Free Online Patch Design Software

Designing a Patch is very easy days thanks to the online free software. In this guide, we will share the top 5 best Patch Design Software that you can use to design the patches.

These tools allow you to design patches online, and some will actually create them for you too. If you want to embroider your own patches, jump to the digitization software section.

Patch Design for Beginners

Designing a patch involves several key elements contributing to its overall look and impact. First and foremost is the patch’s size and shape, which must be appropriate for its intended placement and purpose.

The color scheme also plays a significant role, requiring a thoughtful balance between aesthetic appeal and legibility. The design or logo featured on the patch should be simple yet impactful and easily recognizable even from a distance.

If text is included, it should be concise and clear, with a font style and size that are readable and complement the overall design. Lastly, the choice of materials and embroidery technique is crucial to ensuring the patch’s durability and quality, as well as its overall look and feel. Careful consideration of these elements can help create a patch that is both visually appealing and effective in conveying its intended message.

Canva

Canva is one of the best online graphic design tools, with tons of pre-designed templates you can use to create your own patch design. Following are some of the best features of Canva.

Creating custom designs has been made easier by a range of online tools that make the process accessible to anyone, regardless of their experience with design. One such tool is Canva, a graphic design platform that uses a drag-and-drop interface to make design creation as simple as possible. This article will walk you through the steps to design a custom patch using Canva.

Step 1: Set Up Your Account

If you don’t already have a Canva account, you’ll need to create one. Head over to Canva and sign up with your email address, Google, or Facebook account. It’s free to use, with additional features available for a premium subscription.

Step 2: Start a New Project

Once you’re logged in, click the “Create a design” button on the right-hand side of your dashboard. Canva will offer you a plethora of pre-defined design types to choose from. For designing a patch, you might want to start with the “Custom dimensions” option at the top right corner. Enter the dimensions you want for your patch. Remember, patches are usually quite small, so you don’t need a massive canvas.

Step 3: Choose a Template or Start from Scratch

Canva provides a variety of templates that you can use as a starting point for your design. To browse these, click on “Templates” in the left-hand menu, and type keywords that match your patch theme in the search bar.  If you search ‘patches’ in the, Canva returns logo templates – these are an ideal starting point for a good patch.

If you’d rather start from scratch, that’s fine too. You have a blank canvas to start designing your patch.

Step 4: Use Design Elements

To start designing your patch, you’ll use the tools in the left-hand menu. These tools include:

• Elements: Here, you’ll find shapes, lines, and graphics to use in your design. You can also find frames here, which can be useful for creating a circular or square patch.
• Text: Canva has a wide range of fonts to choose from, so you can add any text you need to your patch.
• Background: If you want to add a color or patterned background to your patch, you can select it here.

Step 5: Layer Your Design

By dragging and dropping elements onto your canvas, you can start to build your patch design. You can layer elements by selecting them and clicking the “position” option in the toolbar at the top of the page. Here, you can choose to move elements forwards or backward to create a layered effect.

Step 6: Customize Your Design

Canva gives you complete control over the colors, sizing, and positioning of every element in your design. Click on an element to see the customization options in the toolbar at the top of the page.

Step 7: Save and Download Your Design

Once you’re happy with your design, click the “Download” button in the top right corner of the screen. You’ll be able to choose the format you want to download your design in. For a patch, a high-resolution PNG or PDF is probably the best option.

Your patch design is now complete! From here, you can send the design to a patch manufacturer or print it yourself if you have the necessary equipment.

Build your Patch

Build Your Patch is an online store allowing you to edit pre-designed patches. The website features many pre-designed patches, which you can customize and edit according to your requirements. Following are some features of Build Your Patch.

Building a patch on Build Your Patch is a streamlined process designed to allow users to create custom patches easily. To begin, select the “Build Your Patch” option on the homepage. You will then be guided through a step-by-step design process.

First, select the size, shape, and type of your patch. Next, choose the colors for your background and border. If you want to include text, select the appropriate font and color, and enter the text in the provided field. You can then upload any images or logos you want to include in the design.

Build Your Patch offers a variety of embroidery options, allowing you to add texture and depth to your design. Once you’ve finished creating your design, you can review your patch and make any necessary adjustments. When you’re satisfied, place your order, and your custom patch will be produced and delivered to your doorstep.

