Guiders Staff Room Part 3

www.fleecefun.com/easy-fleece-hat-tutorial-free-pattern-monster-mash.html
(Ignore the monster bits!)

drspouse, do you have a pattern for the fleece hats please? They sound like something our Brownies and Guides would get on well with!

I did embroidery on aida in primary - and my brownies sew by hand and by machine.

I'd suggest that you buy needles with bigger threading eyes for your sanity though.

Oh dear, needle threaders.....and spare helpers.....
Yes, it needs to be by hand.

I might try and get that big-holed aida/jute/stuff that they use in schools instead of felt, so easier to sew and I have large eyed plastic needles that could go with those.

I only want to set aside one session to this - we still have 5/6 boating sessions, annual blackberry picking and stewing day, pet day (which was skipped last year so they really want it this year), visit to a naval ship, hostelling weekend, repeating knife safety (after incidents on camp) and the end of year party to fit into the calendar for definite, and that only leaves about 3 more sessions (including 1 for this) until the end of year with a lot of ideas and badgework to complete. And we normally try to get at least 1 more hike in as well. Hence my desire for simple.

Thanks for all those thoughts though, and bringing me back down to earth!

... like this
m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Teddy-Brownie-Camp-Blanket/263483840497?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20180213162448%26meid%3D0bb8b8de50d041eea863adc6f442513a%26pid%3D100930%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D8%26sd%3D263486096416%26itm%3D263483840497&_trksid=p2056116.c100930.m5375

We did sewing by making mini camp blankets for teddies. Blanket stitch around the edge & T cut neck hole. Sew on a fun badge. 30cm square of fleece works well.

You need a LOT of adults and plenty of needle threaders.

When I was in junior school when dinosaurs ruled the earth we made aprons. They were quite simple as I remember.

Do they have to sew by hand?
My Brownies and Guides (same sort of age range) loved using mine/a couple of mums' sewing machines to make fleece hats for the homeless.
You just have to guide their hands round basically 2 seams.
My 6 yo DS also loves using the sewing machine (he sits on my lap but the Brownies sat on a cushion and I put the foot pedal on a phone book or 5 the first time I did it, but now I have DCs I use their step they use to get up to the sink).
Otherwise, what you are suggesting sounds fine but the ratio of unthreaded needles to stitches is usually about 5:1.

Hi all,

I'm hoping that some of you wise Guiders' heads may be able to help out a former Guide (who oh so sensibly agreed to be the Section Leader of a chaotic Sea Cub pack!).

Part of the Boatman badge (and the camping badge as well) require the Cubs to be able to sew (for repairs). That's not a skill that is easily taught as we don't have tents to repair.

So I am thinking of how else to get 23 8-12 year olds, a mix of boys and girls, to do some sewing to get their badges. By Christmas break up (our end of year).

One idea I had was to give them each 2 felt stocking shapes, some beads and ribbons to decorate (glue or sewing), and then getting them to sew them together with either a plain running stitch (or blanket stitch if skills are good).

Is that too twee for boys?

Do any of you have any ideas for how to get a large group doing a sewing skill session?

Thanks so much. (The rest of the leaders are male, can repair when needed but would not be interested in sewing as a general notion so could probably assist when shown the idea, but it's kinda up to me to make this happen).

BiddyPop

Wow, everything OK?

Life has become rather interesting here, and I've going from being an additional adult to make up ratios to 1/3 of a team organising a guide camp in less than 3 weeks. Can't let my hard work go to waste--think my Brownies will have to go camping for my licence next!

Good grief!

Dear parent

Wind yiur nexk in we are not 'staff'. Otherwise we wouldn't have chased you for 2 and a half months for overdue subs. Wise owl would have brought a grievance against you by now too.

(Had two parents say they didn't think so as they can't make the new time, so I have a couple of spaces!)

Yes indeed.
I have now asked a connection of mine if she could mention it and explain really carefully to parents at a refugee group as I know if I publicise widely I'll just get the usual suspects and I'd really like it to be open to girls who would benefit more e.g. new to the country, but whose parents might not actually know what Guiding is.

Oops! That's promising though

Thank you

Oops I've told ONE parent that we are reopening Brownies and I seem to be full.
Depends if all the girls that were on the list when we closed, actually come back again.

Adults and girls all slept together. We were given our own area on the floor of the big tent.
Honestly, I was so tired, I went out like a light too. I wouldn't have noticed if anyone had been snoring I probably was though.

Toilets were clean and stuff. Some proper toilets and lots of portaloos. Not that close to the tent tbh. I made sure not to drink after about 8pm, just in case!

Thanks for posting re Magic & M.
Hoping to do next year (if they do it).
Do the adults sleep with the girls ? I couldn’t work that out when I read the info this year.
Did you have any snoring adults?
And what about Toilets were they near the tent?

I did take folding chairs and was very glad :-D

Anybody here in acro gymnastics and options to move to artistic?

The kids were shattered. Most of the groups had had an early start on Saturday - we left home at 7.15am - and they were running round in the fresh air all day. It was lights out at 10, and I think pretty much all 500 of us were asleep by 11.

First stirrings were around 6ish - so not much different from a work day for me.

Note: if you do go, take some folding chairs with you, unless you like sitting on the ground.

Ooh Herat We've got this pencilled in for next year. Can't imagine how you got any sleep at all!!!