Etsy handmade Photography + Art + Design Pip-Life

Patch Things Up?

June 29, 2015

MokuyobiThreads

 

Pretty much the entire reason I joined the Brownies was because of the patches/badges and the special guide-book. They seemed so CUTE and were a sure sign of being awesomely accomplished and capable, as far as I was concerned.

Sadly I was a bit of a Brownie fail because a) I didn’t like the colour brown (which the uniform most definitely was) and b) I also dropped the occasional blasphemous expression (Oh my god! For god’s sake! Oh hell!) in a pack that was particularly godly. It didn’t end well. I went just the once…

Suffice to say I’ve been obsessed with patches and badges ever since this difficult, unresolved episode in my life. (Probably your heart is bleeding for me right now? You can leave your condolences in the comments.)

To soothe my patch-starved longings, I’ve been looking at these rad patches by Julie Pinzur. THESE are the kind of patches that are at home on a denim jacket or a cute bag or some overalls or a picnic rug. They don’t really need a brown uniform to make them shine. Phew. Thank GOD.

Follow Julie – and her shop Mokuyobi Threads on Etsy here – and on Instagram here. She actually makes bumbags (fanny packs!) and backpacks and caps and other cool things too. Very little Brown Town over there, FYI.

Have an ace day!

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Mokuyobi Threads

 

13 Comments

  • Reply Sue November 17, 2015 at 5:22 PM

    Hi

    My mother recently passed away and I was clearing out the house and found all my old Brownie / Girl Guide / Ranger Guide badges. I was involved for ever as we went away camping every second weekend. My poor mother even volunteered as an Assistant Guide Leader. I loved getting away and I am still friendly with some of the girls today – 20 years later. Thanks for sharing. Sue

  • Reply Nicole McCarthy July 9, 2015 at 9:14 PM

    Looks like lots of secret badge lovers here. I was keen on the badge thing when I was a brownie too. I think it’s high time we bring back the camp blanket with all the badges stitched on. With real blanket stitching! While we’re at it, what about the the hooded parka with drawstring belt and the fabric tourist patches on the arms?

  • Reply kate June 29, 2015 at 9:01 PM

    Cute find. If it’s any consolation, I am still a Girl Guide and quite possibly the MOST potty-mouthed Girl Guide ever to wear the trefoil badge and shake with the left hand. That whole law about being self-controlled in what you think, say and do was wasted on me. My leaders heard a fairly good argument from me that I absolutely meant to swear so was clearly self-controlled in my blasphemy. The swear jar I take to camps is mostly filled by me. Ah well. I make up for it by being handy with my knots.

    • Reply Meet Me At Mikes June 29, 2015 at 9:07 PM

      You are so knotty and sweary. xx

  • Reply Saskia June 29, 2015 at 8:23 PM

    Ha! The Totally Rad one is well, totally rad! Sheet Ghost is awesome too.
    I’ve been buying badges too lately – weirdly and coincidentally all tigers (two for my boys, one for me)!
    And yes to the brown thing at brownies. Such a huge bummer (especially considering Guides had that lovely shade of blue). You must’ve been a sassy young kid – I would’ve been terrified to blaspheme at brownies (our Brown Owl was pretty scary). I did love the badge-collecting. There was a lovely old lady around the corner who was the official checker, and I remember going to her house to sew and cook in front of her. She was very earnest with a serious furrowed brow. Quite nerve-wracking!

  • Reply Laura June 29, 2015 at 7:08 PM

    Have you seen The Scout Project on Etsy? They have merit badges and they’re super cute – https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TheScoutProject

    xxx

  • Reply Robyna June 29, 2015 at 6:41 PM

    So cute. I wanted to be a Brownie for the same reason. But my mother was staunchly anti-uniform and anything that smacked of military precision. Which is kind of cool in retrospect.

  • Reply Catherine Alekna June 29, 2015 at 1:32 PM

    I was in brownies but was a bit lazy with the whole badge thing. we all had to get the hostess badge which was pretty much mandatory, and then i got the computer sciences badge and athletics badge. that was pretty much all i got. I loved the pack names more!! Junjurins and Murra Muuras. Also by the time i got in, they were wearing navy colours so i just wore half of my school uniform to pack meetings. I so wish you could have found a pack to join, but there is nothing stopping you from becoming a Brownie Guides leader! 😉

    • Reply Meet Me At Mikes June 29, 2015 at 3:41 PM

      I started my own version – The Brown Owls – a worldwide craft club! 🙂

  • Reply Melissa Gaggiano June 29, 2015 at 12:24 PM

    I’m right with you Pip, on the badges. I loved the Brownie badges, but couldn’t get the hang of being a Brownie. However in recent years I like the idea of earning badges, such as the ‘cake eating’ badge, or the ‘skated + didn’t fall on my bum’ badge. And my personal favourite – the ‘underpants on backwards’ badge.

    • Reply Meet Me At Mikes June 29, 2015 at 12:27 PM

      I LIKE THAT. I could earn a Dress Inside Out Badge QUITE easily. GOOD thinking… I am sure there are more. the Cleaned Dog Poo Off Ugg Boot Perfectly Badge. The Hair Stuck Up Less Than Yesterday Badge… You are ON TO SOMETHING!

  • Reply Linda Brown June 29, 2015 at 12:09 PM

    Hi Pip, On My honor I will. Yes, I have a picture of me with the Brownie official uniform. Camp was fun. Important memory of mine was to how to remove a tick from the skin with the end of a burnt match.This I shall never forget. By the way, my granddaughter was a brownie. Never thought too much of the color brown (Now I’m married to him and his name is Brown). What I loved was the patches of different interests. Thank You for this article. I’m going to see if I have any patches in my keepsakes from 60 some years ago. The beautiful insight you write about is appreciated. Thanks, if I find them I will let you know. Now till then I search for my Brownie Patches!

  • Reply Lorelei June 29, 2015 at 11:56 AM

    These are totally cool. I was in Girls Brigade and their badges were boring as. Thanks for sharing such a cool product, I’ve added some of these to my long wish list!

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