Sew many badges!

I firmly believe that Leaders love badges more than the girls do. Sure the girls are excited and proud when receiving a badge for completing a series of challenges or attending an event, but it's not until you become a Leader that the hoarding begins. Suddenly events are being organised based on the fancy badge everyone will receive afterwards and websites are being combed through looking for that elusive badge you misplaced as a child. Not that I know anything about either of those things... 

In all seriousness, I do love my badges and reminiscing about the fun (and often mishaps) that occurred at the camps and events I have attended/organised. I have recently begun the labour intensive process of machine sewing my Guiding badges onto my wool camp blanket. For years, my badges were hand sewn by teenage me onto the polar fleece blanket my mother made when I was a Brownie. The fleece was soft and warm, but not great to wear when leading a campfire sing-a-long.

You'd think that sewing with a machine would speed up at the process but the awkward size of the blanket and thickness of the wool actually makes it quite difficult! It is taking much longer than I anticipated (i'm only one fifth through my stash!), but i'm really happy with how the blanket looks so far. 

A pile of badges waiting to be sewn onto my blanket

Here are some of the blankets i've been using as my inspiration:

Source: One Theological Cellist

Source: Port Noarlunga Sea Scouts

Source: The Jaspers

If you are thinking of making your own blanket, make sure to visit this How to start a camp blanket! thread on Guiders.co.uk. There is great advice and plenty of photos for inspiration!

E-patches & Crests also has instructions for 9 different styles of camp blankets! Mine is most similar to poncho #2.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What does your camp blanket look like?