Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Vests vs. Sashes, Badges vs. Patches, and General Patch/Pin/Uniform Tips

This is a general post about vests, sashes, badges, patches, and pins. And how to make sense of it all, and how to make it all fit. If you have a suggestion, or if you have tried one of the suggestions here and had a different experience than I did, please post a comment! Hope some of this might help.

Note: This covers Daisies and Brownies, but the gist is the same for upper levels. You'll have to ask your council or Google for specific patches/badges for upper levels. 


Which to Buy: Tunic or Vest (Daisies)?



Some of the girls who wore tunics said they weren't comfortable (especially putting them on and taking them off). But all the ones who wore vests said those were fine. One little girl had a growth spurt mid year and her tunic was obviously too small. Another had a growth spurt and her vest was shorter, but still fit fine. One girl had the smallest sized vest they make, and it was huge on her.

While I personally like the look of the tunics better than the vests, in terms of the Daisy badge designs (petals), I think the vests are more accommodating in terms of comfort, so that's what I recommend. Doesn't matter to me though if the parents or girls choose a tunic instead. It's up to them. But when it comes to sashes . . .

Which to Buy: Vest or Sash (Brownies and Up)?

Vest! Definitely buy the vest, if you can afford it. Someone asked me recently why I'm so adamant about recommending vests over sashes.

Here's a picture that pretty much sums up why I'm not a fan of sashes:

This is an absolutely adorable, precious little Girl Scout, and I love her bunches. 
And her mom tried, really she did. But this sash? It's a hot mess.

So here it is, in no particular order, why I prefer vests over sashes:
  • Vests are more comfortable for the girls to wear, typically.
  • Sashes twist and "roll" around (front to back and vice versa), so you often have to literally pin it to the shirt to keep it in place. (Also, holes in shirts, ugh.)
  • Insignia tabs on t-shirts? Not terribly handy (yes I know, they should technically be wearing their white polo-style shirts, but we meet right after school on art day. I'm not sending my child to school on art day wearing a white shirt. Sorry. Not happening). 
  • Having the insignia already attached to the vest solves the never-ending issue of WHERE DID THE TAB GO? And prevents pins from getting lost or destroyed in the washer/dryer accidentally.
  • Vests hold more patches, period. They just do.
  • Sashes don't work as well on short torsos, in my experience, because they tend to be long (though why GSUSA doesn't give us a "Tall" option for vests, I haven't a clue. They totally should. I really shouldn't complain though. At least the vests aren't as short as they used to be).

Randomly Googled image of old-style Brownie vest. Look how short it is!

Still, sashes are cheaper. A LOT cheaper. And some people don't mind the pin thing. And some girls prefer the look of a sash. I think for a lot of folks though, the cost is the bottom line, especially if uniforms are paid for with troop funds. But in our troop, parents typically pay for uniforms (councils vary on financial assistance with uniforms. Check with yours).

So while I encourage my parents to purchase vests, on occasion we do have a child show up in a sash. And that's fine! Though it pains me to see any uniform with patches, pins, and badges all mish-mashed together. So I tell my parents that I am VERY HAPPY to help with patches and uniforms if they have questions, or need assistance. As a result, I often sew on patches and badges for my parents. I'm cool with that. I like to sew.

And frankly, I'm just thrilled when the girls are in uniform at all, honestly. But it's tough enough finding room on the back of a vest for all the fun patches we earn (we have a LOT of service unit events). I can't imagine trying to make it work for a sash. 

I've had other leaders tell me their girls chose a sash, then by the end of the first year in Brownies, the sashes were full, so they had to buy a second one.

The cost of one vest is still more than two sashes, though. If money is an issue, get the sash. You can make it work. But in the end, a vest is more accommodating.

Another randomly Googled image of two sashes, criss-crossed. Wonder what the front looks like?

So there you have it. It's just my personal opinion. I don't require my girls to be in full uniform. I encourage them to wear a white shirt and khaki bottoms with their vest or sash for formal events, but a vest over everyday clothes is plenty for me. Thank goodness there are no uniform police. ;) 

And in the end, as with everything, you do what is best for your troop. If your parents cannot afford vests, but can afford sashes, by all means go with a sash! Just be prepared to get creative.

Badges Versus Patches

The difference between a badge and a patch is this: Badges are official, and level- and/or council-based. They go on the front of a vest (or sash). These typically have steps that must be completed to earn them.

Patches may be official (council), they may also have set guidelines to complete in order to earn, but they go on the back, with other fun patches.

What are Fun Patches?

Fun patches fall into a couple of categories including:

1. GS-related, general (no participation required; these are pro-GS type patches)
2. Activity- and/or event-based (participation/attendance typically required)
3. Independent (any requirements determined by troop and/or leader)

See this post for more info, including my personal take on fun patches in general.

The bottom line is fun patches go on the back of the vest, or somewhere else completely, but never on the front of a vest or sash. If you run out of room on the vest/sash, you can put patches on a backpack, satchel, hat, sweatshirt, jacket, blanket, etc. I've even seen people put them on the back of their Build-A-Bear GS bear. :)

You can also put official badges on a blanket or something as a keepsake, after your daughter has moved up. I've seen pillows and quilts made from old vests, and blankets made from patches sewn onto the fabric. There are great ideas all over Pinterest on what to do with old vests. Or just use Google for some inspiration.

What About Council's Own?

These can get confusing, because oftentimes there are steps that must be completed to earn one, yet it's not always an official badge. Sometimes it's just a fun patch that happens to have "official" steps for completion. But sometimes it is an official badge (steps required), and goes on the front.

Ask your council before working on its patch, to make sure you know where it goes.


World Thinking Day?

Yep, it's official, as long as the requirements for earning it are completed. Stick it on the front, per GSUSA.


What About Retired Badges, Like Try-Its?

Yes! These are still official, earned badges, even though they're retired and not sold in most council stores any more. These badges go on the front of the vest. It's okay to have Legacy, Cookie Business, Financial Literacy, Skill-Building, and Try-Its all mixed in. It's entirely up to you. As long as they're on the front, and were earned, they're fine. 


So Where Do The Official Badges Go on a Vest, Exactly?

Typically, Legacy and Cookie badges go on the same side as troop numbers. Journeys go in their pre-arranged design on the same side as the insignia tab. Skill-Building typically go under the Journeys. Try-Its can go on either side, mixed in or separate (depends on where you have room). But the Journeys start up in the middle-ish area on the insignia tab side. Overflow Legacy, Skill-Building, etc., go beneath on the same side.

What About the 100th Anniversary Pin?


There are several views on this pin, so I called GSUSA and asked. Keep in mind that even that isn't the "final" word on it, though, as I bet if I called back and spoke with someone else, I might get a different answer. ;) However, this is as official an answer as I could find: 

The 100th Anniversary pin is worn by girls or adults who were members in 2012. For girls, the pin goes on the front of the vest, above the insignia tab (not on the tab itself). If a girl was a member in 2012, she may (according to the nice lady at GSUSA) wear her pin on each vest, as long as she likes. So, just like the membership stars, JGL Birthplace, and cookie pins, etc., the 100 pin can be moved up with each new level/vest.

Supposedly only those who were members in 2012 can wear this pin.

Daisy 30th Anniversary Pin?




2014 marked the 30th anniversary of Girl Scout Daisies. GSUSA released a limited edition pin to mark the occasion. This pin is official, and is worn in the same place as the 100 Year pin, if the girl was not a member in 2012, or beside the 100 Year pin if she was. Any registered GS may wear the Daisy Anniversary pin on the front of her vest. However, they are very hard to find! Check with your local council shop, search online, and try eBay if all else fails.

This pin, like the 100 Year one, can be moved up with new levels.

There are also 30th Anniversary patches available to mark this occasion. Any GS may wear this patch on the back of her vest.

The official where to put stuff picture; doesn't have everything, but it's a good reference

JGL Birthplace Pin . . . what is that?

This pin is an official pin that may be worn by GS members (girl and adult) who have toured the JGL house in Savannah, GA. It is to be worn beneath the membership stars, according to the little handout we were given at the Birthplace. However, there wasn't room on my daughter's vest for it to go there, so instead we put it under her troop number, because there was space beside the membership stars. 

Ignore the upside-down membership disc thing. I could use a glue dot to hold it in place but eh.

It used to be that this official pin, and the Friendship pin, which can be worn by those who did not tour the JGL House, were to be worn beside the troop numbers, rather than beneath them. I imagine they changed it because so many troops have longer troop numbers now than in years past. 

Anyway, The JGL tour pin is official, and can be moved up. The current version is the one with the daisy on it. The JGL gate (far right in image above) is the current Friendship pin. Traditionally this is worn for one year, then passed on to another GS, or retired and worn as a casual pin not on the vest (stick it on your shirt collar!), or worn on the back of the vest after it's been worn on the front for one year. I'm not sure what the history is behind why it is only to be worn for a year, but there you have it. Isn't it pretty? I love the gate design.

Edit: Please note, pins on the back of vests can be uncomfortable when you lean against a chair. A good compromise to not wearing "unofficial" pins on the front is to wear them on the collar of the white polo shirt worn underneath the vest.


Adult Uniform and Pins

Speaking of JGL pins, adults should wear the JGL (and/or Friendship) pin across from insignia tab (opposite side of shirt). So if you're looking at the adult uniform shirt, the tab is on the right. The JGL pin goes on the left, under your name tag if you have one.

The 100 pin goes above insignia tab (if you were a GS member/volunteer in 2012). Volunteer level pin (like this or this, etc.) goes beside the 100 pin. Both are pinned directly to the shirt, above the insignia tab.

The insignia tab looks like this:

An old picture of my adult uniform shirt and insignia with pins

I actually found my original membership pin recently (that's my original WAGGGS pin from the 70s in the picture above), and replaced the newer one with my original (totally legit to do this, by the way). Also, I need to get an SU bar but I keep forgetting. If you have two bars (the yellow is my leader bar), you can put one atop the other. Typically the leader bar goes above any other bar, because "service to the girls comes first." But if you have lots of bars, you may wear only two (one above the other -- not side by side) on the insignia tab. If you aren't wearing a tab, you may wear two bars side by side.

