Puzzle Patches Anyone?

[Eagle92]

Ok does anyone have eny experience making a "Puzzle Patch," i.e. a series of patches that when put together form a larger patch?

 

I ask b/c I was asked to create a patch that would recognize those individuals who haev been to every camp in my council. 1 idea was to create a patch and have segments attched. Another idea was to create series of patches that combined together would be the true patch. the idea came from the puzzle patch national is selling for the 100th.

 

Questions I have include the following

 

1) Is a backpatch a better option than a temp patch, especially since the council has 6 camps that it operates?

 

2) Is there a color background that works good to hide the puzzle lines? I was thinkign a solid black background and border, but what about solid red? FYI I am leanign to make this into a backpatch for folks to wear onthe vests and/or jackets.

 

3) Would this violate uniform policy for jacket in that although it is to recognize 1 acheivement, going to all of the council camps, the 'patch consists of seven individual patchs as I currently have it conceived.

 

Thanks in advance.

[moxieman]

I've never heard of this term before. In the past, the term I've heard is "Multi-part" patches.

 

I have seen something like what you're talking about before. A Canadian National Jamboree back in the '90's (I don't recall which one-only seen the resulting combined patch) did a multi-part patch as a friendship game: There were ten subcamps. Each scout was given 10 patches for his/her subcamp. It was up to them to meet up with scouts from the others and trade off all but one of his patches to acquire the other nine. Upon doing so, he got the center award patch. Put together, it made sort of a starburst design. But each patch was distinct/individual from the others.

 

With the number of patches you're proposing, you'll have to go the "backpatch" route if you want people to be able to see each patch and what it stands for. However, if they must all be combined to make any sense, then it doesn't matter what size they are. You can make'em smaller.

 

However, you're talking a lot of money here. Instead of producing one patch, you're producing several.

 

Some questions for you:

Do you really need "hidden puzzle lines"?

Are you taking one overall picture and cutting it up or will each patch be unique, but when combined with the others form a larger picture--for example, the outline of the Fleur-de-lis?

Or, could your award patch be the center one and the other six sit around it? For example, maybe as CSP-style patches for the camps and then the center would be a hexagon. If you're concerned about size, make them smaller than normal CSPs.

 

[moxieman]

Here are some examples of Multi-part patches:

 

Daniel Webster Council's 50th Anniversary:

http://home.gwi.net/~moxieman/patches/patchgraphics/DWC79.jpg

 

The combined patch is only 3.5 by 3.5 inches. A scout had to attend five events to earn all five pieces.

 

Scouts Australia Trail Award:

http://home.gwi.net/~moxieman/patches/patchgraphics/aussietrail.jpg

 

I don't know the details behind this one or what the requirements are--it was sent to me by a friend Down Under. Each patch is unique, but combine to make the fleur-de-lis. It measures just under 8 by 8 inches.

 

Finally, Pine Tree Council's 2005 National Jamboree Set, aka, the Four Seasons Set:

http://home.gwi.net/~moxieman/patches/patchgraphics/PTCJAM05.jpg

 

Again, each piece is unique, but combine with a center patch to form a 7.75 inch diameter circle.

 

[Eagle92]

Moxieman,

THANKS A BUnCH FOR THE LINKS!!!!! That FDL patch gave a me a great idea.

 

Alsoo to your questions, we don't need the "hidden puzzle lines"?

 

 

Are you taking one overall picture and cutting it up or will each patch be unique, but when combined with the others form a larger picture--for example, the outline of the Fleur-de-lis?

 

Orignially envisioned was one overall patch that incorprated either an older patch design and/or logo or totem of each camp. The middle section would be a modified CSP design, basically an ovalized CSP with the added words " East Carolina Council Camps Award" and "Because Outing is Three Fourths Scouting," So each pacth would be unique, and probably ownr as a temp insignia, until you earned the other patches.

 

Now I like the CSP design you displayed. That may go over alot better as 1 people can wear it as a CSP until they earnt he others.

