For Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts and Venturers  PDF Uniform Guide

   

Hand Sewing

Hand sewing isn’t all that difficult for patches with borders that wrap around the edge. I use masking tape to hold the patch in place, turn the uniform inside out and sew the patch on by stitching through the raised border not the patch itself.  You don’t have to force the needle through the patch, just catch the border. You can hide the stitches behind the patch this way and will only need one thread color that matches the shirt rather than the patch.

Machine Sewing

You’ll be sewing through the patch and that will require thread colors that match the patch if you don’t want the stitching to show.  I prefer Badge Magic or hand sewing.

Badge Magic Adhesive

	The iron-on option if you don’t want to sew patches. It’s been around for a few years now and it does work well, especially for small patches like unit numbers, arrow points and square knots. I think the cut-to-fit freestyle sheet is the best deal.
	Badge Magic Cut to Fit Freestyle Patch Adhesive Kit available at Amazon

   

What about Merit Badge Sashes?

Boy Scouts can wear a merit badge sash with their uniform anytime, most choose to wear them only at special events; like courts of honor. There is no special order to placing merit badges on the sash, just start sewing them on in rows of three as they are earned. If you have an ambitious Scout who fills his sash with badges on the front you can use the back as well.

• Merit badge sashes are worn only by Boy Scouts and Venturers who are earning Boy Scout advancement. 
• Scouts are not required to wear merit badge sashes, they are optional.
• Boy Scouts may wear only one merit badge sash at a time.
• A merit badge sash is never worn on the belt.
• Merit badges may be worn on the front and back of the sash.
• Temporary patches (no badges of rank) may only be worn on the back of the sash.
• The merit badge sash and the Order of the Arrow sash may not be worn at the same time.

   

What About All Those ‘Extra’ Patches?

Scouts tend to accumulate lots of  event and activity patches (camporees, cub weekends, hikes and trips, etc.) We call these ‘temporary insignia’. Scouts can sew one temporary insignia of their choice on the right hand pocket of the uniform shirt. Here’s a hint – if the patch in question is not mentioned in the official uniform inspection guides above  it is probably a temporary insignia.

But what do you do with the temporary insignia patches, badges of rank, etc when you remove them from the shirt? Here’s some options:

	One option is a patch vest available from Scoutstuff.org This red, acrylic vest may be worn with any official scouting uniform.
	Another way to display patches is on a patch blanket. Any blanket will do but there is one available from Scoutstuff.org  - a classic patch blanket. with a gold fleur-de-lis screened in one corner.