More info here.  

Used to be that the Volunteer pin went on the same side as name tag (opposite the insignia tab). Not anymore. It now goes above the tab. You can choose a level-specific Volunteer pin, or the generic Volunteer pin. Since I have Daisies and Brownies, I wear the generic Volunteer one.

EDIT: Some councils are retiring the generic Volunteer pin, I've heard. Grab one now before they're gone!

I have a Friendship pin from way back when too. It is not the same as what you find now at JGL Birthplace. It was something you could buy from GS and it was worn on a shirt collar or lapel, not on the actual uniform. I wear mine on my uniform shirt collar, on the same side as the name tag.

Stock image found via Google. But mine looks very similar. It's about the size of a dime.

Name Tag? I Want a Name Tag! Where Do I Get One?

Check your council store. If they don't have them, go to eBay. That's where I found mine. 

Name tags are not required. Check your council for your "official" uniform. Ours is navy polo, WAGGGS and membership pins, and khaki bottoms. Some are fancier. Some are not.

I Have My Great-Aunt's/Grandmother's/Random Relative's Gold Award. Can I Wear It?

Did you earn it? No? Then can you wear it as an official pin? Technically, no. As an heirloom? I vote why not (in an altered form; for instance, you could have it made into a pendant or a ring, if it's real gold). Again, there are no uniform police for Girl Scouts. However, the Gold Award should technically only be worn by those who've earned it (there used to be mother pins, as I recall -- oh yeah, here's one -- it's a miniature version; I can research those a bit more if anyone's interested).

If I'd earned the Gold Award, I'd wear an antique, real gold pin if I had one. But I didn't earn it. And I don't have one. If I did, I'd save it for my daughters, in case one of them earned it. I wouldn't have it turned into a pendant or ring. I'd keep it, as is, in case I one day had an heir who liked old stuff as much as I do (and happened to earn it).

What About Patches and Vests for Leaders?

Wouldn't it be great if leaders had vests too? While GSUSA does not officially sanction an adult vest, there are some available at various councils online. Some leaders might not like the idea of "girl-specific" badges or patches going anywhere but on a girl uniform, but (just to play devil's advocate) aren't we paid members too? Don't we earn them as much as the girls? Still, I can understand both sides. I'll leave it up to you. Personally, I think a vest would be far more easily identifiable in terms of "I am a Girl Scout leader" than a scarf or a polo shirt. 

But that's because I'm more of a vest kind of gal than a silk scarf with business suit person. Your mileage may vary, obviously. ;) But I think it's good for leaders to wear some kind of GS-related clothing when attending troop meetings. (I wear lots of GS t-shirts to our meetings.) And again, check with your council for what to wear on formal occasions.

Here's one site that carries leader vests.

I don't have a vest. I have a vest now! I ordered it from this council shop. I love it. So do my girls! (Please note, these vests seem to run large.)

I still have my First Aid backpack that I bring to all troop meetings and events. And it is covered in fun patches (and I also have some badges I earned as a Brownie on there. It is absolutely FINE -- according to the nice lady at GSUSA -- to display patches and badges you earned as a GS on a backpack or a jacket or whatever. They're yours. You earned them!). Some leaders have jackets or sweatshirts they put fun patches on. Some think it's perfectly silly and don't want to bother with it at all. It's entirely up to you.

EDIT: I've kind of started collecting patches (ha!). I'm thinking I'm going to end up with patch blankets for my daughters . . . and me. Scroll down for more info on blankets.

I would have bought a vest if I hadn't already started putting them on my backpack. Check with your council, if you want to wear a vest. 

Here's one awesome looking leader vest, though, for those who are interested:

 
She puts fun patches on the back, too!

Enough About Adult Stuff. My Daughter's Vest Is FULL! What Do I Do Now?

If you cannot rearrange badges so they all fit, then you might just have to buy a sash or second vest. Technically, as I understand it, all sashes/vests should have the required troop and council identification patches on them, even if it's a second one. Check with your council.

However, one clever poster said she purchased a sash (same material as vest), then clipped the seam, and sewed it around the bottom of the vest to extend the vest length. I'm pretty sure somewhere someone might fuss about making alterations to the official uniform, but as far as I'm concerned, Juliette Low would be proud. After all, the first Girl Scouts made their own uniforms. 

Fun patches can be layered, or overflow can go elsewhere. Scroll down for more info.

EDIT: I had planned to eventually turn my daughters' vests into quilts. Or something. But I've since decided to go with a "patch blanket." See the next section for details.

Check out this gorgeous quilt someone made:

Randomly Googled image. Isn't is pretty?

Here's another one, where they added the vests, too:


You can tell a lot of love went into these!

But if you don't want to go quite that far, you can just stick with patches, on a patch blanket.

What Is a Patch Blanket?

A patch blanket is a great alternative for girls who prefer sashes, or who like to collect souvenir fun patches, and/or when a vest is full. Typically the blankets are full-sized (at least 50"x60" or larger; I would go with a full-sized blanket if possible, or at least a twin-sized). While fleece is a popular material, many of the "anti-pill" types of fleece fabric tend to be thinner, and not as warm. Thicker fleece will pill over time, even if washed in cold on delicate (the friction caused by other materials in the wash can contribute, even the friction of patches on the blanket can cause pilling as well). So a good alternative is sweatshirt material. You can find sweatshirt blankets at many sporting goods stores, or even Amazon, but they aren't cheap. Or you can purchase sweatshirt fabric and make your own blanket.

Sweatshirt fabric is typically a cotton/poly blend, with the cotton layer on the outside (where you'd put the patches), and the poly fleece on the inside.

My suggestion would be to get either an anti-pill fleece, double amount of fabric (so you can sew a back onto it when the blanket is full), and don't worry about any pilling, or buy sweatshirt fabric (you could double this as well if desired later on).

The best thing about a patch blanket? You can take it to camp! :)

Here is one blog entry about a family who created patch blankets.

That is one impressive collection of fun patches!

The key is to remove the old patches from previous vests (if desired), and basically play Tetris as you go with the blanket. I always hand-stitch patches now, because it's so much easier to remove them.

Keep in mind you do NOT want to iron a patch on a polyester/fleece material. It can melt the fabric! So if you're not great with sewing, definitely use a cotton (or blend) fabric instead. Adding adhesives can make the patch areas stiffer though, so plan on using a separate piece of material (or second blanket the same size) as backing.

EDIT: Another option for extra patches is to create a vest "cape." I found a picture! See below. One very clever leader who bought a second vest for her daughter, clipped off the front pieces, and sewed the top back/neck area to the top back/neck area of the original vest. This created a blank cape (additional flap of material over the back of the vest), so she can add more fun patches on it. I love it! Such ingenuity!


Yay! Here's a picture. Clever mom!

Okay, So How Exactly Do I Remove Fun Patches from a Vest/Sash?

If it's just stitched on, turn vest inside out and carefully snip the thread holding it in place. Be careful not to cut the fabric. Older badges like Try-Its have edges that fray easily, so be careful when pulling the them off. 

If it's ironed on, or if you've used Badge Magic, turn vest inside out, put a washcloth between it and your ironing board (otherwise a patch can stain your board cover fabric), and iron the inside back of the vest for about 20 seconds or so to melt the adhesive. Flip the vest over, and the patch will peel off. However, it will likely leave adhesive residue behind. So. . . .

I Pulled off the Patches to Rearrange Them and There's a Nasty Glue Residue! HELP!

Despite what Google says, do NOT use fingernail polish remover on your vest. It will destroy the fabric. Ditto with Goo-Gone and WD-40. Do NOT use these products on the vest. They will leave behind an oil-based stain that is worse than the white adhesive residue. The Badge Magic site recommends something called "Goof-Off" but I have never tried it. If you have tried it and it worked and didn't leave a residue, please leave a comment below to let me know! 

Instead of trying all kinds of science experiments with the vest to remove residue, sew the patches where you want them, and remove all pins (including tab) from the vest. Then take it to your local dry cleaners. They will be able to remove the white sticky residue (whether it's from Badge Magic or just the iron-on backing from the patches). There may still be an outline or impression from where the patch was originally placed, but it will look ten times better, and likely won't show up in pictures.

When it doubt, let the professionals handle it.

And this is why I pretty much no longer iron on patches at all. I hand- or machine-stitch everything now. I hand-stitch all the fun patches, because it's easier to pull out those threads if I have to play Tetris with the vest, than it is to remove machine stitches. But machine stitches are good for patches that are right next to each other evenly, like troop numbers. See below for more info.

Some Helpful Hints About Badges and Patches, and Getting Them to Stay Put

If you only iron them on, there's a good chance they'll fall off. I don't care how carefully you iron them on, some of them just fall off, especially if they've gone through the wash a few times. The best solution in my experience is to sew them on. However, not everyone likes to sew (if it's a case of not knowing how, Google is your friend. There are tons of intro tutorials on YouTube as well). Your local dry cleaners will charge you per patch to sew them for you (and there's no guarantee they'll put the patches in the right place, plus some charge $2.00 or more per patch, which is more than a lot of the patches cost in the first place!). I'd ask around and see if there is someone in your troop or service unit who might be willing to do it cheaper, if you cannot.

Don't like to Sew? Here Are Some Adhesives

Badge Magic and similar adhesives can work better than simply ironing something on (and can be easier, especially if you get the pre-cut kind), but typically this stuff isn't cheap. And it can leave behind some serious residue, if you ever need to move a patch. Your local council shop will likely carry this product, but you might also be able to find something similar (but less expensive) at a fabric or craft store. The idea is to stick the patch on the sheet, peel the patch plus stickied bit from the sheet, stick the patch on the vest, and toss in the dryer (remove pins first!). Do NOT iron on Badge Magic. It mucks it up and the patch will fall off. Here are some specific directions. 

Whether you're ironing or using adhesive, wash the vest first. It will remove any fabric treatments and make it easier for sticky stuff to stick.



Fabric glue is messy. And in my personal experience, doesn't work any better than just ironing the darn things on. But I have friends who swear by it. Maybe I'm doing it wrong. . . .


