step:
Preheat your iron to the highest temperature (unless the instructions that came with the patch indicate otherwise). If you don’t have an iron, you can also use a hair straightener.
Plan your project. Lay the garment out on the ironing board and place the adhesive patch with the side facing the fabric where you want to iron it. If you’ve chosen an item of clothing, such as shoes, a backpack or a hat, that can’t be laid out flat, stuff the inside with towels. That way, when you press the patch with an iron later, it will be like a perfect fit on the fabric and prevent it from shifting.
Cover the patch with a thin cloth or a slightly damp towel. This will protect the iron and the garment from excessive heat.
Place the iron on the cloth and hold for 30 seconds using small strokes. If the iron’s instructions indicate a different time, adjust the length accordingly.
Turn the garment inside out and apply the iron to the other side of the patch again, placing the cloth over the fabric first. If you are ironing on something that is difficult to turn inside out (such as the front of a shoe), apply the iron directly to the patch, without using a cloth, and without removing the towels from the center.
Allow the material to cool and you’re done!
Below you’ll find some inspiration using iron-on patches on different pieces of clothing:
Read also Bored with your old denim jacket? Check out our ways to give it a second life
