Monday, May 31, 2010

I've got one of those!

I bet you Cath Kidston fans know what's coming next, don't you?
"Badge Blanket
£60.00

In homage to the Scouts, we have introduced this nostalgic blanket to our range which is ideal for sitting on outside or curling up under on the sofa. The blanket has a number of patches on depicting familiar images from around the British Isles
L 166X166cm (50% wool 50% man made fibre)
Machine Wash one blanket at a time in cool water.
Line or tumble dry on gentle lowest heat setting."

Well, I'm happy to tell you that "I have one of those!" and I made it, too. Obviously, my mum helped...
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First I was an American Brownie Girl Scout.
Then I was a British Brownie Guide. Wasn't so convinced by that stage...
But I went on to join the best Girl Guide Unit in our area...
... and finished off in the later '80s as a Ranger Guide.
I wasn't one of those gung-ho campers. For me it was all about good food and activities and songs round the campfire, not starting a fire with one match, I'm afraid.
But I faithfully recorded all the camps and jamborees I attended around the hem of my utility-blanket poncho...
...and swapped (and bought) badges with enthusiasm.
Our Guide Captain, who was the village butcher's wife, was a marvellous woman - one of the best leaders I've known. She had a stunning Camp Blanket, probably dating from the 1950s onwards I suppose, and she inspired a lot of us to start our own.
I did go for quantity rather than quality, being me - a friend collected only Guide and Scout badges, and had a fantastic collection - but I loved to buy or be given badges from anywhere I or a family member had visited.
My dad was in the Navy, which gained me some excellent glittery badges - all sewn on the front where I couldn't accidentally sit on them - ouch! The old green and blue guide badges near the top of the above photo were earned by my mum. A real family blanket...
I really adored all the embroidered badges. The US and British Navies made some really plush ones...
And this Canadian Trillium badge is probably my mother's favourite - she had been a Guide in Canada and was in the Trillium Patrol, although I don't think the badge dates from her time.
And that's the story of my Camp Blanket - my "homage to the Girl Guides" as Cath would put it!Our boys aren't Cubs or Scouts - the Toulouse English-speaking troops don't appeal to them and there are no French ones in our immediate area, sadly. (Boy, do they have great hats? I would do a lot to get my sons wearing a Baden Powell hat like some of the French Scouts who hike through our town, but it's not to be...) However, Son 1 found me editing the first photo soon after I'd been working on my Blog Shop, and exclaimed in concern: 'You're not selling THAT, are you?' so he seems to have some appreciation of all things Scouting and Guiding...
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I'd really like to thank you all for your kind comments on my last post. It is wonderful to me how loving and supportive this blogging community can be. My mum had a marvelous weekend - friends from her church choir came to sing for her in her own sitting room!

27 comments:

Josie-Mary said...

Love it! I started a blanket about 14 years ago, I couldn't believe it when I saw Cath was charging £60! Mine's in the loft, must get it down. I don't have as many badges as you, I started buying on my travels so brings back happy memories. :) x

Lululiz said...

Thats an amazing collection of badges, wow!

VintageVicki said...

Love your blanket :)

Both my 2 are scouts & their blankets are coming on nicely. In fact I might be cheeky at one point & do a blog post asking for patches ;) We do look for them when we're on holiday but they are out of fashion at the moment - maybe Cath will inspire places to start producing them again.

Elizabethd said...

Well, all I've got left is my one little Girl Guide badge! What a collection you have!

Hen said...

Floss, it's fab! I must confess to really loving the woven badges. My other half tells me he has lots from his scout years and I really fancy appliqueing them all onto a big old vintage blanket. One day... Thanks for sharing yours, really cool!
Hen x

Andi's English Attic said...

What is annoying is that I used to collect sew on badges. I haven't got them now. I wonder what happened to them? xx

Jill said...

What memories that must have, much better than the Cath blanket.

Hugs RosieP x

Elderberry-Rob said...

cor, that's really something for the family time capsule! I like your scout blanket the best because all the badges have been genuinly earned - CK can't beat you there!

Kelly said...

I was a guide and a ranger and later a venture scout!! I never had a blanket but now wish I did!!

Country Cottage Chic said...

It's fabulous & the genuine article!
Jayne

Anonymous said...

How long before we start seeing other people selling these on e-bay?xx

Serenata said...

Wow that is fantastic. I didn't even think of doing something like that with DS1's scout and jamboree badges, now I have the idea, just need to find a blanket.

Me and Ma said...

I started one of those for finn when he left Beavers and went on to cubs, I hope to add to it when he goes on up to scouts. Freyas old Brownie badges are on a cushion..:)

Country Style Living said...

What a lovely keepsake, full of fun memories! And now a fashion item....

Lalabibaby @ Dreaming of The Simple Life said...

That's fantastic Floss and beats copycat Cath hands down .... now I know what to do with the drawer full of the children's Brownie/Guide/Air Scouts/Beavers/Cubs/Scouts/Air Cadets badges xx

Princess and the Pea said...

I love that idea, it's like a textile novel of your life!

Jen Walshaw said...

What a fantiastic thing, if the boys ever join the scouts or cubs, I know what I am doing. I plan to so the same thing, but with a towel for their swimming badges.

I think that being serenaded in your own sitting room must just be magical

Autumn Mist said...

That's fantastic, I've still got mine. I LOVED Guides and became a Ranger later on. Mine are sewn on a blanket, with both daughter's contributions added later. I must confess I do let the dog sleep on it, perhaps I'd better retrieve it!

Sarah - Red Gingham said...

Your blanket is so much better because of all the wonderful memories it holds. It's quite a fabulous work of art.

Olga said...

It's lovely Floss :) And looks warm and cosy. Great job attaching all the patches.. It must be a real special blanket now...

Rebecca S. said...

I know I haven't been by for a while, and I'm so sorry to hear about you mother. I'm sure your blog has been a great gift of love to her. Is she Canadian then? Or did she just work here? And what a wonderful badge blanket. I've never seen one of them before!
And yes, it truly is important to remember to pray for the caregivers. It is a labour of love for them, but a 'labour' no less.

Sherri B. said...

I have never seen anything like this. It is so wonderful to be able to look back on all of the memories of the badges and kept safely in one place....fascinating!

Angela said...

I LOVE your blanket - but somehow feel CK's is WRONG, ALL WRONG - I know she tries to market 'nostalgia' - but somehow this 'pretend' camp blanket doesn't feel at all comfortable. And yes- they are already selling the badges on ebay - for others who want to 'create a past'

Your blanket is sewn with memories and therefore infinitely more precious.

How lovely that your Mum's choir came and sang to her at home - a real gesture of love and fellowship!

Unknown said...

I have seen the Cath Kidston one! But I love yours! It is amazing! Full of all those wondeful memories! Floss I have read your last post too, and left a message. I haven't been on here all weekend, so I am just catching up. Suzie xxxxx

Ange said...

oooh if I was you I wouldn't get rid of it either Floss!!
xxx

The Curious Cat said...

How come you were a girl scout in the US? I was too! And a US brownie - I still have my sash somewhere covered in badges...I loved it! I certainly love these photos too! :) xxx

The Curious Cat said...

PS Did you sell many girl scout cookies?! I miss those yummies...