A different way to attach or AKA sew the patches on the BDU's.

[Hoorah]

I have had so much trouble with sewing the patches on the BDU's .
I recently have found a option to try Velcro like the ABU's are.
What are your opinions?

[Stonewall]

First, ABUs have zero velcro.

Secondly, not authorized for BDUs in CAP.

/thread

[Hawk200]

I have had so much trouble with sewing the patches on the BDU's .
I recently have found a option to try Velcro like the ABU's are.
What are your opinions?

Fact: ABU's do not use Velcro.

Opinion: I wouldn't use it on BDU's. You'll know why the first time you have an incomplete uniform because you forgot to put something back on or lost a piece.

[Hoorah]

I have had so much trouble with sewing the patches on the BDU's .
I recently have found a option to try Velcro like the ABU's are.
What are your opinions?

Fact: ABU's do not use Velcro.

Opinion: I wouldn't use it on BDU's. You'll know why the first time you have an incomplete uniform because you forgot to put something back on or lost a piece.

Just temporary though.

[Stonewall]

You do realize that IF it was authorized, you would be doing twice as much sewing, right?

Sew velcro to BDUs + sewing velcro to patches.

Just doesn't make sense, nor is it authorized.

Get it?  You can't do it.

[Hoorah]

You do realize that IF it was authorized, you would be doing twice as much sewing, right?

Sew velcro to BDUs + sewing velcro to patches.

Just doesn't make sense, nor is it authorized.

Get it?  You can't do it.

Well  its the apply and take off kind of velcro and I have friends in CAP said that I could do it as long as I sewed it with thread the wing patch and flag patch as long as I did it right away.

[lordmonar]

??

[Hawk200]

Well  its the apply and take off kind of velcro and I have friends in CAP said that I could do it as long as I sewed it with thread the wing patch and flag patch as long as I did it right away.

Have those friends show you in a regulation where it's authorized. I suspect that they don't even know which regulation it is. They probably don't know the appropriate ICL's either.

Doing whatever you feel like is the wrong thing. Doing it because the Army does it is wrong. Doing it because your friends said you could is as well.

Do the right thing, follow the publication. Sew things on with the appropriate spacing, that's all spelled out too.

[Strick]

not practical.   I am looking at getting a maching to sew.  I just got k my BDU'S back from alterations and thet screwed up big time.  I called around and most places here charge anywhere from 6-10 bucks a patch.  I have never used a sewing machine before so Its going to be an intresting activity for me.

[ßτε]

You do realize that IF it was authorized, you would be doing twice as much sewing, right?

Sew velcro to BDUs + sewing velcro to patches.

Just doesn't make sense, nor is it authorized.

Get it?  You can't do it.

Well  its the apply and take off kind of velcro and I have friends in CAP said that I could do it as long as I sewed it with thread the wing patch and flag patch as long as I did it right away.

Why did you even bother asking? 

Your friends have already given you the answer you want.

Yet you ask here and argue with the answers you get.

[a2capt]

Velcro'ed on patches would look ridiculous.

What kind of example would that be setting? No matter what you do it's still 1/8" thick at least, and certainly not flat.

You could use Elmer's glue as a temporary fix and it comes out in the wash. ... or go borrow a seat in front of a sewing machine, or bring someone's mom a coffee and crumbcake to do it for you.

[Eclipse]

Most patches come with an iron-on backing that can be heated with an iron and hold pretty well.  I've had low-stress uniform
hold for a year or more when its done right.

You can also buy iron-on sizing to affix patches as well. 

The problem with BDU pockets and a machine is that the pockets are usually too small or short to allow for the whole arm to fit, so you almost always have to remove the pocket and reattach for a proper fit.

Which is one of the reason I'm not overly concerned with unit and NCSA patches. If the sizing works, they stay, if not, they don't.

Don't velcro them on.

[NIN]

OK, first and foremost: always, always, always sew your patches. With a sewing machine.  Always. Not sometimes, not next time. Always.