But in the End, Sew It on. Here's Why:

So, what is my preferred method? Glue Dots and thread. Oh yeah, and a needle (and thimble. There are some thick patches out there!).

 +

Why the Glue Dots? They're so much easier to hold a patch in place than using a pin. I don't iron on hardly any patches at all anymore. I cannot tell you how many times I've had to pull off a patch/badge and move it, to make more room for others. My youngest daughter is a brand new Daisy, and has already been working on some independent fun patches for her vest (JGL Birthplace visit, etc.). When my eldest started Daisies, I put LOTS of room between fun patches, because I had no clue how many she'd earn. 

Now I know better: I start at the bottom of the vest (both my girls have long hair), on the far left side next to the seam, and put a glue dot on the back of the patch, then hand-stitch around the patch. And I put the next patch right butt-up-against the first, and continue on until I hit the seam on the right side, then the next row begins with edges against the bottom row. No space at all in between the patches if possible. Otherwise I'd have to pull them all off and redo, to make room next year. (Love that last-minute "Oh yeah, I forgot about saving room for the cookie donation patch and look, it's ginormous! Yay. . . ? Oops" moment. It's like Tetris for grownups.)

But if you prefer to iron on your patches (either before you hand- or machine-stitch them, or just in lieu of sewing at all), you can use a glue dot to hold it in place first. That way when you flip it over to iron the back part, it won't scoot off to the side. The glue in the glue dot will melt into the fabric (just like the adhesive on the back of the patch can do) so use a piece of fabric (I use an old baby washcloth, because it's thin and small) between vest and iron so you don't get glue on your iron. The dot will leave a mark on the fabric if you have to move it later. But it's not a huge mark (I use the minis), and it's easy to cover up with another patch if need be. (But be prepared, even with the added glue from the dot, over time the patch may start to lose its adhesion if all you did was iron it on.) 

Glue Dots can also melt in the dryer, but it's not going to make a mess. At worst, it'll leave a small dark stain on the inside of the vest. No one sees the inside anyway though. Thankfully. ;)


Check the bargain bins at your local craft store. But trust me, Glue Dots are so great for so many things (the mini ones are tough for little Daisy fingers to handle though -- go with a larger size for craft use), you won't use them just for keeping patches in place.

Some people like to use flat irons (hair straighteners) to iron on their patches. That is so cool! But I'm not sure how it works once you get to the middle of the vest. I bet they'd work well for sashes though. I haven't tried it (successfully). Worth a shot if you have one though. 


Be careful when using a machine to sew on older patched though, like Try-Its. They tend to have frayed edges, and a zig-zag stitch might be great! Or it might be a mess. I hand stitch those carefully. You can also use clear fingernail polish on the edges (before sewing, obviously), so I've been told. Try this at your own risk. I haven't a clue if it works.

I'd be inclined to try this first. Haven't tried it though. Let me know if you have (or another de-fray trick) and if it worked! 


Keep in mind, too, if you're using a sewing machine, that some patches have very thick border edges. I actually broke a needle once trying to sew through the edge. Do not do this. Instead, pick a color thread to match the background of the patch and sew on the thinner portion next to the border instead. Or use transparent thread. Here's one mom's experience with it. Adjust the tension on your machine as needed. Experiment with an old patch on spare fabric first.

See? That's one thick outer edge there. I'd hand-stitch that sucker, personally.

Some people layer their fun patches on the back of vests/sashes (please don't do this with official badges on the front though). They sew just the top edge of the patch, then another above on top of it, but graduated, like flaps or fish scales. Or they overlap the patches as a whole so the edges don't show on some. Obviously this doesn't work well if you're ironing them on. 

An example of overlapping fun patches

When it comes to fun patches, you do what works. But trust me, if you're planning on doing a lot of activities and service unit/council events with your troop, you'll want to start at the bottom, put them as close as possible, and go from there.

Ditto for badges on the front, too. Don't start at the top, near the bridging rainbow. Start at the bottom inner seam of the vest and move up.

It's okay to turn an official triangle badge upside down to make it fit, if there's no writing on it. BUGS, for example, is a good one to turn upside down if need be. But only official, earned badges should go on the front. Everything else goes on the back.

Start them on the bottom, right by the hem and inside/opening seam. 

Some people like to make designs with the triangles. That's fine (see Try-Its image). But if you're working on more than a handful, better to start at the bottom and go out and up. There is no rule about how they fit (except the Journeys are designed to go in a set pattern, if possible).

What About Pins?

A quick and easy trick to keeping pins secure is to take a very small piece of felt and place it behind the inside of the vest, between the vest (with pointed pin part stuck through vest and felt) and the clasp. Helps the clasp grab more securely if there's some kind of bulk to the fabric (which there isn't a lot of in typical GS uniform pieces). 


Or if you want to get really creative, you can superglue the felt to the back of the pin itself (stick pointy bit through, and glue it just next to the pointy bit, so there's some room left for stitching), then sew the felt part to the vet itself. Put the back clasp on, and ta-da! It might not fall off. Or you can glue an additional piece of felt to the back clasp, and sew both pieces of felt to the vest. 

Or something.

That's a lot of work. So I have not done it. I've found that the one tiny piece of felt, just stuck in between the vest and the clasp, works just fine.

Some people just superglue everything. I'm lucky not to glue my fingers together, so I avoid this when possible. ;)

Do NOT use a glue gun though. That's just a hot mess. HA! Literally. It is. Glue Dots are your friend.

Anyway, for the WAGGGS and membership pins on insignia tabs, don't worry about adding felt. Just pin them through the tab AND the vest, too. That typically adds enough bulk for the clasp to hold on tight.


All this is moot, however, if you happen to get a lemon for a pin. If you end up with one of those pins whose pointy bit breaks off when someone sneezes, just take it back to your council store. They should replace it free of charge.

Also, ALWAYS check your pins when buying for your troop. Especially higher awards (Bronze, Silver, Gold). Make sure the clasps work. The last thing you want is to discover a pin is faulty, in the middle of an awards ceremony.

Edit: I've since purchased locking pin backs (you can find some really good bulk deals on eBay, but Amazon carries them too). And they are far superior to any other pin solution, IMO. Well worth the money, especially for those irreplaceable pins. It won't help if the pin breaks, but it will help it stay on the vest far better than the regular pin backs provided.

So there you have it! Everything you ever wanted to know about uniforms and what goes on them. Hope that helps. 

Next Up: No idea. ;) Stay tuned! I'm sure it'll be fabulous.





163 comments:

  1. Just wow!!! Thank you so much for all the info and tips!!!
    I love reading your blog and really appreciate all the insight and suggestions you give! It is such a blessing to me ( and my girls)! I did my first year of leadership last year as my daughter's Daisy leader and this year I'll be doing Brownies (she bridged) and Daisies. This has been a wonderful resource for me! And a huge inspiration! Thank you and God bless!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for all of this information. My daughter just finished her first year as a Daisy and I still haven't put any patches on because I'm afraid of screwing it up. And I love the "it's like Tetris for adults". LOL

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  3. This was a lot of great info to read and pass on to my parents - thanks so much!

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  5. Things have changed a little bit from when I was a Girl Scout, so this information was super helpful! My daughter wanted the vest over the sash that the troop picked out. Now it is time to get the patches on and I will use your wisdom! Thank you!

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  6. I love the glue dots idea! Will be trying it next time!

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  7. So glad this post has been helpful! When I first started leading, I didn't even know the difference between a badge and a patch (and honestly, there may be early posts where I've used the wrong term). But that's okay. It had been over 30 years since I'd earned any badges, and even the most seasoned leaders can get confused over things like placement and retired items. Plus, the guidelines change throughout the years (for instance, it used to be that "Daisy Girl Scout" was the recommended title. A couple of years ago that changed, so it's now "Girl Scout Daisy." Does it really matter, in the end? Nah. I don't think so (unless you're talking about official, printed information, in which case please stick with GSUSA guidelines). But anyway, I wanted a comprehensive post containing as much info as possible regarding uniforms and patches/badges. If I left anything out (like the patch blankets -- I added that recently), please don't hesitate to let me know! As always, if I don't know the answer, I'll find it for you. :)

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  8. Is there any reason why one couldn't sew on the yellow insignia tab on a daisy uniform? At least at the top? The pin seems like an accident waiting to happen with 5-6 year olds and keeps popping open and off of my daughter's tunic. I'm ready to take the pin part off and just hand sew the top of the tab onto her tunic so we don't lose it or stab her.

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    1. You absolutely can sew it on. I've never had a problem with that pin (now, cookie pins? Those I've had issues with. But anyway), and one of my moms did just that. Feel free to do so especially if the pin is defective, though your council should replace it if so. Basically do what works for you. There's nothing wrong with sewing it on if you need/want to. :)

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    2. When I was charging my phone at National Convention (really, chaperones? Take my phone and not charge it?) I put my vest on top so I could find/it wouldn't get picked up. Chaperones called (yes, we're still in a meeting!) and I had to hurry and pick my stuff up. An hour later I looked down, no tab. Good thing it was right where I dropped it! That happened 2 times after that as well!

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  9. I agree about the vests vs. sashes. The girls in sashes are always tugging on them and there isn't enough room on the front for the earned things and certainly not enough on the back for fun patches.

    To make the vests even better, my troop sews a small hook and eye closure on the front to keep the vest from sliding off slim shoulders or flapping in the wind while running.

    I've found locking pin backs to be invaluable. You can find them on ebay - just search for "Disney locking pin backs". Since we've switched to using them, none of the girls in the troop has lost a single pin. Before, we would find at least one on the floor at every meeting. Adding a layer of something behind the pin helps too and also helps keep the pins from spinning upside down. You suggest a piece of felt, we use a little square of craft foam.

    I machine sew all of my daughter's patches. I use invisible thread on top and a contrasting thread on back so it's easier to unpick later if needed. As you said - no one sees the inside!

    As for patch placement, I have these suggestions:
    On the Daisy vest, put ALL of the Journey badges on the troop number side of the vest. Trying to squeeze any Journey badges under the petals and leaves just looks awful. The World Thinking Day and Global Action badges fit easily above the Journey badges.
    On the Brownie vest, put the WTD and GA badges under the Journeys, on the membership tab side of the vest.
    On any level vest, put the My Promise, My Faith pins, the Safety Award pin, and the Cookie Activity pins on the same row. Having the Safety Award pin off-center, on a row by itself is a waste of room and just looks silly.