Custom Patches

Custom Patches is another online store that allows you to pick the design of your software. Following are the details about the Custom Patches.
Custom Patches have a very comprehensive design guide where you design your custom patches with seven simple steps:

1. Select the color of your choice from the pool of several colors.
2. Now select the dimensions of your patch
3. The next step is to select the shape of your patch
4. Now, pick the font of your choice. You can also supply your own font.
5. Now select the Backing, here, you get the options like plastic, magnet, safety pin, paper, etc.
6. Now, pick your border type
7. The final step is to upload your artwork or details about the concept.
• Now provide your full name, email, and phone number to get the quote.
• You will see the artwork only if you place your order. This means if you want to check your patch, then Custom Patches is not for you. It is perfect for those who want to order the patches.

Stadri Emblems

Stadri Emblems is another very popular online path store that allows you to design your custom patch. Following are the details of Stadri Emblems.

• The website features the Gallary section, where you can check the different types of patches for inspiration.
• You can also proceed with your own custom patch, and you can do it in 8 steps.

1. Upload the art or concept of your patch
2. Select the shape of your patch
3. Select the custom size
4. Select the border
5. Select the Lettering, here, you can pick the font of your own choice.
6. Now, pick the backing of your patch
7. Select the embroidery percentage
8. Pick the color of your choice
• Next step is to submit your contact details to get the quote.
• Once you submit the request, customer support will get back to you with the custom quote.

Custom Patches Online

Custom Patches Online is another popular online patch store offering worldwide delivery. Following are the details of Custom Patches Online

• Custom Patches Online is a popular store with clients like The Avielle Foundation, Cisco Systems, and Inflight Dubai.
• The website features the Gallary section where you can check the different types of Patches.
• In the pricing section, you can read the prices of different types of patches.
• The company offers a very simple way to order your custom patches. Simply provide your name, contact, and details about the patches.
• Customer support will get back to you with the quote; place your order, and they will send you a different design. Approve your design, and they will deliver your patches anywhere in the world.
• The company will only charge for patches, and you will get your design for free.

Digitizing patches for DIY embroidery

Digitizing software for embroidery is a specialized type of software used to convert images into a format that embroidery machines can understand.

This process involves translating a digital image into a series of instructions or stitches that the embroidery machine can follow to recreate the image on fabric. Essentially, the software ‘maps’ out the image in stitches, defining the type, direction, and density of each stitch to be used. The outcome is a file, typically in formats such as .dst, .pes, .jef, or others, depending on the specific make and model of the embroidery machine.

These software programs often have advanced features that allow for design elements customization, including stitch types, stitch order, colors, and more. This enables users to fine-tune their designs for optimal embroidery results.

Top 5 Digitizing Software for Embroidery

The world of embroidery has been revolutionized with the advent of digital technology. One of the most significant advancements is digitizing software for embroidery. These software solutions help convert digital graphics into embroidery machine-readable formats, creating instructions for the intricate stitch work required in embroidery designs. Below, we explore the top 5 digitizing software available in 2023.

1. Wilcom EmbroideryStudio e4

Wilcom’s EmbroideryStudio e4 is highly regarded in the embroidery industry. Known for its powerful, robust, and comprehensive features, it offers a complete solution for both professional and hobby embroiderers. Its tools allow for precision control over all aspects of your embroidery design and stitches, including sequencing, density, and input methods. It supports a wide range of file formats and provides a superb level of stitch quality. While it may be more complex for beginners, its wealth of resources and tutorials can help users navigate its advanced features.

2. Hatch Embroidery Software

Hatch, by Wilcom, is another outstanding embroidery digitizing software. It is particularly popular with hobbyists and small business owners because it strikes a balance between powerful features and ease of use. It offers a variety of flexible design tools and boasts a user-friendly interface. Hatch supports both manual and automatic digitizing and provides options to customize stitches, including types, directions, and angles.

3. Embrilliance Essentials

Embrilliance Essentials is known for its user-friendly interface that suits both beginners and more experienced users. It offers a range of useful features, such as resizing, merging, lettering, and adding borders. Moreover, it has a ‘StitchArtist’ add-on, which you can purchase to access advanced digitizing capabilities. The software is compatible with both Mac and Windows and supports many embroidery machine file formats.

4. Brother PE-Design 11

Brother PE-Design 11 is an excellent choice for Brother machine users, though it works well with many other brands too. It offers an array of sophisticated features like advanced photo-stitch for converting images into embroidery designs and automatic digitizing. The software also includes over 1,000 built-in designs and 130 fonts, giving users plenty of options to create unique embroidery projects.

5. Bernina ArtLink 8

Bernina ArtLink 8 is a free embroidery software that offers a variety of useful features for both new and experienced embroiderers. It provides basic editing tools, such as scaling, rotating, and mirror-imaging. It also supports multiple hoop types and allows you to add basting stitches to your design. While it may not have as many advanced features as some other software on this list, its ease of use makes it a great starting point for beginners.