HELP!!!How to Embroider premade Girl Scout Patches

My niece has asked that I embroider a blank "patch" for her girl scout troop. She supplied me with 12 individual blank patches (kinda oval shaped)....approx 1 9/16" W x 1 13/16" H. The blank patches have already been marrowed around the edges. I have never done any work with patches (premade or otherwise). I will be digitizing their design for the patch myself. I have a Toyota 850 embroidery machine. Do I have to use a needle of a particular size and will it make a difference if it is ball point or sharp? Since I am dealing with such a small space should I use something other than 40 wt thread? What can I use to hold such a small patch for embroidering (ie can I attach the patch some how to a fabric and then hoop it)? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated!

Another thing I'd advise is to make a template of ovals that are the size of the patch, just an outline. You could place several patches in one hooping.

What I do when I embroider Boy Scout blank patches is to have my outline pattern, then I place my design on top of it to make sure that it fits on the patch.

Lettering on small patches is tricky and I haven't found an alphabet that works and have had to hand digitize any lettering I used.

I did my embroidering on a Designer 1 and did not use a special needle or thread.

Heidi :)