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  10. Do safety award pins move up when a girl moves to a new vest (Junior safety award on Cadette vest)? Do summit pins move up?

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    1. Yes. Safety, Summit, Cookie, and My Faith pins all move up, if there's room and the girls wants to continue wearing them.

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  11. I have a question for the group, I was shopping online at the GS Shop and found a pin called the USGS Overseas Pin. My two daughters participated in the Girl Scouts troops located in Germany for a few years. I know from the website that they are qualified to wear the pin however, there is no information given on where to place it on the uniform at all. Can someone please help out this frustrated father.

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    1. I am digging to find you an answer! Will post as soon as I have official word. Stay tuned! :)

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    2. It goes on the same side of the vest as the troop numbers, directly beneath any membership star pins she has. If she doesn't have any membership star pins, place it underneath the troop numbers.

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  12. can you wash the girl scout sash or vest?

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    1. Yes, just remove all pins first.

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    2. will patches fall off in the wash?? my daughter got cupcake icing on her vest after her first meeting!

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    3. There is a good chance some of the patches will fall off just over time. Washing and drying it might speed up the falling off process, but it's pretty much a given that most of the patches WILL fall off on their own. That's why I strongly recommend you stitch them on with thread. :) Please do wash your daughter's vest -- just remove all the pins first. Personally, I would stitch the patches in place before washing, so I don't have to go searching for any lost one in my laundry.

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  13. Where on the front of a brownie vest does the World Thinking Day patch go? And they are first year brownies, if they earn it next year - do they wear both? replace one? I can't seem to find much information on this.

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    1. It can go on either side, on the front, towards the middle/bottom portions of the vest flaps (basically anywhere underneath the pins, etc.). Yes! You can earn this award yearly. They change the design each year. So don't replace it. Add to it. :)

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  14. I've gotten locking pin backs for my the pins on my daughter's vest. We got them at Disneyland. They were designed for those people that pin that pin trade but they work great for Girl Scout pins too. We haven't lost one since I started using those.

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  15. can you provide a link to the locking pin backs?

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    1. Do a search on eBay for locking pinbacks. They're typically brass (or similar metal) with an Allen wrench type "key" for locking.

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    2. I recently purchased some that don't require a tool, and they worked great! Covered the pin portion completely. They were like these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-PCS-Top-Quality-Locking-Pin-backs-Pin-Keepers-NO-Tools-Required-/201048315075?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ecf69d4c3

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  16. Great information thank you!! Any clever ideas on where Moms can put the patches we earn? Adult patches

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    1. Yes! Do you have a daypack you take to camp? Put patches on it! Or a GS baseball cap? That would work too. Or a camp blanket. I've seen some volunteers with denim jackets decorated with patches, as well. One parent has a fleece vest she wears with patches on the back. Hope that helps!

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  17. My troop has earned a council fun patch (they had to complete many steps to earn it) It's called Home Means Nevada. They are receiving it at the bridging ceremony, Can they put the patch on the back of their new Cadette vest? I hate to have worked so hard for it, purchased it and then have it never be seen. Thanks!

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    1. Yes! There's no hard and fast rule regarding fun patches. If it were an official Council's Own BADGE (front of vest) that would be different. "Official" badges should be worn on the vest representing the level the girl was when she completed the requirements to earn it. However, fun patches can be worn on any vest, if desired, as long as they are on the back.

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  18. Just stumbled across your wonderfully informative posting. I was a Girl Scout back in the 60-70s, served as a leader in late 70s and again in early 90s to early 2000s as my daughter's leader for a number of years, and now work with my granddaughters. This is the first time I have seen all of this information, clearly stated and most importantly - all in one place!

    The only things I can add are: Fray check does keep the edges of badges and/or patches from fraying. It does not discolor even after laundering and or ironing. It does make the edges a bit stiffer, but not so much that it can be easily noticeable.

    Hands down, the vests are preferable over sashes for all of the reasons given above. My first troops predated vests (and Brownies at that time did not earn awards other than membership stars). At that time there were very few, if any 'fun patches' available. Even so it was not uncommon for a girl to fill the front and back of a sash with only official badges and awards. When the vests were first made an option, I was so excited to have them for the girls, I sewed vests for the entire troop! (Yep at one time you could buy the official fabric and make your own.)

    Thanks again for sharing all of this information. Much easier to read it all, than spend decades figuring it out on your own.

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    1. Yay! I love hearing of former GS members who become leaders. And how wonderful that you were able to do it for your daughter and granddaughters, all! Thanks for the info on Fray Check, too!

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  19. My daughter just bridged from daisy to brownie...I thought the bridge to brownie patch did not move up, but at the ceremony today I saw one of the older girls had it under her brownie wings...is she right? Also, my daughter was only a daisy for a few months. She would get her membership star 1 year after her being in scouts, right? So if you start your first year as a daisy but end that year as a brownie, which disk do you put on the star? I would think it would be daisy because that is how she started the year, but putting the brownie disk would also make since because that is how she is ending it...so totally not sure.

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    1. Daisy vests should never have a bridging rainbow on them. The bridging (rainbow) badge is given to girls in Brownies and above for completing the bridging requirements prior to moving up. So a first grader in Daisies would need to complete the steps to earn the bridging badge in order to wear that rainbow badge on her new Brownie vest. All girls who are Brownies should receive their wings when they "fly up" to Juniors.

      Technically only girls who were members the year before receive the bridging badge and/or wings. So your daughter can earn the bridging badge for her new Brownie vest, and when she "flies up" to Juniors, she will automatically get her wings. She will have to earn the bridge badge for Juniors (and up) though.

      The bridging badge is for completing steps as a last year Brownie, prior to Junior, and has different requirements than the one they earned when bridging from Daisies to Brownies. And so on. The rainbow you saw is different (slightly) than the one your daughter can earn, if it was being worn on a green Junior vest.

      A Brownie vest should not have wings on it, but can have a rainbow bridge on it.

      Does that make sense? Post if not.

      Re: membership stars and discs, technically a girl can receive a membership star simply for registering. She doesn't have to do anything special to earn it. If she registered as a Daisy, she gets one star and a blue disc behind it, to show she was a GS Daisy. Discs and stars move up. Patches and badges NEVER move up to a new vest. Pins typically do (with the exception of level-specific membership pins, so a Brownie wouldn't wear the gold-colored Daisy pin. She would wear the golden Brownie pin).

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    2. Also, to clarify about the stars (because it is confusing!): some leaders give stars at the beginning of the year. Some wait until the end of the year. A membership star can be given to a girl as soon as she registers. She doesn't have to be an active member of the troop for any length of time. She only has to be registered. Most troops run their membership year from fall to fall (so it begins with the school year, roughly). So your daughter can join Daisies in spring, receive her membership star with blue disc, and "bridge" (move up) to Brownies in fall. She will receive a second star with green background to show she was a registered Brownie, at any time during her second grade year. But in order to wear the rainbow badge on her new Brownie vest, she should've completed the requirements for it. I hope that helps. Let me know if not.

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  20. Hi there, my brand new troop is discovering that our 5 digit troop number is so long it bumps into the daisy petals. What's you opinion for dealing with that? Bump the entire daisy flower over a little? Thanks!

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    1. I would move the petals down and either stitch the leaves out a bit, so there's room for the bottom petal, or stitch that petal slightly over the leaves, like a real flower. :) I would not move the entire Daisy off-center on a tunic, personally.

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  22. This is a question I can't find the answer to anywhere. I'm a leader. I earned my silver award, but never my gold. I still think its a great accomplishment. Can I wear it where I'd wear the gold award?

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    1. You absolutely can wear it, if you earned it! The Bronze, Silver, or Gold Award can be worn on the right side of the adult uniform in line with membership pins or on regular clothing. The miniature pin can be worn on regular clothing. I will double check to make sure this is accurate. But ANY award pin you received as a registered Girl Scout -- whether Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Adult Volunteer Awards, etc. -- can be worn as part of your adult uniform. Wear it with pride! Good for you for earning it! :)

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  23. Our daisy troop number is six digits so that it doesn't fit all in one row on the vest at the top left corner (it ends up under my daughter's armpit). Can I stack it in two rows of three numbers? Other suggestions? Thank you!

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    1. Are the first set of numbers specific to your council or service unit? If so, I'd leave off those numbers and use only the ones identifying your troop. Or I would overlap the six patches slightly, to make all six fit. (The edges can be easily overlapped if you stitch them on, instead of ironing. Use glue dots in the middle of each to hold it in place while you sew them on.)

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  24. Thanks for answering my other question...so you said pins carry over but not badges? So if my daughter earns the promise faith pins for year1 and year2 as a brownie-do those carry over? What about the brownie safety pin and brownie cookie pin?

    I was just wondering since I saw you mention pins. I went ahead and got my daughter the membership star/disc. Since she was a Daisy for a few months I decided why not. I was only wondering since she joined in the summer and only attended one event (they went dark over the summer) and when I paid for her Daisy year they had a deal where you got the next year free so I was not sure if that meant she really was not a paid member for the first year. I did make sure she earned her Daisy to Brownie bridge though so I thought, "hey she attended one event and earned her bridge so I am buying the star". No one said anything to me after putting it on her vest so I think we are all good.

    The real reason I am popping back on here is to discuss earning a badge twice. Can you? My daughter has been in dance class for four years now. When she became a brownie I looked at the dance badge requirements and realized that with the proper documentation we could totally earn that in a week on our own. So we did and I turned in all my documentation etc. They then presented it to her at the troop meeting on Tuesday (so proud-her first badge). Now I just found out that the troop has voted to earn the dance badge as a group in December. So can I buy an extra one and have two on her vest? Or are the badge police going to arrest me? My daughter does not care that they are earning it as a group but I thought it was unfair that now she is not going to get one when the troop gets one. I thought I could just sew an extra one on there and be done with it. I thought-hey she earned it twice so she should get two. Am I wrong to think she can have two? Besides it seems that they may have only voted on it because my daughter earned it and it was "cool". I don't want a pattern where each badge we earn together as a family then turns into one she earns as a troop.
    That is why I decided to work on the promise faith pin and safety pin next since the troop will probably not earn that one. Then I was thinking of maybe working on the create a badge next so she will truly have one of her own that they don't have!

