Merit Badge Sash

[Bob White 20]

Laura7,

You might refer your troop committee to the Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures manual and the the Scoutmaster Handbook where they explain that awards are not to be held until the quarterly COH, but are to be given to the scout ASAP. The pocket certificates can be held and presesented at the COH.

 

Making a scout wait for months to recieve a recognition is too long.

 

Bob White(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[eagle1971 10]

New member to the site. GREAT INFO! I do not want to be of the select group of "uniform police" but I must express my frustration with the way patches are placed and uniforms are worn. I didn't realize that while a young scout how much of what my troop taught and did for me still remains today as far as discipline, guidance, courtesy, etc. When a scout I thought at the time when the scoutmaster of troop required uniform inspections it was the end of the world. My mom took care in where the patches went and kept the uniform looking sharp. Today, my son has been involved with a troop that seems to have everything going for it. Excitement, adventure, camping locations that I only dreamed of as a kid. We have been in this troop for one half year and I'm ready to pull my hair out as far as uniform/patch placement. I didn't think I was that anal about it until I was at an Eagle BOR and the scout was asked why his sash was folded over his belt. Very intelligent boy, but his answer was "I don't know how to put it on". I showed the boy trying to be compassionate with his honesty. But what has happened to parents or scouts being aware of parts of the uniform or patch placement? We have boys in the troop, Stars and Lifes that are wearing their mile swim patch on the lower portion of the right sleeve. I know I have been out of scouts for a while, but this is ridiculous. I know it starts at the top with the scoutmaster as a role model, but how can the discipline be put back in the troop as far as how to wear the uniform/patches without stepping on so many toes? With templates provided in the scout handbook or off the internet, how can so many (other troops also) miss the big picture of what the uniform stands for? I do not want to embarass the boys because they have rightly earned their badges. As an Eagle, the uniform represents all that I learnedand achieved in scouting. Where do I begin? or do I?

[FScouter 24]

Start by wearing the uniform correctly yourself. Then encourage your Patrol Leaders' Council to hold periodic uniform inspections. We did one last night and gave a prize of a new orienteering compass to the boy closest to being perfect. Oddly enough, or not, the winner was the new kid that turned 11 last week. He reminds me of the boy in the Norman Rockwell picture, "Can't Wait".

[eagle1971 10]

FScouter, that would be easy to show by example. I am on the advancement committee and un-uniformed.

[frank10 12]

Eagle1971,

Don't let that hold you back, Go to the scout shop, pick your self a Committee Member patch, your Eagle knot, council strip and troop numbers and start sewing. About half my Committee wears full uniform (Including me).

 

Only thing is if your going to wear it do it every time not just when you feel in the mood.

 

John B

Comittee Chairman

T115 Naugatuck, CT

OnMyHonor.com

[LauraT7 13]

Bob White:

 

'Awards' - are those Merit Badges, or just Rank Advancements?

 

Personally, I would agree that it is not right to make a boy wait for his recognition.- even tho I know that alot of badges would get 'lost' if they weren't given out at COH and turned over to mom for safekeeping until sewn on. What i would really like to see, since the patches ans badges have to be ordered, anyway - is to have them given out, when the order comes in, say, once a month. if the troop got into a habit of ordering regularly, parents would be used to seeing the boys bring home badges periodically. I try to encourage each boy to button their patches and stuff in their shirt pocket when they get them. that way they are always with the shirt. Once, i DID wash Jon's shirt with all the badges and cards in the pocket. they did get a little mushed, & fused together, but they are still (mostly) readable. the badges themselves were fine.

 

One thing I AM surprized at, is the lack of sewing skills in the average family. I can understand boys not knowing how to sew on patches - many young boys don't have good fine motor skills, anyway. But i would think the moms could do basic sewing, and they can't! i see patches stiched on with heavy quilting thread - wrong colors, THROUGH the plastic backing instead of using the borders(OUCH on your fingers!) - then there's various glues and iron-on tapes. YUCH! Patches are too heavy for the heat of an iron to make iron on tape work very well, and glues often mess up the fabric - messy if you ever have to move or replace a patch. And how many boys have their patches sewn THROUGH the shirt pockets?

