Any suggestions on how to make a patch similar to a girl scout merit badge. My friend's dad passed away and she wants a patch that says "Dad" to sew onto her wedding dress. Any ideas for stabilizers or starches, or what to do?

How stiff do you want the patch to be?

When making name badges I use a medium stiffness cut-away stabilizer, pin on the top fabric, stitch running stitch out-line of shape, embroider design, trim excess top fabric, add fusible to back (not sure if you need this or not, maybe just add another layer of cutaway stabilizer instead), run your outside satin stitch, and you are done.

YOU CAN BUY PATCH BLANKS, BUT I JUST USE A PIECE OF FABRIC WITH 3.0 CUTAWAY BACKING ABOUT THE SIZE PATCH I WANT, PUT "DAD" IN MIDDLE OF IT, THEN RUN A SATIN STITCH AROUND THE PERIMETER, TRIM AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE OR WHEN SEWING TUCK MATERIAL UNDER AS SEWN. HOPE THIS HELPS. IF YOU NEED NAME OF PLACE TO BUY PATCHES JUST PM ME.
THANKS AND GOOD LUCK
DONNA

I would take some tulle and stabilize it top and bottom with water solulbe stabilizer. There are different weights...I would use a heavy one. Do a heart outline and then put Dad in the middle...
After embroidery, wet till dissolved and then stitch patch to gown.

Does she want it to blend into her dress or stand out?
A little more information please :D:D:D

I really like the tulle idea from Tink.
I ended up digitizing a heart with Dad written in it. I used a sparkly white fabric with light blue embroidery thread. I used a cutaway stabilizer.
She didn't want it to stand out to much. I think she's going to put it on her train and be able to hide it in the bustle.
I might tell her about the tulle thing though. It doesn't take much to redo something like that.
Thanks for all of your help!

BTW, This idea also will work with organza. You can make some stunning snowflakes with this method.