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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to buy guide camp blanket for brownies?

56 replies

3birthdaybunnies · 06/09/2013 20:12

Dd1 is nearly 9, dd2 is nearly 7, joining her sister in brownies at christmas. Dd1's sash is full and so was wondering about getting a camp blanket for each of them and start putting badges on there instead. Also if I can be bothered to transfer their rainbow ones. I figure that neither will want brownie blankets in guides, so thought would be more worthwhile getting guide blanket. Or maybe just a standard plain blanket? Their leaders are v relaxed so sure won't mind whichever I do - not sure what peers will say though. They tend to have one holiday and one sleepover a year.

OP posts:

LittleDragon · 07/09/2013 00:18

The guide ones are too small really, just get a decent sized wool blanket, make it into a poncho by putting a T slit in the middle and then they can use that for brownies guides and senior section (if they go that far)! Scouting say as long as its a dark colour it doesn't matter iirc.
I have badges from when I went to brownies, cubs, scouts, guides, rangers and ones I'm collecting as a leader, as well as the ones I've got from elsewhere as well including my swimming one. Ask your DDs what badges they want on their blankets as part of the Brownies programme is trying to teach them to make decisions (with guidance as needed)!

TheSlug · 07/09/2013 00:35

Of course it's not unreasonable, the parents in my units do like to buy official 'uniform' things so blanch a little when I tell them just to buy any blanket they like, so will often suggest to buy the guide one instead of brownie. I figure if you're the type of brownie who wants a camp blanket, you're going to be in the movement for a while! My camp blanket is a fleecy one I bought in lidl a few years ago, it's huge and gorgeous, and I like it just as a blanket so I don't have a poncho hole. (My nanny sews my badges on though...!)

FatOwl · 07/09/2013 03:39

I'm a Guide leader and I have the Guide one for my badges.
It is too small really and I wish I'd bought a non-Guiding bigger one.

My Young Leader DD just bought a lovely green fleece blanket with an embroidered Welsh dragon on the corner for 10 quid on our recent holiday to Wales and is currently sewing all her badges onto it, looks lovely

If you have a Brownies sash full of badges, just sew the whole sash on- have seen several like that, looks fab

FatOwl · 07/09/2013 03:42

Forgot to add, my dds Guide unit (not my own unit) did camp blankets as an activity for the Guiding traditions badge.

They went and bought a whole load of fleece by the metre, girls got to choose a colour, they taught them to blanket stitch around the edge and cut a head whole and they sat and sewed badges on - you would think the girls would think that was a bit lame, but they all LOVED it. Mainly because they had time to just sit and chat while sewing!

BrokenSunglasses · 07/09/2013 09:49

We put all sorts of badges on ds's scouts poncho, it's huge so plenty of space. If we visit places we look out for nice badges in the gift shops for some extra personalisation, the most recent is a Hogwarts one from the Harry Potter studio. I think I love the thing almost as much as ds does!

Sokmonsta · 07/09/2013 10:02

I'm justa rainbow leader. I've just bought a brightly coloured fleece to sew all my old brownie and guide badges on. Guide badges on on sash still but it's personal preference not to sew whole sash on as I think it looks better having badges in neat rows.

Groovee · 07/09/2013 10:15

A lot of guiders buy blue ikea fleece blankets. get 2 and sew together to make a poncho.

Lemonsole · 07/09/2013 10:42

Fleece is so much snugglier than scratchy wool - DH's is dead itchy, but the DC's are lovely. So cross that it's getting harder to get souvenir badges! I mean, you can't put a sodding fridge magnet on a blanket, can you..

Original poster

3birthdaybunnies · 07/09/2013 10:44

Thinking about getting this looks quite snuggly, not guiding blue or scouting green. Will maybe check with Brown Owl who also runs guides.

OP posts:

redexpat · 07/09/2013 11:26

I got an ex army woolen blanket to transfer my bagdes on from the really ugly picnic blanket that I got when I was 11. It's not scratchy at all. Don't get the GGUK ones - they're dry clean only. Colour is completely irrelevant, honest!