    What do you think? Am I being overly annoyed that they voted to earn the badge she just finished so she does not get one. Is there a rule that says you can't earn the same one twice?

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    1. I am not a leader, but I was a Girl Scout who earned a number of badges through other extracurricular activities and sports and those badges were later earned by my troop. It really wasn't a big deal and I didn't find it unfair that I didn't get a second one. If your daughter doesn't care, why do you?

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    2. Yes, the pins carry over, the only pins that do not are membership pins that are level-specific (I'm talking about the gold-toned Daisy and Brownie pins that she wore on her insignia tab). Save them, of course, for nostalgia purposes, but these do not go on the insignia tab for later levels. Regarding earning an official badge twice: the official answer is no. And I would not purchase and sew on a duplicate official badge on my daughter's vest, personally. However, I would absolutely get a fun patch for Dance (or whatever) for the back of the vest, if she worked on something twice. In the future, ask your leader to let you know ahead of time if there are badges that your daughter might wait on earning independently. I always tell my parents to contact me before completing independent work on official badges, if we may be working on them as a troop. The Brownie Try-Its are another option for you. Check online resources to see if there's one that could fit the current Dance badge. That way your daughter can have two official badges (Try-Its are retired but still considered official) for similar things, without having two duplicate badges.

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    3. So I can sew any fun patch I want? I might look into getting her something that is just for Dance then so she has "something" to look forward to when the troop does it. Actually, I did ask the leader and was told they were going to work on the World of Girls Journey this year and the badges that go with that. So I thought I was ok with doing Dance on my own. I was told that they might do badges outside their journey this year if the girls all voted on doing it. So I thought it sort of sucked that she earned the Dance badge and THEN the other girls all voted to do that one too. But I like your idea of a Dance fun patch or Try-Its.

      So even though they are retired, they can still earn the Try-Its? As long as I can find the patch then I can go ahead and earn it? That is something we might want to look into. Is there a resource I can buy that has all the Try-Its listed?

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    4. Search for Try-Its book on eBay. There are always some for sale there, usually cheap. I love the Try-Its! You can also find the badges on eBay as well, oftentimes. I'd touch base with your leader and let her know what you're planning to do. It sounds more than fair to me. :) I cannot imagine she would have any issues with a Try-It or with a fun patch, so whichever is easier for you to get. Hope that halps! Let me know if not. (I don't attempt Try-It's on a troop level because I have too many girls and it's hard to find bulk badges at a reasonable price, but I encourage Try-Its as independent work for my Brownies,)

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    5. I thought Try-Its were retired and not able to be earned anymore. Do I need to get permission from my counsel or troop to do them since they are retired? I think that is the way to go so I know my daughter won't get in the habit of earning ones on her own that later she earns as a troop. I ordered a book on e-bay for $4 so score! So I put them on the same side of the badges or just anywhere that fits or what?

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    6. Ok, so I see that they are put with the badges, sweet! I guess I can reach out to the counsel if I have to.

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    7. You do not need special permission to earn a retired badge. As long as it is a badge that was designed for the level your Scout is currently, and she completes all the steps, and you can find an actual badge for her vest, it's fine. :) Your council will not have any new ones in stock. If you cannot find any on eBay, there are several GS leader groups on Facebook where you can buy/swap badges and patches, let me know if you have issues finding what you're looking for.

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    8. Thanks for your help. I called the counsel yesterday and was happy. They said buying a dance fun patch was a great idea so my daughter has something when the other girls earn the dance badge. They also said that you don't need permission to earn a retired badge, just do the requirements and submit them and that is it. They were really nice and supportive and happy I was a mom who wanted to work with my daughter and they said they could help me get any patch I needed. Then I told the leader in charge of our brownies and she is not happy. She said it is not fair for my daughter to have patches that others don't. She said that other moms don't work with their daughters on badges and she does not want jealously or others to be upset that my daughter has patches that the other girls don't. How that is my fault I don't know. Just because other moms use the meetings as a reason to have a free babysitter for a couple of hours and don't want to do anything additional to earn badges should not hold my daughter back. Somehow I think that is not fair but whatever. I guess I don't want my daughter kicked out of the group so I guess we probably won't earn anything on our own unless I just say screw it and do it anyway. We will see, I don't know if this is a fight I need to take on-my daughter likes the girls in her troop. Thanks for your help though.

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    9. Oh no! Oh dear. Your leader needs to be encouraging independent work, and know it's not a competition. It's about helping give these girls life skills in many areas, but ESPECIALLY in leadership. And independent work is a key step in this, in my experience. Your daughter can NOT be "kicked out" of the group. She is a paid member through the end of September 2016. I am, frankly, a bit appalled with her attitude. I could understand being a little displeased if your daughter showed up with the back of her vest covered in nothing but souvenir patches. But this is entirely different. She really needs to be encouraging the girls to earn any badge they wish independently, especially if it's something they aren't working on as a troop.

      Here are your options: contact your council again and tell them the leader says your Brownie is not to be earning badges or fun patches independently -- look for a new troop for her (again, with council's assistance) -- or start your own troop. It sounds to me as if you have what it takes to be a leader; the only question is would you have the time? The last option (which might be the best one, unless you have her in that troop because her friends are in it, etc.) would be to register as an Adult Member yourself, fill out your council's Volunteer information (which includes having a background check), take the leader training (all of this should be free, except the Membership fee), and have her status transferred out of that troop and listed as an Independent (or "Juliette" as we call it where I live). Then you are her Adult Advisor, and she is able to work on anything she likes independently.

      If you choose this route, check with your council first to ensure it goes along with their guidelines (there are national guidelines, but every council is a little different), before you pull her from her current troop.

      She can still do everything any other GS can do (sell cookies, earn awards in later levels, etc.) and participate in your service unit's and council's events, etc. But you aren't restricted by one leader's bad attitude.

      Regardless ABSOLUTELY contact your council, or your service unit manager. This leader's attitude is frankly, horrible, and completely counter to what she needs to be focusing on for Brownies and above.

      Please let me know what you decide, and if I can help in any way.
      -TLM

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    10. Here is one council's take on being a Juliette Girl Scout: http://www.girlscoutsrv.org/juliette-girl-scouting/

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    11. I am sorry if I sounded a bit upset. It was in the heat of the moment right after the counsel told me great things and I texted the brownie leader that made me feel bad. I decided to keep her in her troop. I know if sounds strange to make that decision but that is where her friends are and in the end it is all about my daughter and her experience. If she is happy and I just don't like the leader-who cares as long as she is happy. I also decided that I am not going to earn any more of the "regular/current" badges since the leader said she is going to work on those and I don't want my daughter to keep earning ones that the troop then decides to earn and then my daughter is the odd one out. I did decide to buy a dance fun patch. I know the leader won't "present" it to my daughter but when I see the other girls earn their dance badge then I can later give the fun patch to my daughter. I don't care what the leader thinks about that because the counsel already told me I could buy whatever ones I wanted and encouraged me to buy the dance one. I also decided to go ahead and slowly work on the retired badges that I KNOW the troop won't work on. If I earn a occasional one here or there then we should be ok. It was only the head of the brownies that has a problem. I am part of a HUGE troop that has a main leader and then sub-leaders and the main leader did not have a problem at all when we earned the dance badge. She actually passed around my daughter's dance booklet that had all her pictures/proof in it and everything and made a big deal of it. So I will see how things go from here...

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    12. No need to apologize. We've all been there! I'm relieved you found a good compromise for the situation. I understand about wanting to keep her with her friends, absolutely. Good luck to you and your Brownie! :)

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    13. So I got on e-bay today and bought about a dozen retired badges so I am so sure the leader is going to be pissed at me. I am not even sure if I am going to complete them all with my daughter but I picked the ones that were "fun" and had cool things to do or projects we could do together. So I guess I am ready for battle. I got charged up again when I saw that HER daughter earned a patch on her own and that two other girls earned a patch on their own and all their girls' pictures were on the troop facebook page. I took a picture of my daughter when she was presented the badge at the meeting and this leader "liked" my photo but it was not shared onto the troop page like the other ones (even though my daughter was the first). I am wondering if there is something else going on but whatever. I just KNOW I should not feel this way, but I do.

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    14. Are these official badges that the other girls are earning, or fun patches? On the one hand, from your description, it sounds as if the leader is being a bit unreasonable. On the other, as a leader, I always want a heads-up if any of the girls in my troop are earning official badges independently, and what they did to earn them. Not because I have a say in whether or not they CAN earn them independently, but because I want to ensure they are completing the steps required (which can vary, and I'm all for varying things to fit my troops' needs). Does that make sense? I would touch base with your daughter's leader and inform her that your child has chosen a list of retired Try-Its to earn, and you have the book listing the requirements.

      Ask your leader if she would like your child to present the steps she took to earn them, in a troop meeting.

      I have no clue why your leader isn't encouraging girls to earn things independently, but there clearly is some tension/conflict here, which could impact your daughter's experience negatively, IMO. I'd reach out to the leader in the spirit of "So we can avoid any issues like we had with the Dance badge" and hopefully move forward without any tension.

      Good luck! And hope your daughter enjoys earning her badges! I love the Try-Its. They are fun. :)

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    15. I will just do one at a time and see how it goes...I won't do so many to the point where it creates a negative experience for my daughter. Thanks for the advice.

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    16. My daughter earned her first Try-It (over November-January). I turned in the requirement proof/documentation. The patch was given to my daughter today in the meeting. Before the meeting I had a discussion with the troop leader about the mom in charge of the brownies and she agrees with you/me. She is happy that my daughter is working on things and is very encouraging about earning on your own. So also loves how I put my documentation all together and everything. So I told her today about the next two Try-Its that we are going to be working on and she is very encouraging about them. Thank you for all your help. I am a goal setter and I am trying to teach my daughter how important goals are. I like working on badges on our own because it allows us to set a goal and then do all the requirements for that goal.

