A Sticky Situation

Tonight is a big night for my men. It is the coveted Rain Gutter Regatta for the Cub Scouts. Its significance only shadowed slightly by the Race Car Derby at the end of the scout season. So it was left to me to get Justin's new Cub Scout Assistant Den Leader Shirt properly badged and ready for the big event.

In the past I dragged out my historic sewing machine (no really, it was passed down to Justin and I from his grandmother (God rest her soul) and it is so old and beautiful that it only has 2 numbers for the model and takes a forklift to get from the closet to the dinning table) to sew on Caleb's badges. This time, at the suggestion of a fellow scout mom (thank you, Rachel!) I decided to splurge and buy the "Magic Badge." And boy, was it magic.

After making a repeated run to our main Boy Scout store I finally got the supplies I needed (see above picture). And if you have never had the opportunity to be inside a Boy Scout store, you are missing out. The badges alone are worth pawing through and shivering in delight at the variety and potential! Add in knives and woodworking material, maps and compasses, and your world will be complete. It is a young survivalist wonderland.

And without further adieu I pulled out the instructions in attempt to finish before dinner and my boys needed to leave.

I was dismayed to see that the shirt needed to be washed and ironed before the badge transfer. Yikes, should have read these days before. Oh well, one must do what one must do. So I skipped the washing and went ahead to ironing the wrinkles out. I pulled out the included instructions and the "Official Placement of Insignia" sheet before I proceeded. I am notorious for misreading or gleaning instructions and totally botching up a project, so I was determined to read twice and place once. After all, this was Justin's shirt and he'd be representing my work. No pressure, right?



1. First you remove the outer top paper for the patch that fits the badge you are working on. There is even extra space for tracing and cutting out patches for badges not listed on the paper. Press the badge firmly into the sticky backing. I used the handle of my scissors to really rub it in.
2. Next, as you lift the badge you will see the sticky stuff coming up with it. If you do not, then stick you finger nail into the sticky goo to loosen it as you pull the badge. This will usually cause a chain-reaction and it all come up in a perfect shape to the badge. If it isn't, press the badge back into the patch firmly and try again. Also, try flipping the paper over and rubbing the backing into the badge this way.
3. Last as you pick up the badge you will see bits sticking out around the edges. Just tuck these into the back and no one is the wiser!
4. Then press the now sticky badge into the proper placement. Once you are sure you have it in the right place use a handle or hard, smooth object to press into the clothing (I used the handle of my scissors).
5. The instructions recommend tossing the shirt into the dryer for 10 minutes to set the badges and goo together.

It took me a much shorter time to put all these badges on and I didn't need the Hulk to lift my sewing machine for me. It was a good day for this scouting mom.