Second, there is a spray-on water soluble Elmers glue that works *really* well for positioning patches prior to sewing.  Be careful and don't use too much.

But always sew your patches. With a machine.

[Hoorah]

Thanks all for your help.

[Hawk200]

OK, first and foremost: always, always, always sew your patches. With a sewing machine.  Always. Not sometimes, not next time. Always.

Second, there is a spray-on water soluble Elmers glue that works *really* well for positioning patches prior to sewing.  Be careful and don't use too much.

But always sew your patches. With a machine.

I've done all my own, by hand. Takes a lot longer to do it right, but considering CAP uniforms are needed on a weekly basis, rather than daily, it's not unreasonable.

As to the quality, people swear I've done it by machine, until I show them the backside. It's not sloppy, but the backside of the stitching is obviously not machine done.

I use small pieces of Witch Stitch to hold it in place while sewing it down. Did the same thing while active military. Saved a bundle over the years.

[Eclipse]

I use small pieces of Witch Stitch to hold it in place while sewing it down. Did the same thing while active military. Saved a bundle over the years.

+1 - Best thing ever.  Or if you can't sew, With them down and take the shirt to your tailor and say "sew these down".

[Hawk200]

+1 - Best thing ever.  Or if you can't sew, With them down and take the shirt to your tailor and say "sew these down".

Seen that done too, it's the best way to go if you lack the time. As long as they're put on right in the first place, they won't be wrong when you get them back.

[EMT-83]

I just got my new BDU blouse back from the tailor today, after having the patches sewn on. I had pinned them in place and left a copy of the appropriate page of 39-1, highlighted as needed.

Everything was correct; best 15 bucks I ever spent.

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

No Velcro on BDU's.  Flight suits/flight jackets/coveralls only.

The stuff I use isn't called Stitch Witch, but it works on the same principle.  It's a fabric adhesive.

I like it especially for the name/CAP tapes and grade insignia, for securing the edges.

However, don't use it without also sewing...it looks silly, and you never know when it'll come off.

I secure the item on with the adhesive and then sew over it.  Works great.

Fortunately I got to be pretty good at sewing when I was a Boy Scout (my mother was arthritic and didn't sew well, so I had to pick the needle up myself).

[SarDragon]

Playing the devil's advocate here.

Couled any of you uniform experts please tell me which reg, and where therein it says that insignia must be sewn on. I just looked in five different regs (again) and can't find any specific reference to sewn on insignia, except for CAP NCO stripes on shirt and coat sleeves.

That said, I think attaching anything to the BDUs with Velcro would look really dorky.

[Spike]

Don't try to take the easy way out.  Just spend the time and sew.  If you don't like that, take it somewhere and pay for another person to sew.  Make an investment in your appearance.

Shortcuts and "half-assed" may work in the short run, but in the long run NEVER work. 

[alamrcn]

Couled any of you uniform experts please tell me which reg, and where therein it says that insignia must be sewn on.

And related, I was going to ask if our regs even mention Velcro or "hook/loop material" for any of the flight suits, jump suits, or air crew jackets. I've seen people sew patches and insignia dirrectly to those uniforms, and no one says "You're supposed to use Velcro."

And FWIW...
To interchange patches, I've had an OD "loop" retangle on my right breast pocket, and a disk on my right shoulder for over 15 years. If anyone ever did notice, they never said anything to me about it - and I hang out with a LOT of by-the-book type people!

[RiverAux]

Always wondered why the convention was to use velco on flight suits instead of sewing.  Its not like we're going to be changing wing patches, etc. on it any more often than we are on our BDUs.  With that being said, I've always used velcro on my flight suits.  If I ever buy a new one, I'll probably go sew-on though.

But, I'd have to say that unless you trimmed the velcro to match exactly the size of your patch, using velcro on BDUs would look pretty dum -- the excess green material would look horrible against the camo background.  On flight suits it sort of blends in better..

