If you've ever held a quality embroidered patch, you've noticed the distinctive rolled edge around the perimeter. That's a merrowed border — and it's one of the most recognizable features of a traditionally made embroidered patch.
What Is Merrowing?
Merrowing is an overlock stitching technique that creates a tightly wrapped thread border along the edge of a patch. It's named after the Merrow machine, developed in the 1800s, which revolutionized how fabric edges could be finished. On patches, merrowing creates a raised, rounded, color-matched border that frames the design and prevents fraying.
Why Merrowed Borders Are Used
The merrowed border serves both aesthetic and functional purposes. Aesthetically, it creates a clean, finished look that frames the design like a portrait frame. Functionally, it seals the raw edges of the embroidered fabric, dramatically extending the life of the patch and preventing the backing from fraying away from the embroidery.
What Colors Are Available?
Merrowed borders are available in virtually any thread color. The most common choice is to match the border to the patch's background or use a contrasting color for visual definition. Gold, silver, and white borders are popular because they provide clean contrast against most design backgrounds.
Alternatives to Merrowed Borders
Hot-cut (or laser-cut) borders give patches a sharper, more contemporary edge. Instead of the rounded stitched look, hot-cut creates a precise, almost die-cut edge. This works especially well for patches with irregular shapes — shields, stars, animals — where a consistent merrowed border would be difficult to achieve. PVC patches, being molded rubber, have their own sharp defined edge by nature.