 

A really EASY way to 'baste' any patch in place is to use a regular desktop stapler. The staples hold well and can be pulled easily if you need to re-arrange the badge or patch. once they are arranged satifactorily and stapled in place - you can then handle the fabric, manuver and turn it to get the stitches neatly around the edge. Once they are sewn on - you can pull the staples. Much easier than pins than often bend in those heavy backings! and no gluey, gooey mess!

[Fat Old Guy 11]

Back in the day, sewing was an important skill. Today, with disposable clothing, it isn't.

 

I was taught to sew patches on as a youngster. I've done enough of them that once I have one tacked in place (I use the stapler too), it only takes a few minutes of actually needle work.

 

I am shocked by the lack of sewing skill shown by parents and professionals alike. One of our Scouters sent his shirt to the tailor with an inspection sheet for placement. The tailor used BLACK thread to sew every patch on.

[Bob White 20]

LauraT7,

By "award" I mean any receogmition due the scout. In order to avoid los and to help with sewing we position the award on the uniform with a safety pin when we present it. that way the scout is wearing it from the moment he receives it.

Hope this helps,

Bob White

[AnneinMpls 10]

Hehe, I thought I was kinda cuckoo using a stapler, but it really does work great! Holds everything very nicely in place in the sewing machine. I set the zigzag stitch to fairly close together and the width to the same width of the border. If you've got a good color match, the stitches disappear into the border. My friend Cathy & I used to sew our badges on by hand while riding the overnight train to Munich - got our uniforms spiffed up on our way to the conference. Thimbles are fabulous if you're hand-sewing, but the sewing machine is soooo quick. (Not so great for sewing patches to pockets though...) Also, if you've got problems with sashes falling off the shoulders, you can sew a snap at the shoulder seam of the corner of the sash, and the other end to the shirt just under the collar. Or use a nailgun...

Peace out,

Anne in Mpls

[Bob White 20]

LauraT7,

By "award" I mean any recognition due the scout. In order to avoid loss and to help with sewing, we position the award on the uniform with a safety pin when we present it. That way the scout is wearing it from the moment he receives it.

Hope this helps,

Bob White

 

PS

Leeson learned, never post in the wee hours of the morning when you are having trouble sleeping:).

 

[SM406 10]

We use the clear or invisible thread for sewing on badges. It saves alot of time and expenses searching for the right color thread.

 

SM406

[Fat Old Guy 11]

I haven't tried nylon thread (clear) in at least 30 years. Back then, it had a bad habit of melting when a hot iron hit it or breaking in the dryer.

 

[rlculver415 10]

Current monofilament thread (nylon thread) is thinner, therefore more flexible - not quite like sewing with fishing line anymore. Being thinner, it does tend to stretch if you pull the stitches too tight. It also doesn't melt at easily as before, as long as you don't use a super hot iron. Well, that would also melt the poly/cotton fabric of uniform shirts also (and who needs to iron a sash?). Actually, it is my preferred thread for patches and hemming. I do a ton of sewing and alterations for scouts, band, etc., and am a dab hand at fine hand sewing but not real skilled with machine sewing.

[SM406 10]

Fat Old Guy,

 

We have not experienced any problems with the clear thread either. It has survived the dyer and ironing with out a hitch for several years now. I would recommend you give it a try the next time you have a need.

 

SM406

 

[buffalo2 14]

Real men sew all their own patches - and are particularly proud when they don't go through the pocket! I have a tough time threading and knotting that clear thread so have accumulated a lot of colors over the years...

Instead of using staples to tack things in place try hat pins - those big faces anchor patches pretty well and they're Scout-friendly. Perhaps a bit of a challenge on square knots and the like but definitely eases the process.

How do we motivate our Scouts to learn this lost art? Ive been known to repair things on campouts but that doesn't always get it - amazes me that these guys can lay out elaborate web sites and plan Philmont treks and still can't sew a button (or won't?)