[Eclipse]

My understanding is that its an evolution of a few different things:

Aircrews may need to quickly "sanitize" their uniforms of insignia should they crash or be captured in hostile territory.

Aircews tend to be somewhat more transient than other troops between units and removing a patch can wreck Nomex.

The old-school leather flightbadges do not stand up well to being washed.

Other than the flightbadges, none of the above applies to CAP and there's really no reason we can't sew patches directly onto the
flightsuits.

[RiverAux]

Well, I understood why the AF would do it, just didn't get why CAP did it -- other than just wanting to copy what the AF does.  Although, if you got a used flight suit that already had velcro on it (like I did), it made sense to just sew some velcro to your patches. 

[SarDragon]

I Velcro all my patches on my flight suits because putting them through the wash tends to beat them up. When I got my latest blue "bag", it only had two spots with Velcro - name tag, and right breast. I added additional pieces for both shoulders.

[DBlair]

Regarding sewing...

I urge members to get an inexpensive sewing machine. For the cost of a tailor sewing on a several patches, you can get yourself a machine that will serve you the rest of your CAP career, and perhaps beyond. (I've even heard of some units having a sewing machine and the supply officer helping cadets by sewing essential patches.)

Financially, it is a one time cost vs. a recurring cost whenever regs change, promotions, getting new uniforms, etc. In the long run, it is cheaper and more convenient than having to bring it to a tailor.

This is something I learned during my Boy Scout and Cadet years. With a machine, it takes me only a brief moment to sew on a patch- and then I know it is positioned exactly as I want it. Not to mention, I don't have to wait for a tailor to do it and I don't have to pay for it to be done. I urge Cadets to take this advice and learn to use a sewing machine- it will serve you well, especially when you become a Cadet Officer.

[SarDragon]

AMEN!

I've done all of my own CAP sewing since I was 15, and have saved bunches of bucks. Used, simple sewing machines are available for less than $100. Check out the local sewing machine repair place, and they can fix you right up. Many places will  even provide lessons for a reasonable charge.

[vmstan]

I bought some stuff called "Wonder Under" that you can get at Hobby Lobby for about $2 per yard, which should last you forever. You can cut the pieces to the exact size of the patch and then iron it into place with that stuff on the back. Then stitch the patch down to prevent it from getting washed off, or rubbed off with a pack strap, etc.

You can also get fairly strong transparent thread so you don't have to buy a different color for each type of patch border. As long as you make the stitches small enough (ie, the right size) you'll never notice the difference vs colored thread and it saves you from having to keep a stock of various types. Although I would suggest using a matching blue for the name tapes since they probably would stand out more.

That's how I did it in Boy Scouts back in the day.

[NIN]

Regarding sewing...

I urge members to get an inexpensive sewing machine. For the cost of a tailor sewing on a several patches, you can get yourself a machine that will serve you the rest of your CAP career, and perhaps beyond. (I've even heard of some units having a sewing machine and the supply officer helping cadets by sewing essential patches.)

Financially, it is a one time cost vs. a recurring cost whenever regs change, promotions, getting new uniforms, etc. In the long run, it is cheaper and more convenient than having to bring it to a tailor.

This is something I learned during my Boy Scout and Cadet years. With a machine, it takes me only a brief moment to sew on a patch- and then I know it is positioned exactly as I want it. Not to mention, I don't have to wait for a tailor to do it and I don't have to pay for it to be done. I urge Cadets to take this advice and learn to use a sewing machine- it will serve you well, especially when you become a Cadet Officer.

absolute words of wisdom here.

I was a young C/AB when I was inspected and told that my nametags were sewn on poorly. My grandmother had hand stitched them on, and honestly, they looked like crap. I said "but my grandmother sewed these on!" and my C/CC said "Yeah? Well, your grandmother isn't standing inspection. You are!"