At Jamboree in Norway this year I noticed a lot of the scandanavians had hoods on theirs, and names on the back which looked rather lovely.

mrstigs · 07/09/2013 11:56

Can i just ask, do you guys put these badges on their uniform whilst they are in scouts/rainbows etc then transfer onto blanket when they move up a group?
I've only just started learning all this (ds is in beavers, dd1 in rainbows) and atm all their badges are on their uniforms. Should i be putting them straight on blankets?

redexpat · 07/09/2013 12:05

mrstigs on the uniform, then transfer when they go up a group. Although some interest badges are transferable, I think the ones with stages so check with the Guider. Also when they get bigger they'll start getting badges from specific camps that go straight on the blanket, as do any swopped badges (from international visits/visitors).

Almostfifty · 07/09/2013 12:05

Yes, mrstigs that's the way to do it. But not the stage badges, such as IT and swimming. They go on every uniform.

Lemonsole · 07/09/2013 12:12

Mine are on a huge navy hoodie, which means that I can run camp fires without setting fire to myself via a trailing blanket.

nickelbabe · 07/09/2013 12:13

yanbu

nickelbabe · 07/09/2013 12:15

pressed post by accident (not sure how...)

get an army surplus blanket if you can, because they're the best for camp when she gets to guide age.

mine has got a hole and neckcuff in the middle to make it a poncho for camp, as well as a blanket - very practical.

mine has my Brownie and Guide badges on one side and then other badges on the other side (as in, when you've got it on as the poncho)

my dad still collects camp blanket badges when he goes anywhere new

SoupDragon · 07/09/2013 12:15

I bought large fleece blankets from Ikea - a T cut in the middle turns it into a poncho.

I've put all sorts of badges on - swimming, Scouts, attractions... and on the back I"ve put flags of the countries they've visited sort of. A large number are still in the tin waiting to be sewn on

nickelbabe · 07/09/2013 12:16

mine is grey - colour doesn't matter

nickelbabe · 07/09/2013 12:18

yeay Soupy - we're definitely twins

nickelbabe · 07/09/2013 12:22

I would definitely say do the poncho thing - i have my blanket in the car for emergencies/picnics/cold evenings and i've used the poncho-ness several times as an adult.

Lottiedoubtie · 07/09/2013 12:24

Colour doesn't matter.

Size does- you want adult size.

I'd avoid fleece it just doesn't last in the same way as a traditional blanket.

Colour/officialness is totally irrelevant IMO.

Yes to putting all types of badges on them, I've had mine since I was 5 and it's a great record. It is large and not fleecy- but it is pink! .

MmmmWhiteWine · 07/09/2013 12:29

This is all new to me....despite having had two DDs in Rainbows and now in Brownies I've never heard of, or seen, such a thing as a camp blanket. All the girls in our units just sew their badges onto their uniforms. Are we out of touch?!

flakjacket · 07/09/2013 12:34

DD1 and DD2 have the brownie blanket. I have just finished sewing all DD2's Brownie badges on to it because she's moving up to Guides and they were all on her gilet . The quality of the fleece is a bit crap tbh and I wish we'd gone for a different one, but we were given the hard sell by Brown Owl. Lots of the Guides still have the Brownie one - it's like a badge of honour. DD1 says she's going to get a Guide one and sew it on to the Brownie one to make it bigger...

AnnaBegins · 07/09/2013 12:39

Mine is soft and pink, definitely not official, cut down to single bed size (so it doesn't drag in the mud), with every kind of badge on it - guide, scout, tourist badges from places I've been, swapped badges from other countries/camps, badges I've bought/swapped from other guidey people, patches for bands, music festival wrist bands, charity badges, school badges, it is a record of my life and I love it. It is now full, and every time I want to sew on a new badge I have to move 3 others...

Just get a lovely soft blanket and be prepared for sore fingers from the sewing! I've added "pockets" to mine for the pin badges so I can take them off in one go and wash it, I've seen ones with sashes sewn on whole and they look great!

I spread my badges out from the start but now regret it as I have to move them to optimise the space, so you may be best starting at one end.

There is a facebook page for badge swapping/buying when they get a bit older, and when you send them off to camp make sure they take spare badges (buy them from the fb page or the girlguiding shop) then they'll come back with a load more!

WhiteWine not out of touch don't worry, camp blankets only come into their own when they run out of space on their uniform or start going to camp. They're more relevant in Scouts as there are certain badges they can't wear on uniform, or only for a set time.

AnnaBegins · 07/09/2013 12:41

Yay lottie pink blankets! Thanks mum too...

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