Last Merit Badges

5 Years Worth of Work
5 Years Worth of Work

I think the last time I sewed merit badges was almost a year ago. That can’t really be right, can it? Perhaps I just didn’t write about it.

The Young Man earned 5 merit badges since last May’s Court of Honor, a couple of them were at his last summer camp as a youth scout. The others he just had to work at on his own.

Eagle Required
Eagle Required

So, the other day, I sewed on 5 merit badges: Cooking, Personal Management, Space Exploration, Scout Heritage, and Citizenship in the Community. Three of the above were Eagle required. Most are really useful skills, though they still don’t have sewing. The empty spot is for the last merit badge. He has one more to earn before he can be an Eagle. He just has to do the paperwork and then he will get that one signed off. With luck.

Non-Eagle required badges
Non-Eagle required badges

These little pieces of cloth represent a lot of work and for a kid whose organizational skills make librarians cringe. It is amazing that he could get this far.

I know I should be saying this when he gets his Eagle, but I am so proud of what he has done so far that I just can’t help myself.

To make this more quilt/fabric related, I use the following to sew on the merit badges:

  • Aurifil #2600 for the  Eagle required badges
  • Aurifil #1231 for the non-Eagle required badges
  • Janome zigzag: 3.5mm width, 1.5mm length. You can go about 1mm longer on the length. I just don’t like the stitches to get beyond the border.
  • Janome clear applique foot

Author: Jaye

Quiltmaker who enjoys writing and frozen chocolate covered bananas.

9 thoughts on “Last Merit Badges”

  1. That’s a lot of hard work and dedication not only on his part but yours! I’m the proud aunt of an a Eagle Scout and I think there’s nothing better for a young man to be involved with. Congrats!

    1. We really struggle here with the political issues surrounding the Boy Scouts, but found that the program is really good for boy development, especially for a kid who is not a sports kid. He found a group to which he could belong and activities at which he could excel.

  2. I seriously believe that one of the first badges in scouting should be the learning to sew your own badges on badge. With maybe some suggestions for how to best order them on the sash or whatever they’re called. At the end there should be a special badge for the kid who sewed every single one on him/her self.

  3. I made my son sew his badges on himself, but I did most of the rest of the patches. In our troop, anyone who wanted a quality unit patch had to sit with me and sew it on their shirt themself. We also did patch sewing at summer camp. I agree there should be a sewing merit badge but I don’t think many would take it.

  4. You are right to be proud of your son. To become an Eagle Scout is an admirable achievement. Thank you for sharing your method of sewing on merit badges. I’m going to show your post to my grandson, who is also a Boy Scout, working his way up to Eagle.

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