Tear off a piece of tape  and roll it into a loop with the sticky side out. Place the tape in the back of the patch. This will keep the tape in place as you sew the patch on. You will remove it before you finish sewing the patch.  You can use scotch tape or masking tape, but do not use double-sided tape. It will be too difficult to remove. Alternatively, you can lightly mist the back of the patch with spray adhesive. You can place the patch on the front or on the back. If you are using spray adhesive, you may have to wait a few seconds for the glue to get tacky. The benefit of sewing by hand is that you can make a hole in the lining for your hand to fit through. Use a seam ripper to undo the stitching on the lining close to where you placed the patch. Make the hole big enough for your hand to fit through. Skip this step if your vest does not have a lining, or if removing the stitching will ruin it. Choose clear thread or thread in a color that matches the outer border on your patch. Make sure that the thread is 100% nylon or polyester. Do not use cotton thread of any kind; the tannin in the leather will degrade the cotton over time. Once you thread the  needle, knot the thread.  Leather needles have a specific point. Rather than having a conical shape, they have a triangular or pyramidal shape. You can find the needles and the thread in craft shops and fabric stores. Push the needle up through the back of the leather and out through the front of the patch. Try to get the needle just inside the embroidered border of the patch. It does not matter where you start sewing, but it might be easier to start in a corner.  Use a thimble. Leather needles are designed to pierce leather. The delicate skin on your finger is no exception. If you weren't able to undo the lining, start sewing from the back of the patch. This way, the knot won't be visible.  Keep the lining smooth so that it doesn't wrinkle. Place the needle on top of the leather, right next to the outside edge of the patch. Push the needle back through the leather, then pull on it to tighten the stitch. You have just completed your first whipstitch.  You can also make a running stitch instead by bringing the needle back down through the patch, just inside the border. Whether you choose a whipstitch or a running stitch is up to you. A whipstitch may be visible on the border, but a running stitch may be visible inside the border. Continue to whipstitch around the patch until you a third of the way done. Keep your stitches tight, small, and close together. Skip this step if you used spray adhesive. Once you have sewn a third of the patch onto the leather, stop. Slide your finger through the gap under the patch. Hook it around the looped piece of tape, then pull the tape out. Skip this step if you used spray adhesive; there is nothing to remove. Continue to sew around the patch using the same stitch as before (whipstitch or running stitch). Make your last stitch on the inside of the vest (back of the leather). Knot your thread securely, then snip off the excess. If you didn't undo the lining, knot the thread to the first stitch that you made. Cut the thread as close as possible to the knot. Knot the end of the thread, and push the needle through the back of the lining and out the front, as close to the folded edge of the seam. Sew the 2 seams together using a ladder stitch. Knot and snip the thread when you are done. Skip this step if you did not undo the lining.

Summary: Place a piece of rolled up tape on the back of the patch. Place the patch on the vest where you want it to go. Unstitch a gap in the vest's lining, if needed. Thread a leather needle with 100% nylon or polyester thread. Push the needle up through the leather and the patch. Push the needle back through the leather, next to the patch. Whipstitch a third of the way around the patch. Slide your finger under the patch and remove the tape. Finish sewing the patch and knot the thread under the leather. Sew the lining shut using a ladder stitch.


This method is similar to the “sticker method” in that the tattoo application area should be clean. They are similar in that you need the skin to be clean and dry to get the sticker and the polish to adhere to the skin. Dry the area well before moving on to the next step. You can use a stencil if you need to, or you can make one with a sheet of paper as mentioned above in the “sticker method.” Make sure your design is neat when you apply it. Remember your tattoo will take the exact shape of the nail polish, so be exact. Don’t use a clear polish because the light will still shine through, but beware of using a polish so dark that it stains your skin. Try using an opaque shade that doesn’t stain your nails. Hopefully, it won’t stain your skin either. You don’t want the sunlight shining through the polish and tanning the area designated for your tan tattoo. Hang out inside for a bit while the polish dries. While you are waiting for your tan tattoo to appear, go relax in the sun. Read a magazine. Sit by the pool, or sleep for 20 minutes. Don’t touch the nail polish in case it is tacky; it will smear and mess up your design. Peel the nail polish off after tanning, and your simple tattoo design will appear.

Summary: Wash and dry the area where the tattoo will go. Paint a design onto the skin with nail polish. Let the nail polish dry before heading out into the sunshine. Go tan in the sun.


In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. When the mixture boils and the sugar is dissolved, remove the pan from the heat. Set it aside and let the syrup cool for about an hour. As the syrup cools, remove the lid from the juice and orange peel mixture. Prepare a fine-mesh strainer by lining it with cheesecloth and placing it over a clean bowl. Strain the juice through the cheesecloth to remove the orange peels and spices. Discard the peels and cloves. You can also use a disposable coffee filter to strain the mixture if you don’t have cheesecloth. When the syrup has cooled to room temperature, pour it into the bowl with the strained orange-infused juice mixture. Add blue food coloring in five-drop increments, stirring with a long spoon after each addition. Continue adding color until your blue curaçao reaches the desired shade of blue. Clean the mason jar that you used to infuse your orange base. Once all the ingredients have been combined, return the blue mixture to the mason jar. Cover the jar and return the mixture to its cool and dry spot. Leave the mixture to settle for another 24 hours. This final rest will allow all of the ingredients and flavors to properly marry and combine. After 24 hours, you can transfer the mixture to a pourable bottle. Clean an old glass bottle with soap and water to remove any residue. Rinse the bottle and let it air dry. Fit a funnel into the neck of the bottle and pour the blue curaçao from the mason jar into the bottle. Once the blue curaçao is in a pourable bottle with a tight-fitting lid, it’s ready to enjoy. You can drink it on its own, on ice, or in your favorite drinks and cocktails. Screw on the lid tightly and store leftovers in the refrigerator for about two months.
Summary: Make a simple syrup. Strain the juice. Combine the juice, syrup, and food coloring. Let the mixture rest for a day. Transfer to a bottle. Serve and enjoy!