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    17. Congratulations to your Brownie for all her hard work, and way to go, Mama, for all your support! I'm glad your efforts were so well received.

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    18. Check in to council's own badges. Many councils have badges they have developed and girls from other locations can earn them.

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  25. This is a great post, very helpful! Our older daughter is a new Daisy. I was a Daisy in the mid-80s when it was brand new, the tunic was the only option, and Daisies didn't earn badges or patches. As a Brownie and onward I always had a vest rather than a sash because my mother (our troop leader) found vests much more practical for girls to wear and they definitely offer more space for badges and patches.
    Most of the girls in our daughter's Daisy troop wear the vest rather than the tunic - I think only one girl has a tunic. We got her the vest and the person at the shop told us to wash the vest before trying to attach any of the insignia and recommended ironing on to position everything, then machine or hand-sewing to actually secure it all. I was planning to machine-sew everything, but I love the idea of using glue dots for positioning and hand-sewing so badges/patches can be moved more easily later if needed.

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  26. Thank you for all this information! It's been very helpful .:)

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  27. If a junior earned badges and then bridged to cadette the next meeting, can she place those badges on her cadette vest? or is that a no-no?

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    1. Official Junior badges go on the front of the Junior vest. However, if they were fun patches (the ones that go on the back of vests), it's fine to put on the Cadette vest. But keep in mind the Cadette vest is worn for several years, and will likely fill up. I'd put them on the Junior vest regardless, personally. But official level-specific badges always go on the front of the vest for the level they belong to. Let me know if that makes sense. :)

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  28. My daughter is part of a troop, but I have a friend whose daughter is a Juliette so I am asking for her. Can a Juliette pick her own crest and wear it or does she have to be a member of a troop to have a crest?

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    1. Oh, the main reason she wants to know is because she wants to leave a space for the crest just in case they decided to join a troop later and thought it would look weird without "something" in that space.

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    2. Hi, Karen. :) Independent GS (we still call them Juliettes in our area too) from Brownie level and up are welcome to choose a troop crest for themselves, however....

      The troop crest is supposed to represent the troop as a whole. It isn't just a filler badge. If she joined a troop, she would take on the crest of that troop. I don't see anything wrong with her having one if she plans to remain an independent, but it sounds like she doesn't.

      This badge is to be chosen with intention and understanding that it is not only a representation of the troop (or in this case, the individual), but it's also a constant goal. It is supposed to move up with the troop, and like troop numbers, be with the troop all the way through the upper levels. (Some troops that change in terms of membership, etc., will opt to choose a new crest when they bridge. That is not the way it's "supposed" to be, but it's absolutely understandable, IMO.)

      Bottom line: a troop crest should not be chosen simply to fill a gap on a uniform. ;) Nor should it be chosen for its looks (I didn't even show my girls the pictures when it came time for my older troop to choose their crest. We went by meanings alone).

      If there is a chance she will be joining a troop later, she should absolutely leave the space blank.

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  29. Thanks for the insight! I'm new to the GS world! My daughter received 6 patches for fall sales, where do those go??

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    1. They would go on the back of her vest. The only product sales that go on the front are the official finance badges, which vary by level.

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    2. When did you get your fall product patches? We have not gotten ours yet.

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    3. Karen, check with your product sales manager in your service unit.

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  31. My daughter is currently a Brownie. She was a Daisy for two years. Would she wear two membership stars and blue disks or just one? Thanks for all the information. It's been very useful.

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    1. Technically she can wear three stars (two with blue, one with green), as the stars signify membership only. However, many leaders like to give the stars at the end of the year, so I would put two with blue discs, and wait to see if the leader gives her a star with green disc at the end of this year. If not, then go buy one and add it to the others. Each star is for the year she was a member. Hope that helps!

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  32. My daughter earned her first Try-It! She already has a badge on her vest so this would be the second patch on that side. Can I cut the white border off of the Try-It so it better matches the other badge and also so it is the same size and does not stand out as much. Or would the brown border fray etc if I cut off the border. Or should I just start another row of badges so the Try-Its are by themselves and the difference in sizes does not matter

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    1. I would leave it as is. If I recall, we put the Try-Its separate from the current badges on her vest. Probably on the side where the Journey badges would've gone, as we didn't work on a Journey in Brownies (they earned the accompanying badges, just not the actual Journeys). I would not trim down the patch, as that edge may fray, but helps give it stability.

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    2. Cool. I was not looking forward to cutting them. Ok, so I am allowed to put them on the same side as the Journeys? And if I do the uniform police won't come and attack me? Good. I thought to do both actually. My plan was to put the Try-Its as a new roll on the left side of her brownie uniform. I started her first badge on the bottom right corner and I was going to leave space for two rolls of badges (starting at the bottom right corner and working my way up) and then start a roll of Try-Its from there. Then, if my daughter earned more than two rolls of badges and needed the space that the Try-Its are in for a third roll then I would remove all the Try-Its that I put there onto the right side. That way I put all badges together in the beginning and leave room for Journeys too. By the time she needs that third roll of space she should be a second year and I should know by then if she will finish the Journeys...Ok, so I think you are going to say go ahead move the Try-Its to the right side later (Great-even though it is more work that way, thank God I love to sew!)...My follow up question is can I put the Try-Its AROUND the Journeys on the right side? You know, leave room for the four Journey patches but around them where there is extra room just put the Try-Its there where there is space. I was just worried about putting anything on the right side because GS can get so weird about placement. But Try-Its used to go on the right side back when there was no such thing as Journeys so I would think that you could "get away with" putting them on the right side around the Journey/extra space because that is where they used to go (on the left and right sides)...sound good?

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    3. I can't tell you the last time I actually ironed a patch onto a vest. I move patches/badges all the time. My youngest's vest is already full and it's only January. So. Thank goodness for the handy seam ripper.

      You're fine to put them on either side, but I would definitely stick with as low as possible, and as close to the inner seam (opening part of vest) initially, and going out to the sides in a row. I would not put them up the sides, personally, but I'm pretty OCD.

      If you run out of room you have a couple options: buy a sash and use that fabric to add a bottom length/hem to the vest. Use this space for additional badges. Or put some on the back (we have the opposite problem: my girls prefer the activities related to fun patches more often than not, so the back of the vest is where it gets tricky for me), or get a sash to go over the vest, and put them on there.

      Except if you do that then technically the sash should have the official ID badges on it. So that's more $$.

      I would stick with starting at the bottom, as close to seams as possible, and sticking with rows, with all triangle-shaped badges being stacked as closely as possible (some Try-Its are not quite the same size as current badges, which is why I put them on the opposite side).

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    4. P.S. You can put an official, earned badge on the back (a Try-It would go on the back before a current, officially, if that makes sense), but you should NEVER put an unofficial patch on the front. This is because the front of the vest is what represents a girl's membership in GSUSA. It's just more appropriate. So, it is okay to put an official badge on the back, if the front is full, and better to do that than to go crazy with trying to cram badges around things on the front.

      Not to say you're doing that, but I guarantee if I left my comment about putting *badges* on the back, someone will read it as it is okay to put *patches* on the front. So I'm being proactive. ;)

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    5. My troop does a lot of stacking the patches on the back (like your earlier picture of the fish scales). And after the first year it appears that my GS will have a ton on the back so I think I will stick to putting the Try-Its on the right. Thanks again for all your help and friendship.

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  33. Oh this oh this is wonderfully helpful as I sit here trying to arrange my daughter's badges on her daisy vest. I was a Girl Scout in the early 80s but back then I was in the juniors and I think daisies were just getting started. The website's instructions for the badges are so terrible.
    There's no way that the flag, council and number will fit in the space they marked for it,since 5 year olds aren't nearly tall enough, so I'm just going to push our 6 digit troop number down a bit so it fits.

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  34. Sewing on patches...how do you feel about the way they are stacked. I started the left side bottom right corner with a badge where the badge faces down. Now it is time to start a new row. Most vests I see when then have the second row with a triangle facing up, but I the way it is cut it would actually look better if I put a triangle facing down for the next row. Does it really matter? I would think make the last one face down so it all looks right.

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    1. There is no hard and fast rule about this, and I think it's fine to place them however you think they will fit the best, and look clean. However, I would not put the Brownie Community badge upside down, because it's based upon the flag. :)

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    2. P.S. Personally, I wouldn't put a badge that has writing on it upside down, because to me that wouldn't look clean. The front of the vest is a girl's official representation of her membership and ability to give service as shown in the badges displayed on her vest. Because this is the first thing people see, it's best to keep the front as clean and official as possible. I've had to pull off badges and rearrange to make them fit. So while I think the back can be cluttered if necessary, I always try to keep the front as clean as possible. Hope that helps!

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  35. OMGosh, I was supposed to be in bed hours ago but I got immersed your page. My daughter is a second year GS, first year Brownie. Her troop recently earned the Meet My Customers badge, GS Way badge and the Money Manager badge. My question is, are these put on the vest as a set like the journey badges under the insignia or can they be intermingled with the other badges under the troop number side? I'm not sure if my troop leader is planning on the girls learning First Aid or having them earn the other badges. I have a little bit of OCD and I like badges to be in their groups if there is a group meant to be together. My daughter has earned the badge with the octopus on in and the critter with the walking stick, are those part of the same grouping as the badges mentioned above? I'm keeping this page in my favorites since I've found your previous answers to other people's questions so helpful to myself.

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    1. Hi! I'm so glad you found my blog helpful! Technically the triangle shaped badges can go on either side of the front (start at the inside bottom of the vest, above the hem, next to the inside flap seam, and work your way out towards the sides, and up). The three badges she earned in the troop are most commonly placed on the same side as troop numbers. The others absolutely can be intermingled with those on the same side, but many people put Journey-related badges on the side with the insignia tab (again, starting at the bottom, as Journey set badges go above that area on the insignia tab side). Don't stress about how they're organized. Stitch them on with thread instead of ironing, so you can move them later if need be. :) Also, if she's earning official badges independently, check with your troop leader to make sure they won't be working on them as a troop in meetings, later on. Hope that helps!

