Starfleet Command Halloween Costume Iron-On Patch

The Starfleet Command insignia at about 4 by 4 inches — a full square, and larger than most people picture when they think of a chest badge. That size is deliberate: on a costume it needs to read from a distance, and a 2-inch version of this design would disappear.

Costume placement

The convention is left chest, high, roughly where a shirt pocket would sit. Four inches square is big enough that a couple of inches of drift is obvious, so hold it in place, look in a mirror, and mark the top corners with tailor's chalk or a pin before you commit. On a costume that gets worn once and photographed a lot, placement is most of the result.

The costume-fabric warning

Ready-made costume tops are almost always thin polyester or satin. Both glaze under a hot iron and the shine is permanent. If the garment came from a costume shop, assume you are sewing this one. If you are building on a cotton or cotton-blend shirt, you can press it.

Other surfaces

Cotton, cotton blends, denim and cotton canvas all bond properly. Nylon, coated fabric, leather, faux leather and vinyl do not — sew those.

Applying it

Iron the area flat, position the patch, cover with a thin cotton cloth, and press in overlapping sections with firm dry heat — four inches is wide enough that one iron placement will not heat it evenly. Cool completely, then stitch the border if the costume is going into storage and coming back out.

Care

Inside out, cold, gentle, hang or tumble low. No bleach, no softener. Press from the reverse only.

Questions we get

Is 4 inches too big for a chest? No — it is sized to read on camera and from across a room.

Will it work on a costume shirt? Sew it. Costume polyester and irons do not mix.

More fan designs? See the pop culture collection.