Sewing WWII patches on jackets

[TXFlyGuy]

We are going to purchase a nice flight jacket for my father on his 90th birthday. He is a highly decorated WWII veteran. It would be nice to sew his patches (replica, as his originals are framed) on the jacket.

Not sure if the jacket will be satin, or nylon material, or even leather. How difficult is it to sew these items on? Can any good seamstress accomplish this?

I spoke with the folks at G&B. They said if we buy their jacket, the patches could be sewn on at the time of manufacture. Nearly all of their jackets are made to order.

I am considering doing the same on my leather A-2. How difficult is this?

 

[rocketeer]

We are going to purchase a nice flight jacket for my father on his 90th birthday. He is a highly decorated WWII veteran. It would be nice to sew his patches (replica, as his originals are framed) on the jacket.

Not sure if the jacket will be satin, or nylon material, or even leather. How difficult is it to sew these items on? Can any good seamstress accomplish this?

I spoke with the folks at G&B. They said if we buy their jacket, the patches could be sewn on at the time of manufacture. Nearly all of their jackets are made to order.

I am considering doing the same on my leather A-2. How difficult is this?

If you are thinking of doing this yourself you really need a walking foot sewing machine due to the layers you will be sewing through. This machine makes a stitch and grips all the layers to move to the next stitch.
Should you use an ordinary machine there are chances the material may ruck up, move slightly out of sinc with the next hole to be made and the patch may then just be out of line or look s-it. A decent seamstress or someone used to using a sole machine could do it but it takes practice.
Just a bit of advice from someone who has messed it up

 

[TXFlyGuy]

If you are thinking of doing this yourself you really need a walking foot sewing machine due to the layers you will be sewing through. This machine makes a stitch and grips all the layers to move to the next stitch.
Should you use an ordinary machine there are chances the material may ruck up, move slightly out of sinc with the next hole to be made and the patch may then just be out of line or look s-it. A decent seamstress or someone used to using a sole machine could do it but it takes practice.
Just a bit of advice from someone who has messed it up

Thanks! I would never dream of doing it myself.

 

[AustinTX]

Thanks! I would never dream of doing it myself.

G/B did a great job on their Flying Tigers A-2 that I ordered for my 80-year-old uncle. As for your own jacket, I'd be super leery of any ol' seamstress. Maybe someone with a portfolio to show you?

 

[Stand By]

I've had my patches sewn on by Edith (formerly of Aero, now at Alexander leathers) and her work is exemplary - with the leather patches, she gets a perfect straight line with her stitching.
But I'm in Canada and she is in Scotland. So on the other occasions when I've not had a convenient trip home to England planned, I've found a good seamstress at a local dry cleaner/repair/alteration place. She did a great job with the cotton/wool/satin patches I wanted sewn on - but then, you can't see the stitches very well through in the material. I was impressed enough to give her a leather patch to do - and then it became clear that she was good but no Edith. Ah well. So now it looks like my non-regular issue incised and painted leather patch was sewn on at the Italian market where it was purchased on a day's leave (if you know what I mean).
If the patches in question have a leather border, I would highly recommend that you send it to Edith (or G&B or other jacket maker) to run some stitch holes around (getting the holes straight yet near the edge and to the correct stitch count) - then let your local seamstress have at it to run the thread through and sew it on with a nice back stitch.
But if the patches are standard materials (wool/cotton/satin), I'd say a good tailor or seamstress should be up to the task. I would just let them know - in no uncertain way - that yes, this is a small task, but you want perfection as it's important - and have them know precisely the placement/orientation you are after. And having set that level of expectation appropriately high, see if they still want the job - and if they do, then they'll know to get it right first time. My place understand that when I walk in and they get it right for me - or fix it if it's even slightly off. And I'm very happy and would continue to go back to them.

And if you haven't purchased the shoulder patches yet, IMHO, I would recommend getting some originals rather than replicas. There are so many variations and they are still abundant and affordable - and with a little online research, I am sure you could find an exact copy that even has a similar age patina.
If it is a squadron/ fighter or bomb group patch you also require, then these originals tend to run around $400-$950 (depending), so are rather cost prohibitive - so a good replica by someone like 6th of June would be my recommendation. I have one that's made of wool and it's a perfect copy and is totally fantastic.

Good for you for what you're doing for your father ! That's really nice and I'm sure he'll appreciate it. I'd love to see it when it's all done ...

 

[Foster]

I'm not going to attempt it myself again (leather patches on leather jacket). My wife has been sewing since she was 7 years old, has a top-of-the-line sewing machine with walking presser foot, and sewing the squadron patch onto one of my jackets is not something she wants me to ask her to do again. Part of that is because circles are not the easiest thing to sew, and you can't pin the leather in place without making more holes in it. She's used to working with cloth, and leather is quite different to work with!

Cloth patches on cloth jackets are not a problem, we've sewn them dozens of times (even myself, and I am not nearly as talented with the sewing machine).

 

[TXFlyGuy]

As this jacket will be made by G&B, I'll just have them sew the patches on. They said it could be done on the material prior to the lining being sewn in.

I don't wish to brag...but what the heck! My Dad (Cpl. D.B. Oleson) was in the 24th Infantry, 1944-1945. Philippine Islands - Leyte, Mindanao, Mindoro, etc.

He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star, among other awards. There will not be enough room for all of his patches, but we'll get the important ones on! Actually, I guess they are all important.

 

[Stand By]

Good call on letting G&B do the work. It's the best option.

And that's not bragging. He was there. The rest of us can only read the stories and imagine ...

 

[TXFlyGuy]

Good call on letting G&B do the work. It's the best option.

And that's not bragging. He was there. The rest of us can only read the stories and imagine ...

There is an excellent book written on the 24th Infantry by Nathan Prefer..."Leyte, 1944, The Soldiers' Battle"

 

[rocketeer]

G/B did a great job on their Flying Tigers A-2 that I ordered for my 80-year-old uncle. As for your own jacket, I'd be super leery of any ol' seamstress. Maybe someone with a portfolio to show you?

I did say 'A decent seamstress', someone with leather experience etc.

 

[andy b.]

A trick used to put patches on leather is to use rubber cement to hold the patch in place. The cement won't affect the leather, and if any eventually peeks out it can just be rubbed off. As others stated, it is almost impossible to hold a patch on any other way.

I'm not saying to attempt this yourself, I'm just saying if you ask the person how they are going to temporarily hold the patches in place, and they say with pins, you might want to look elsewhere.

 

[Dumpster Diver]

WOW 90!!! you good stock sir!!!


oh and Just glue in place, and hand sew, use a thimble and dont force the needle it will break.

If you are crafty shouldnt take too much time, and of course I love the outline look of the *X* pattern around the jacket patches using thicker silver Thread on blue and yellow air force patches!

 

[TXFlyGuy]

Since my newly arrived B-15 is satin with a silk-screened USAF patch, I am considering sewing on a real (repro) cloth patch. Can this be easily done by a talented seamstress?