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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to consider offering a badge sewing service?

98 replies

Hippee · 08/12/2018 23:36

Just spent an evening sewing badges on DS's Cub uniform and I really don't mind it. I hear so many people moaning about doing it, so I wondered whether I should offer to do it and, if so, how much I should charge. It takes 3-5 minutes to sew a badge on, depending on size. I am a SAHM and do loads of voluntary work, but was actually thinking of keeping the money in this case - and perhaps donating a percentage to the Cubs. If you hate sewing, how much would you pay?

OP posts:
arethereanyleftatall · 08/12/2018 23:38

Oh yes, please do. I hate it, I hate thinking about it, I hate putting it off all the time. I don't want to know about wonder web, or iron on or anything. I just want the damned badges to magic themselves on.
So, £1 a badge?

Steamedbadger · 08/12/2018 23:39

Sorry, I misread that as badger sewing. It sounded great, even without my current username

NonaGrey · 08/12/2018 23:40

I’d happily pay a fiver a badge for a really good job to be honest

I can actually sew but for some reason I am terrible at badges.

The local sewing shop charges about £3 a badge but if you picked up and dropped off in the evening I’d happily pay the extra.

Price will depend on the area though. Worth doing a bit of local market research.

Original poster
Hippee · 08/12/2018 23:42

Grin Steamedbadger - badger sewing would be much more expensive!

OP posts:
Nannypinks · 08/12/2018 23:42

I charge £2 per badge for colour matched machine sewing, just getting going in my local beavers group and hoping to expand!

Original poster
Hippee · 08/12/2018 23:43

arethereanyleftatall - that's what I was hoping!

OP posts:
Ilovealexa · 08/12/2018 23:43

Omg just today I was thinking ‘can I put a post on fb asking for someone I can pay to sew on badges?’

You just got yourself your first customer!!!!

KitchenDancefloor · 08/12/2018 23:44

One of our cub mums offered this for 50p a badge. Sadly she isn't part of the pack anymore Xmas Sad

I hate, hate, hate sewing badges and would gladly pay. I'm not sure how much the service is worth. Sometimes the kids come home with 10 in one go; paying £5 a pop for that would be far beyond my budget.

incallthebloodytime · 08/12/2018 23:44

Can you do stripes on belts too?

Original poster
Hippee · 08/12/2018 23:44

NonaGrey - I wish I lived near you, but I bet I don't Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
Hippee · 08/12/2018 23:45

Nannypinks - that's great! How is it going?

OP posts:
OwlOfBrown · 08/12/2018 23:45

Go for it.

I know someone who does exactly this. Draw up some business cards/flyers, and then get in touch with local groups and ask them to hand the flyers on to parents. Definitely offer them a percentage in return for this. One thing to be aware of: Scouting units tend to be part of a group and their finances are combined (ime). Guiding units all run as separate entities so each unit does their own accounts. This might make it much harder to give a percentage to Guiding units as it will be so small for each unit, so perhaps consider whether you can offer it on a 'District' basis rather than individual units.

BubonicBudgie · 08/12/2018 23:46

Great idea

KitchenDancefloor · 08/12/2018 23:46

It takes 3-5 minutes to sew a badge on, depending on size.

Blimey - it takes me at least 20 minutes plus gin and swearing!

ghostsandghoulies · 08/12/2018 23:46

I paid £8 for someone to do 2 school badges on blazers. I hate doing it.

Original poster
Hippee · 08/12/2018 23:46

incallthebloodytime - what are stripes on belts?

OP posts:
incallthebloodytime · 08/12/2018 23:48

Sorry martial arts belts! Stripes/tabs

Original poster
Hippee · 08/12/2018 23:49

KitchenDanceFloor - that made me smile. I am thinking that if I could earn eough I could pay a cleaner - because that's what I am crap at.

OP posts:
TheOldestCat · 08/12/2018 23:49

Yes! Am a Brownie leader who hates sewing - I dread doing my cub’s badges. I would pay a couple of quid per badge at least.

Original poster
Hippee · 08/12/2018 23:50

incallthebloodytime - wow - my DCs karate club uses coloured sticky tape!

OP posts:
ny20005 · 08/12/2018 23:50

I'd pay for that too ! I hate it & have just had to order new badges as I've put off sewing them for so long, I can't remember where they are 😩

JustBeingJobless · 08/12/2018 23:51

Yep I’d pay for it! Currently got 12 badges sat here needing sewing on - I’m telling myself that he’s going to need a new Scout shirt any minute, and therefore it’s not worth doing if I’m going to have to unpick them all and redo, but the blasted child just isn’t growing fast enough!

BikeRunSki · 08/12/2018 23:53

You could offer follow up services of

  • removing badges from uniform and moving them to camp blanket, when the child moves up a section
  • embroidering name of camp blanket, in 1980s daisy stitch style.
fabulousathome · 08/12/2018 23:53

Could you do sewing in of name tapes too?

When both my parents went into a care home at the same time I had to sew their names on everything. I sewed over 200 nametapes in just a few days.

My fingers bled and I sewed them wearing plasters in the end. It was sad.

The Home said stick on ones came off in the washing machine.

KitchenDancefloor · 08/12/2018 23:54

My kids get so many badges, they don't even know what they're for. Then they get told to give them to 'mum' to sew for the following week.

This 'mum' has had words with Akela and told her that 'dad' is equally as skilled at badge sewing (ie not at all).

I'd rather give it to you OP. Having a cleaner is life changing Smile