I went home that night, and said "Mom, they said my stuff was sewn on wrong!"  She said "OK, tomorrow I'll teach you how to use the sewing machine and you can do it the right way.. whatever that is.."

That was 1981. I haven't looked back. (except for the fact that my ancient Montgomery-Wards "Signature" table-mounted sewing machine is currently on the fritz.. *sob*)

[SarDragon]

I bought some stuff called "Wonder Under" that you can get at Hobby Lobby for about $2 per yard, which should last you forever. You can cut the pieces to the exact size of the patch and then iron it into place with that stuff on the back. Then stitch the patch down to prevent it from getting washed off, or rubbed off with a pack strap, etc.

You can also get fairly strong transparent thread so you don't have to buy a different color for each type of patch border. As long as you make the stitches small enough (ie, the right size) you'll never notice the difference vs colored thread and it saves you from having to keep a stock of various types. Although I would suggest using a matching blue for the name tapes since they probably would stand out more.

That's how I did it in Boy Scouts back in the day.

If you use this stuff, watch the temperature of your iron. The thread is essentially light weight monofilament fishing line, and will melt if overheated.

[Stonewall]

1987 I joined CAP.  Mom sewed on my first set of name tapes and wing patch to my fatigues.  After that, she said "the next one is all you, son".

During the Fall school year of 1987 I enrolled in Home Economics.  I understand it's mandatory now, but it wasn't then.  I learned to sew and at age 14 my mom bought me a sewing machine.  Not only did I sew all my own stuff, but that of my fellow cadets.  I also started sewing gear together too.

Fast forward 4+ years and I'm living in the barracks as an Infantry dude in the Army.  Same sewing machine but a different uniform.  I did all my own sewing in the Army and again, I tooled around with modifying gear.  Still to this day I sew ALL of my own uniforms (now Air Force uniforms), but I have a newer machine that I bought in 2001.  First one lasted 14 years and probably cost about $45.  This one was about $90. 

My wife forgot about my sewing skills and had to go to the Navy base to have some rank sewn to her AF service dress and one blues shirt.  They carged $19.  That's almost 1/4 of the cost of my current sewing machine.  You do the math.  23 years of wearing a CAP, Army, police or Air Force uniform,  My guess is I would have spent at least $1,000 on sewing patches to uniforms.

[vmstan]

I bought some stuff called "Wonder Under" that you can get at Hobby Lobby for about $2 per yard, which should last you forever. You can cut the pieces to the exact size of the patch and then iron it into place with that stuff on the back. Then stitch the patch down to prevent it from getting washed off, or rubbed off with a pack strap, etc.

You can also get fairly strong transparent thread so you don't have to buy a different color for each type of patch border. As long as you make the stitches small enough (ie, the right size) you'll never notice the difference vs colored thread and it saves you from having to keep a stock of various types. Although I would suggest using a matching blue for the name tapes since they probably would stand out more.

That's how I did it in Boy Scouts back in the day.

If you use this stuff, watch the temperature of your iron. The thread is essentially light weight monofilament fishing line, and will melt if overheated.

Very true, forgot to mention that. Also another reason to do matching blue cloth thread on the tapes, where getting wrinkles out would be needed. I don't really iron that hard or hot on anything with patches.

[alamrcn]

1987 I joined CAP.  Mom sewed on my first set of name tapes and wing patch to my fatigues.  After that, she said "the next one is all you, son".

My mommy has does all my uniform insigna since joining in '89!
:clap:

[cap235629]

1987 I joined CAP.  Mom sewed on my first set of name tapes and wing patch to my fatigues.  After that, she said "the next one is all you, son".

My mommy has does all my uniform insigna since joining in '89!
:clap:

I met and married my wife when I was in the Army.  The first time I asked her to sew a patch on my uniform she set the tone for the rest of our marriage..... "I am not in the Army, you are. Here is a needle and thread..."

20 years later I still do ALL the sewing in the house and most of the ironing......