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  36. My daughter is a first year Daisy and I had a question about fun patches. Can I buy her them if she earns them with me? For example a hiking patch. She's just so excited to earn patches that I want to give her more opportunities then what the troop leader is giving the girls. Thanks

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    1. This is a great question for your troop leader. Personally, I encourage girls to work on patches independently. I do ask that they come up with goals and take steps to meet those goals, and if possible share with the troop what they did. That way it isn't about filling up the back of the vest with souvenir patches; it's about putting forth effort. Talk to your leader about it, so you can make sure you aren't doing something independently that the troop will be doing together. I think it's great that you're wanting to work on this with your daughter! :)

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    2. Thank you so much for answering, I will talk to her.

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  37. I have a vest question...I am one of those moms that want every vest to stay complete. So even though I COULD move her membership stars and her cookie pins (etc.) to her next vest as she moves on. I don't want to. I would rather just buy enough so I can leave the vests complete and not remove anything as she bridges.

    Make sense? So my question is...I know that my daughter will move from being a brownie to junior/cadette/senior/ambassador. So that is a lot of bridging if she stays in for life.

    So my question is about the cadette/senior/ambassador vest.

    As they move from cadette to senior to ambassador do they get a new (blank) vest or do they keep the same vest during all that time?

    I was thinking it was a new one, but I wanted to ask to be sure.

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    1. That's quite ambitious! And there is no way to know, at this point (sorry). Some keep the same vest. Some run out of room and buy a new vest to accommodate more badges/patches. Some outgrow the vest. There is really no way to know. However, if you are planning to make a quilt, blanket, or pillows (or other memento of her vests), the pins will have to come off, or they will get lost over time if the memento is used at all. I move up my girls' pins (the membership one changes D/B/J levels then remains the same, so their D/B vests have the level-specific membership pins still on the insignia tab). If you plan to keep all the pins, you should invest in locking pinbacks (eBay and Amazon both carry these -- get the kind without the tool). Good luck!

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  38. I'm organizing a troop for my daughter, she will be in third grade next year. It's been hard figuring out where/how to start without feeling totally overwhelmed. Thank you for posting all this helpful information in an easy simple manner! Very much appreciated! My goal is fun! Fun for the girls and fun for the Moms! Wish me luck. :)

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    1. You are so welcome! Thank you for your willingness to step up and help out! Feel free to post any questions you may have along the way. I'm glad you found my blog helpful. :)

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  39. Thank you for all your great tips! When do you give your girls their membership pins? Do you know if you're supposed to give them out in the beginning of the year -- during an investiture or rededication ceremony -- or at the end?

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    1. If you're referring to the stars, It is entirely up to you. As soon as a girl is registered, she is eligible to receive her membership star for that year. I personally wait to give out stars (with plastic discs) until the end of the year, but that's my personal preference. I look at it as they completed a year. Some leaders give them at the beginning, and that's absolutely fine. :)

      If you're referring to the membership pins (that vary by level), those should be given to/purchased at the very beginning of the year. If you have a ceremony at the beginning, that is an ideal time to give out membership pins. My service unit does not have a beginning ceremony typically, so the membership pins are simply included in the list of uniform items.

      Hope that helps! Let me know if not.

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  40. Where does one place the "Overseas Pin"? I've heard various, but have never found anything official.

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    1. It goes on the same side of the vest as the troop numbers, directly beneath any membership star pins she has. If she doesn't have any membership star pins, place it underneath the troop numbers.

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  41. My daughter just had her bridging ceremony today, from Daisy to Brownie. At what point do we start putting fun patches on her Brownie vest instead of Daisy vest?

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    1. If it's fun patches (back of vest), it really doesn't matter. I sewed a patch on the back of my daughter's Daisy vest today, because she will wear it tomorrow at the Memorial Day event (it's a full vest and I've not had time to get her Brownie one started yet). While my service unit does bridging in spring, I have a more formal bridging as a troop event, in fall. So my daughter will likely wear her Daisy vest for this and potentially other summer events.

      I my tell parents it's up to them regarding which fun patches go on the Daisy vest, and which go on the Brownie. Is the Daisy vest full? Save it for Brownies. Does the Daisy vest have lots of room still? Put it there.

      I will put the Memorial Day patch on the back of my daughter's new Brownie vest, along with any other service unit activity participation patches for this summer, because she is re-registered as an Early Bird, and technically now a Brownie. But mostly? It's because her Daisy vest is now full. :)

      If your troop meets over the summer, then they will be meeting as Brownies, so put the patches earned over the summer on the new vest. If your troop doesn't meet in summer, but the troop or SU has activities or events, then I'd put those patches on the Brownie vest. But if it's independently-earned patches, then put them wherever there's room.

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  42. Stumbled upon this blog as I was searching for ways to remove iron-on badges. I realize this blog is for D/B/J GS, but my daughter is now a Cadette moving up to Senior, and is in desperate need of a new vest (WAY too small). If I can't move her badges to the new vest, will the Council give us new badges?

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    1. Unfortunately your council will not give you new badges, but you are welcome to purchase them. However, badges aren't cheap, and if you really want them moved onto the new one, either attempt removal with an iron, or take the vest to a dry cleaner and see if they can remove them. Worst case scenario, you could cut the old vest and sew those patches with fabric on to the new one. Personally, I would leave them where they are and put new ones on the new vest and keep the old one for sentiment.

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    2. Thank you so much for the prompt reply. You did answer my question, though, about the new badges. What I meant to ask was, as "just a mom," if I could even get replacement badges (having to buy them is understandable), or if the leader would have to that as they are "official." (You can't get Boy Scout badges that way.) I assume this would apply to Journey badges as well? BTW - your blog is awesome! I wish it would have been around (or I had found it) when I was starting out with my daughter as well. Things have changed A LOT since I was a scout some 30ish year ago!!!

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    3. Ah! I understand. Yes, you are welcome to purchase a duplicate badge for your child. As long as she fulfilled the requirements to earn the badge in the first place, it's fine to just go into your council shop and purchase the duplicates so her new vest looks as complete as her old one. The Journey badge sets are the same -- as long as she fulfilled the requirements per her leader, then she can have a duplicate set for her new vest.

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    4. Thought you might like a follow-up. I was able to get her badges off, no problem. Just heated them with an iron for a few seconds and they peeled right off. Yes, it does leave the old vest marred, but doesn't matter anymore, as I plan to use only the council patch area for her scrapbook. As you had said, our local Council would have permitted me to replace her badges if necessary. Oh, and maybe you can pass this along for sewing badges on - it is an old trick I have used for years beginning with my son's Boy Scout badges: you can temporarily fix the badges with a stapler. Just make sure to check the back periodically so your thread doesn't catch the staple, and when you go to remove the staple, use a letter opener (or better yet, a 5-in-1 tool) to pry up the back prongs, then remove the staple from the front, being careful not to catch the badge/patch stitching. It is really easy, and leaves no mark!

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    5. I'm glad you were able to get them off easily! If you change your mind and want the adhesive residue removed, your local dry cleaners should be able to get it off (just make sure there are no pins left on the vest when you take it in). I love the staple tip, but the challenge with that is if you're dealing with a patch that is 100% embroidery (some badges are not, but many fun patches are), because a staple can tug the embroidery and cause it to pull. But in a pinch, or for printed on patches? That's a great temporary fix. Thanks for the update! :)

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    6. I will remember the dry cleaner option, thank you. As for the staples, I use them on all badges/patches - even the embroidered ones. I have never had one snag, and I remove the staple carefully with the blunt point of a 5-in-1 tool (or letter opener). But I only use the staple to secure the badge temporarily, to hold it in place while I am actively sewing it on, otherwise it would snag on other clothes :)

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  43. This is AWESOME! Thanks so much!

    One thing I didn't see mentioned is the Brownie pin. I love my Brownie pin, and I'm sad that there's no place to put it once you bridge to juniors. I wish GSUSA would come up with a solution for this. It would be easy to just shift things around on the tab a little bit so the Brownie pin could squeeze in between the world trefoil pin and the GSUSA pin.

    I'm starting my third year as a troop co-leader. (Our girls are now Cadettes.) I love my leader's vest. I would be very happy to send a photo if you would like to see it. It has my Brownie and Girl Scout pins plus all the badges I earned as a Girl Scout in the 1970s. Plus a number of badges on the back that reflect my time as a leader.

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  45. My daughter is 5.5 years old, fairly tall for her age, looks like a first grader. According to her measurements, she should NOW be wearing an xxs/xs for the daisy vest. But I don't want to have to buy her a larger one NEXT year and pull all her patches off the old one (or buy new ones) and reaffix them to the bigger vest. Will she be swimming in a S/M this year? Will she be busting out of the xxs/xs next year?

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    1. I always go a size larger, because it's not uncommon for the girls to wear their vests over coats for cookie booths and other winter activities. :)

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  46. Are you absolutely required to buy a vest when you join girl scouts? My daughter will only be a daisy thus year and we are getting a late start so it's hard for me to think it's really worth investing in it. Thanks for all the info!

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    1. If you don't wish to purchase the vest, check eBay or contact your leader to see if she knows of anyone who might have a pre-owned to sell. You can either remove patches and re-stitch as earned, or you can use blue painter's tape over petals, etc., and remove the tape as the petals are earned. Or if the cost is prohibitive regardless, your troop, service unit, or council may offer financial assistance. Check with your leader.

      I personally think every registered GS should own a vest/tunic/sash for her level, if at all financially possible. To me, the uniform is an important part of being a GS, especially at younger levels, as the uniform is a part of showing pride in being a Girl Scout. I would not want your daughter to feel left out if she is the only girl in her troop without a vest.

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    2. Thank you! It was presented as 'this is what you HAVE to buy'it was not an option at all. I even asked if it was mandatory and was told yes. I personally feel like the experiences are more important (because that is what I remember from my years in Girl Scouts), but I also don't remember anyone in my troop ever wearing their vest or sash. I agree with the part about feeling left out if everyone else has one. Thanks for the tip of buying a used one as I never would have thought that!

