Sewing on Girl Guide badges, aaargh!!

When our son started boarding school, I sewed about 100 tapes on his uniform, home clothes, sports kit etc.

It was not my favourite task.

At the risk of sounding extremely negative, these precious little badges which seem so important when you’re young, are just tossed aside when the child grows up.

How many of us grans on the DeCluttering thread speak sadly about cub and brownie jumpers, badges lovingly sewn on and preserved, and our AC are just not interested in keeping them.

I used a very strong thimble on my granddaughter's badges. Also found it easier if I sewed just inside the edging rim in a coordinating colour. Also found a large glass of wine helped!!

Surely the first badge you can get should be the sewing on badge badge.

The Beavers badges are dreadful - different shapes, some of which have to interlock. And they all have different coloured borders so you can't use the same thread for all of them. I suspect they were designed by someone who had never tried sewing one on.
The sweatshirts aren't often washed and the glue works well

Sounds like your granddaughter takes after her mother.😂
I take after my father, his family were tailors, he wasn’t but it must have been there in the genes! I sewed mine on myself, no use asking mum!

It’s my job to sew on my GD’s cub badges, I use a needle designed for leather, the badges are so thick nothing else goes through without too much effort.

AuntieE

Try using a needle designed for handsewing leather or suede if the jacket is that thick.

And the whole idea of those badges was the girl guides and boy scouts should LEARN to sew them on themselves!

Be mindful with leather needles……..some have an elongated triangular shank with sharpened edges……..just right for making unintentional holes on fabric or even cutting finger!

AuntieE

Try using a needle designed for handsewing leather or suede if the jacket is that thick.

And the whole idea of those badges was the girl guides and boy scouts should LEARN to sew them on themselves!

Yes, but the fabrics used to be just cotton or similar, and now there are two layers - at least on Gdd’s jacket - a fleecy synthetic under-layer, with with a smooth, rubbery-feeling one on top.

Try using a needle designed for handsewing leather or suede if the jacket is that thick.

And the whole idea of those badges was the girl guides and boy scouts should LEARN to sew them on themselves!

Oh don't - I am useless at sewing anyway, but I always get landed with sewing on my GS's badges, first for Beavers and now Cubs. I know just what you mean - some are really thick and hard to sew.

Yes, the embroidered badges are quite robust when it comes to sewing them on! From experience, any iron-on badges don’t stay put very long and still require stitching. Also, fabric glue doesn’t always wash well and for any scouting associated activities I would not advocate using it.
Perhaps I should start a business……..sewing on badges……..err NO!

Allira

Isn't there a Sewing Expert badge which can be earned by sewing on badges?

I dare say, but honestly, the thickness of the fabric made it a major effort even for a seasoned sewer like me. 🙁

eddiecat78

I had this problem a little while ago sewing on Beavers badges - which seem to be designed to be as awkward to sew as possible. I resorted to fabric glue which is sold by The Scout Store online - as far as I know, the badges are still in place

Fabric glue sounds good! Will investigate. Younger Gdd has recently started Beavers, so I dare say there will be more badge-sewing wanted soon.

I had this problem a little while ago sewing on Beavers badges - which seem to be designed to be as awkward to sew as possible. I resorted to fabric glue which is sold by The Scout Store online - as far as I know, the badges are still in place

Isn't there a Sewing Expert badge which can be earned by sewing on badges?

You can buy sticky velcro but whether it would work, I don't know.

At the bottom of my sewing box are some badges, probably gymnastics and swimming badges, which never got sewn on; they must be 40 years old