How to Make Your Own Goalie Jersey

Note: this guide focuses primarily on goalie-cut jerseys, but the materials and techniques apply to standard jerseys as well.

Learn to assemble your own jersey and save up to 50%.  It's really not that difficult.  You don't even need to sew... all you need is a hot steam iron.

There are three simple steps to making your own jersey:

1) Get the blank jersey.
2) Get the crest(s).
3) Affix the crest(s) to the jersey.

GETTING THE JERSEY

First, let's talk about the blank jerseys.  There are a few brands out there, and CCM/RBK and Athletic Knit (AK) are the most popular, followed by SP, K1 and ProJoy.  They all fit somewhat differently.  For a nice comparison chart, do a web search for big stick goalie jerseys, and it should come up near the top.  Personally, as a tall goalie, I prefer ProJoy for fit, but they're rather hard to find, so I end up buying mostly AKs.  All of these manufacturers make one-color practice jerseys, if you're looking for something cheap and simple, as well as NHL-pattern jerseys, if you want to make yourself a replica (or outfit your team).

In the US, most online retailers carry CCM/Reebok goalie cut jerseys under the names gamewear, 15000 and uncrested jerseys.  One retailer which carries AK jerseys also offers free shipping to members of its mailing list a few times a month, which is a good way to save a little coin. 

In Canada, Goalie Heaven carries a good selection of styles and brands, and their employees are decent, considerate people.  Majer Hockey also offers blank jerseys here on eBay.  Some online team outfitters have minimum orders for blank jerseys, but many hockey retailers will sell you single jerseys.

8/2/2008 update: Twoices now carries blank RBK goal cut jerseys in the new NHL style, as do some giant online retailers. 

GETTING THE CRESTS

Virtually all of the crests you'll find on those $80 "custom" jerseys are readily available from other eBay sellers.  I have purchased crests from orionm31, ejunbo and vintage-classics, and recommend all of them for their professionalism, communication, and fast and fair shipping policies.  Of course, there are other sellers out there as well that may be worth a try.  Just do a search for leafs (crest, patch) , for example.  Most crests you'll find on eBay also have a heat-activated adhesive (basically hot glue) on the back, so they can be easily ironed on.  Stitching is optional.

One strong word of advice: make sure the crest you're buying is big enough!  You've seen some of the overpriced jerseys with tiny crests.  If you're buying a round crest (Islanders, Devils, old Canucks, etc.), an 8-inch crest IS NOT large enough.  Look for something at least 10 inches in diameter (for the circular part alone, not the entire crest).  If you're not sure, ask the seller first.  It's also a good idea to check the crest sizes on other jerseys if you have access.  Bring a tape measure to the mall or ice rink if you have to.

In addition, and this may seem obvious to everyone, but if you want your jersey to look good, make sure the crest matches the jersey.  Don't put a white Stars crest on a black jersey, for example.

Another method I've used is buying small, stained or torn jerseys, and removing the crests myself.  The best jerseys to use are Pro Players (the chest crests are easily removable), but they've been out of production for a while now, and are getting harder to find.  Recent (from the last 6-7 years) CCM/Koho/RBK jerseys work fine as well.  The upside to this method is that you can be sure you'll be able to find the chest crests and shoulder crests.  The shoulder crests are often missing on the goal cut jerseys you might find on eBay.  The downside, however, is that you'll need to either stitch or glue them on yourself.  Gluing is a bit easier.  As for myself, I use a combination of the two.

And finally, you don't need to limit yourself to hockey crests.  Check out the breweriana section, or put your favorite car or NFL/CFL/NBA/MLB logo on your jersey.  And there are thousands of other patches in the crafts section.

APPLYING THE CRESTS

For crests that you buy via eBay, ironing should be sufficient.  I've got several jerseys with crests that I never got around to stitching down, and they've held up through their share of practices.

Placement is important.  Because of the adhesive involved, you won't be able to remove and reposition the crest once the glue has taken hold, so you've got to get it right the first time.  Remember that the crest doesn't go exactly in the middle of the jersey - it goes on the chest, not the belly.  The best way I've found is simply to look at eBay listings of the same jersey.  You can also tape the crest on lightly, put on your C/A, put the jersey over it, and look in the mirror to check for proper positioning.

Once you're sure you've got the right spot, warm up your iron to medium-high or high, with lots of steam.  Start moving the iron around the instant it touches the crest.  On crests with metallic thread (such as the 'Bigfoot' shoulder patches on Avalanche jerseys), make sure there's a little steam on the surface before the iron touches it, because some metallic material can actually melt.

It is also very important to avoid creases and wrinkles when applying the crests, especially with circular crests, and especially on older ones.  Start in the middle and work your way outwards.  After a few minutes, turn the jersey inside out and work from the other side.  Turn it back, hit the spots you missed, let it cool on a flat surface, and you're ready to go!

If you're using crests that you've removed from another jersey, you'll first need to apply hot glue to the back.  You can get a cheap hot glue gun for about $3 at any hardware or crafts store.  Make sure to use the clear sticks.  When the gun is good and hot, squeeze out a small line of glue about 1cm along the back inside edge of the crests.  Then, use the side of the nozzle to smooth out the glue into a thin layer.  If you're planning to stitch the crests down, leave about 5mm space between the glue and the edge.  If you just want to iron it down, spread the glue all the way to the edge.  Add some glue in the middle to prevent the crests from puffing up, then iron it on as you usually would.
 
Also, if you're using the hot glue method, be very careful about washing your jersey in hot water or putting it in the dryer.  Different glues have different melting points, and you don't want to see your new jersey fall apart on you.

Here are a few finished products. Both cost less than $50 each, including all shipping. Notice the Blackhawks crest is much larger than the ones you see on the ones that go for $80.  I've worn both on the ice, and the ironed-on chest and shoulder crests stayed in place just fine.


Well, that's about it for now.  I hope someone finds this helpful.  I'll make changes as need be, making corrections and updates, and adding pictures, links (where allowed) and so on.