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  47. Any tips for the 3-part journey awards? Do you sew the three awards to the larger rectangle patch? I was hoping to give my Daisies the rectangle when we start the journey and then give out the smaller awards as we earn them, but I'm not sure of the best way to attach them all together.

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    1. I've found it's easier to stitch smaller patches onto larger ones before affixing the larger to the vest. Otherwise you're sewing through two patches and a vest -- which is harsh for hand stitching and iffy on a machine unless you've got a pretty heavy duty one (my old Singer would make a snarly mess. My Brother could handle it likely). I haven't had luck in patches staying put when ironed-on, but double ironed-on patches? Nope. Your mileage may vary obviously. I personally would not give them the rectangle beforehand. I'd wait and do all at once. I understand your thinking, and it's the most intuitive way. I just don't know how feasible it will be regarding adhesion/stitches. :( Let me know what you end up doing! We didn't do Journeys until we had to, in Juniors (for Bronze). Though I've dealt with Early Bird patch sets that required stitching on additional bits and it was a pain. Good luck!

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    2. Thanks for the reponse. I'm going to give them all at once as you suggest.

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  48. Thanks for these great tips! I am a new GS Leader for a Brownie Troop!

    Have you seen the Adult Pin Lanyard? http://www.girlscoutshop.com/ADULT-PIN-LANYARD

    I have a pacemaker so I hate to wear pins and such on my left chest. Sometimes bumping into someone or something, wearing a seat belt, getting a hug, etc can be painful! I saw this lanyard on the official online store but haven't seen any information about it. Do you think this is a good replacement for the official tab?

    Also I am male so I might wear this over an official tie on occasion, although usually I just wear a white polo.

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    1. I had not seen this! Thank you so much for sharing. :) I think this is a great alternative to the tab -- it looks very comfortable.

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  49. Your site has been very helpful over our first Daisy year. Into year #2...if the girls earn the Religious Emblem "God and Me", etc where do they wear it? These are different than the "My Promise My Faith" pins. They are a program offered from P.R.A.Y. Publishing. The Boy Scouts can wear theirs on the front of their uniforms, but I can't find anything from GS on where to put them. My local council store was no help. Do you know?

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    1. I am so glad you have found it helpful! Technically, only GSUSA issue pins and badges go on the front of a uniform. Given that these were earned via a program outside of Girl Scouts, the rule of thumb is they are not worn on the front of the vest. They may be worn on the back (though if you choose to do this, make sure they aren't in a spot where they could cause discomfort when leaning back against a chair, nor catch hair), or on the collar of a shirt underneath the vest. Now, all that said, there are no vest police. ;) No one is going to fuss at your Daisies for wearing a pin they earned as a Girl Scout. My daughter wore a simple cookie pin on the front of her vest all throughout Brownies. So my official recommendation as a leader is not to pin it on the front of the vest. But as a mom, I vote give them to the girls and let the parents/girls decide. If this was something you did as a troop, and all the girls earned them, then let them be the ones to choose where the pins go. They are Daisies. It is important for them to feel pride in accomplishment.

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    2. OK Thanks! This will likely be something she earns individually (last year she was the only one who did the My Promise My Faith). We'll discuss with her leader about back of vest or shirt collar. Are there rules about what can be pinned on the neckerchief? I was thinking maybe on the end of the tie could be appropriate. It feels sort of sad to pin it on the back given how much work it is (in contrast to a fun patch). The My Promise My Faith isn't anywhere near the amount of work and that gets pinned on the front. But I understand the reasons why. Thanks again!

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    3. I understand, and if it were my Daisy I would likely just pin it to the kerchief or collar and not fret about it. See what your leader thinks. I personally would shove all my pins on my collar before I'd put them on my back. They are not comfy there.

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    4. Years ago when I was working with my first troop, these awards were allowed to be on the front of the uniforms and were place with all the other pins

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  50. Can you please explain to me the insignia tab and pins? Are these earned? Im jist putting together my daughters first year daisy tunic and i purchased everything i read online as far as troop number, flag, ect. But also purchases insignia tab with daisy scout pin, world association pin, and membership star pin.
    Any info would be great. Thanks!

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    1. The insignia tab and membership pin are level-specific. You purchase them when your daughter joins GS, and they are considered part of her uniform (not "earned"). The WAGGGS pin shows that she is not only a GS at a certain level, but also a member of a global organization. The membership star is technically able to be worn as soon as a girl joins GS. However, some leaders give them to girls at the end of a troop year. Talk to your leader for more info on that. :)

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  52. I just found this blog. I'm trying to sew on the financial literacy badge on my daughter's brownie sash. I have been all over the placement diagrams on the girl scout website but can find absolutely no indication of where this goes. Thank you so much!

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    2. On a sash, they go with the other triangle shaped badges. Just fit them in where you can with the others. :)

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  53. Question on the My Promise My Faith pins: My daughter earned one each year as a Daisy. Do they move up on her Brownie vest? This image from the GS website shows yes...but the associate at our council shop said no. I'm confused.

    http://www.girlscouts.org/content/dam/girlscouts-gsusa/forms-and-documents/our-program/uniforms/with%20links%20diagram%20gs_brownie_vest_sash_insignia.pdf

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    1. I believe your council contact is misinformed. These typically do move up.

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  54. If you sew your patches on, rather than looking for color matching thread for each color patch edging, just use clear nylon thread. Much easier, doesn't show as much even from the inside, and no more hunting for the perfect thread.

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    1. This is a great suggestion for our leaders/parents with good eyesight. :) Unfortunately I have very bad eyesight and cannot see the clear thread.

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  55. My daughter recently bridged to a junior. Does the patch go on her junior vest or brownie vest?

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    1. If she completed the requirements to bridge from Brownie to Junior, then her earned rainbow badge goes on the front of her Junior vest.

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    2. Where do the wings go on the brownie vest? I was thinking under the bridge on my daughter's vest , but was not sure

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  56. Also, membership stars... Is it one for each year or one for each level?

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    1. Membership stars for per year, not per level. The plastic colored disk that goes behind the star varies per level.

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  58. If I sew it on, could I get the brownie council badge for my daisy? She didn't start GS till first grade so it seems silly to buy it now and switch next year.

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    1. If you mean the council ID badge set (looks like two hamburger buns) then technically, no. The color changes for Brownies and you'd need a new set for that vest anyway, as badges and patches don't move up (pins typically do, however). You'll have to switch actual vests next year anyway. If the cost for badges or vests is prohibitive, please talk to your council shop folks and/or leader about financial assistance. You could also look for used vests in your area, and transfer the orange council ID badges to your daughter's Daisy vest. :)

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    2. Yes, the hamburger buns. I'm just frugal, not in financial need. I also am a bit adept in sewing and know how to use a seam ripper so I was hoping we could move that one.

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    3. I would not, personally, because the colors change at the different levels. :)

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  59. How about the "God and Me" "God and Family" etc religious emblems? Do these go on the front with the My Promise My Faith? The workbooks say that they are GS approved and to be worn on the uniform but the council shop was unfamiliar. Our boy scout wears it on his dress uniform and his council shop was well informed.

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    1. Because these are a separate program, it isn't surprising the Council shop was unfamiliar (as these awards are not produced nor sold by GSUSA). However, the program is recognized by GSUSA and awards earned may be worn on the front of the uniform in line with the Faith/Promise, on troop number side. http://www.girlscouts.org/content/dam/girlscouts-gsusa/forms-and-documents/about-girl-scouts/gs-and-faith/PRAY_Chart.pdf

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  60. I think it is unacceptable that girl scouts are no longer required to wear complete uniforms to events, meetings, cookie sales, etc. It encourages Esprit de Corps, gives them a sense of responsibility in preparing for an event, and gives a sense of pride that makes them more well-behaved during an event. Not wearing full uniform seems more a benifit for the parents than the girls. Life too hectic for uniforms? Then slow down.

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  61. Hello! Do you move your troop crest to the new vest when they bridge? Or do you buy a new crest every new level?
    TY! FAB and informative blog. <3

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    1. Generally, anything sewn onto a vest stays on that vest, and a new patch is purchased for a new level vest. However, that is specifically for nostalgia, so vests appear somewhat complete. There is no rule that says you cannot remove a patch and re-sew it onto a new vest. It's entirely up to you. :)

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  62. If we are a multi-level troop (2nd year Daisy and 1st year Brownie) and they are going to an event where they will be earning a Brownie Try-it (Horse Care) Can the Daisies place the badge on their uniform too? They already have the animal Journey... Or would a fun patch be more appropriate for them?

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    1. Daisies cannot technically earn an official Brownie level badge, so a fun patch on the back of their vest would be more appropriate.

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  64. Thanks so much for this helpful blog. I am going to pass it along to the parents in my troop. I was a Girl Scout myself, so badge/patch/pin placement is not a huge mystery to me, but for those who have never been involved in scouts I can see that it is a little overwhelming. I will give a shout out to the person who suggested using invisible thread for the top stitch when using a sewing machine. This one tip may have save my sanity!! Also, my parents took many of the patches/badges off my brownie and junior vests and got duplicate items where they could for Cadettes and up and made an amazing picture/collage of all the stuff I worked so hard on as a kid.

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  69. This is superb! I love the fact that I’ve never seen something innovative way of patching before.

    Thanks for sharing

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  71. In northern Ca the adult vests zip and have pockets, but don’t say leader. You have to add a patch with leader. What do you think about adult volunteers (registered of course) who are not official leaders having a vest? I ask because I attended all meetings and events to support the girls and my autistic daughter. Thanks!

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Thank you for visiting my blog! Please respect Girl Scout Privacy guidelines and do not leave any identifying information regarding a troop or its members, as this is a public site.

Also, I am happy to respond to comments posted on my blog, but I am unable to respond via personal email. This helps protect not only my own information, but that of my girls.

Anyone is welcome to use the templates I post here. I will always do my best to acknowledge my sources for any artwork or information I post, but I am human and may miss something along the way. Regardless, I strive to ensure that my blog's purpose and all its posts are in accordance with the Girl Scout Law in every way. The purpose of this blog is to assist new leaders based upon my own experience as a volunteer, and is not in any way intended to replace or subvert any information in official Girl Scout leadership training.

Thank you!