How to Sew on Cub Scout Patches the Easy Way
Learn the easiest way ever to hand sew on patches and badges for the Cub Scout uniforms. This sewing technique for attaching patches is super quick!
When your kids join Cub Scouts for the first time, there are lots of things that you as a new Cub Scout parent need to figure out. One of the most important is to get their unform ready for the first meeting.
If your Scout Shop is like mine, the employees are super helpful when you go in to buy your child’s uniform. They’ll show you which badges and patches you need to get started.
When you get home with the uniform and a bag of Cub Scout patches, your first thought is, “where do these things go?” That’s why my parents’ guide to Cub Scout patch placement is the most visited article on my blog.
How to Attach Cub Scout Patches to the Uniform
The next question that comes up is “are the Cub Scout patches iron on?” Sorry to tell you that they aren’t. 🙁
But you do have several options of how to attach Cub Scout patches onto the uniform. My new favorite option is listed last.
Use Badge Magic
Badge Magic is a peel and stick instant badge adhesive used by many folks.
In fact, that’s what I used for my older son’s first uniform. It worked pretty well for the first couple of years. But by the time my son was a Bear, the edges started peeling up.
Have Someone Sew for You
There are some people who will sew patches on for you. Of course, this option assumes that you’ve planned ahead and it isn’t the day before your meeting. Not that I would know anything about that.
A woman I met at Cub Scout day camp sews them on for $1 a patch. She’s really doing it as a service for the Scouts because she donates the money she makes.
Another person I used charged $5 per patch. I was in a time crunch and couldn’t take it anywhere else, so I paid that. I do think that’s pretty expensive, and I didn’t use her again.
Use a Sewing Machine
If you have a sewing machine, you can machine sew the Cub Scout badges. If I only knew how to use the sewing machine my mother-in-law gave me…
Hand Sew Patches
With all these options, I usually hand sew the patches. But that option isn’t without its negatives too.
Some of the problems I’ve had are:
- Patches would be crooked.
- The thread would tangle up.
- Needles would almost break as I tried to push them through the thick edge of the patch.
And that doesn’t even count the number of times I’ve shed blood for Scout patches when I poked the needle into my finger! ?
There had to be a better and easier way to sew on those Cub Scout patches!
And I found it on Clarke Green’s since-retired site, Scoutmaster CG! He wrote and podcasted primarily about Scouts BSA, but he had resources that were applicable for Cub Scouts too.
Easy Method to Hand Sew Patches
In Clarke’s method, you don’t push the needle all the way through the edge of the patch. Instead, the needle just goes through the threads on the back of the patch.
Like Clarke tells us, with this method “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.”
I had to read through Clarke’s description a few times before I could visualize it in my head. But when it clicked, I realized that this has to be the easiest way to hand sew patches and badges on a Cub Scout uniform!
I couldn’t wait to try it out! It was as easy as I thought it would be.
You can see the technique in action by watching this video. Simply click on the image to see it.
Bonus tip: If your pack number is more than one digit, sew the patches together first then sew the one big patch on. So much easier than sewing 2 or 3 individual patches on.
Let me know what you think about this method!
Don’t forget to read up on the Cub Scout uniform badge placement.
Yours in Scouting,
Sherry
P.S. You can learn about temporary Cub Scout patches here.
30 responses
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I’ve got some patches that should have been sewed on months ago, can’t wait to try this new method!
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Came here looking for ideas on how to sew on Girl Scout patches, which all have iron on backing, which makes it very hard to push a needle through! I’ve even tried special needles used for gloves/leather and it’s still hard. Sometimes I can rip the backing off but not always. I would love it if GS badges were also non iron on, so they’d be thinner and so much easier to sew on! I end up using Badge Magic, which works great, but it leaves a sticky residue when you peel it off, so rearranging badges and fun patches is a no-go. Any tips? (And in case you’re wondering why I don’t just iron on, ironing on never works. The patches always end up falling off!)
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There is actually a product they were selling at our local scout shop in Seattle that removes badge magic. ? It looks like you can buy it online at scoutshop.com. Product description from website: The Badge Magic Adhesive Remover quickly and efficiently removes Scout badges and other patch adhesives, including iron ons! It is a water-based, non-flammable solution that has a light citrus scent. It removes badges in minutes without staining the uniform – simply wash the uniform once the badge has been removed. One bottle is enough for approximately 20 badge removals.“
I hope that helps!-
That is awesome! Thanks so much!
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Of course! THANK YOU for all of the awesome content! I’m a den leader for the first time this year to a lion den (with little girls!!!) and a cubscout mom to a lion and a bear and I can’t tell you how many times this site has been my first stop resource. ?
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Thank you so much!
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I used the tape idea, I used washi tape, but after securing the patches I machine sewed right over it. I have the colors to match the patches I was working with. Afterwards I tore the paper right off and there was no issue with glue on the needle either.
I also have a clear embroidery foot for my machine that makes seeing where you are going a breeze for patches.
The patches stayed in place and there was no sign of the torn away tape.
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I iron the patches in place (there’s just enough glue to hold them while I hand sew them) but the best choice I’ve made is using a 6-8” embroidery hoop to keep the shirt flat and open while I see. It’s really helped make the process smoother for me.
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The trick I learned 10 years ago when my oldest of three sons started cub scouts was to STAPLE the patches onto the uniform (yes, you read that right, staple?) to keep them straight while sewing and then use clear thread to sew them on so you don’t see the imperfections. It has worked perfectly for ten years and three boys!
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That’s awesome! 🙂
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Hey that Council patch looks real familiar. I sat 2 weekends ago sewing all the patches onto a new tan shirt because little bit got big and outgrew his. It took hours. I wish I had seen this earlier. At least now I know this for the new Patrol Leader patch and Rank patch I have to do tomorrow night. Might be a good time for these 2 to learn to sew.
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Ha! I keep telling my boys that I’m going to teach them how to sew. But I forget until the next time there are patches to sew on. Then I don’t have time! I think I need to plan better. 🙂
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With 2 boy scouts and 1 girl scout this is BRILLIANT!
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I hand see them all on. I use a transparent thread. It’s really not that difficult.
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I wish I could say it’s easy for me… You would probably shake your head if you saw the mess I’ve made sewing on patches. 🙂
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@Sherry Smothermon-Short, to be honest with you those “hot mess” hand sewn patches have a cool home -spun look. Cub scouts are not the military, it’s OK!
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