 

If you're concerned about size, make them smaller than normal CSPs.

 

To quote Yoda, "Size matters not" At least at this stage. If the folks say, Make it smaller, I'm good.

 

Again Thank you very much. And yes I was shouting at you earlier, in high praise and gratitude.

[SctDad]

Eagle92

 

Did the SE ever give you a copy of the patch design that I gave him at the meeting that you missed. If you want I can try to find it again and get you a copy. It was the base patch. I like the idea of the CSP segments. I will e-mail/call you later and let you know.

 

Moxie

 

Do you happen to remember the Klondike derby patches from teh early 90's. They were all hexagon and if you were at all 7 they formed one large patch. Unfortunatly I only got one, my troop decided to quit going.

[Eagle92]

SctDad,

No, send it my way if you don't mind. At this point I was using the new CSP 100th CSP or 100th annicversary oval patch as the basic design. Looking at the CSP design and playing with 6 CSPs on the floor, the center base patch itself is larger than my 18th WSJ backpatch. Also like the fact that 1) people will probably want to wear their Camp Charles CSP, I mean favorite camp CSP as a CSP until they get the set 2) bet it cuts cost down by not having too irregular a shape. Gonna make it so that you MUST place the CSP patch in a specific order around the centerpatch. probably will write soemthing and/or make the bottom edge of teh CSPs crooked.

 

Also foudn out that the Sam hatcher logo is a Sailboat! 3 definite designs down, 1 possible design, and 2 to go.

[moxieman]

SctDad wrote:

"Do you happen to remember the Klondike derby patches from teh early 90's. They were all hexagon and if you were at all 7 they formed one large patch. Unfortunatly I only got one, my troop decided to quit going."

 

I'm in Kennebec Valley District in Pine Tree Council. The patches you are referring to are from York District--the far opposite side of the council from me. York District has done a lot of these over the years. Prior to and after that Klondike Set, they did several sets where you had to attend all three district events in a school year (Klondike, Spring & Fall camporees) to complete the set. A couple years ago, their Roundtable Commissioner (and SM in Shapleigh, ME) gave me almost a complete set of the hexagon patches you're referring to. I have 1991 through 1995. So, I'm missing one edge piece and the center one. I don't know if that would be '90 & '96 or '96 & '97. I do know the center one has a gold myler border.

 

Eagle92: Most patch design companies don't charge extra for unusual shapes. The base price through most companies is the average size of the patch. So a 3 inch square or 3 inch circle is charged as a 3 inch patch. A 3 by 4 inch rectangle is charged as if it's a 3.5 inch patch because: (3 + 4)/2 equals 3.5. However, if you opt for an odd shaped patch, you usually have to have a "laser-cut" border as opposed to a traditional "myler" (embroider thread) around the edge of the patch.

 

Here is an example of a special shape:

http://home.gwi.net/~moxieman/patches/patchgraphics/trp443-2.gif

 

Troop 443, Winslow, ME 40th Anniversary. The 4 sticks out beyond the edge of the pentagon shaped, patch. But because it doesn't go outside the bounds of the area of the length/height of the pentagon, it didn't change the cost of the patch through the company they used. But due to the special shape, they couldn't do the myler border.

 

I hope this helps a bit. And good luck with the multi-part patch. I'd love to see a picture of the final design.

 

If you need tips for patch companies, look in the back of Scouting Magazine. They can't advertise if they aren't approved to do patches for the scouts. I've had great luck with both Stadri and Sunshine Patch Companies. Stadri made the example above. And our Council has used Sunshine for their Jambo CSP sets.

[SctDad]

Moxie

 

Hey, that structure on you troop 40th patch looks familiar. I remember a building at a certain camp that was a key reference point in camp but really had no other purpose. I don't ever really remember the history behind it either.

 

BTW that is the Blockhouse from Hinds, right???

[moxieman]

SctDad asked: "that is the Blockhouse from Hinds, right???"

 

(chuckle) No. I don't know the history behind the blockhouse at the center of Camp Hinds. Nor does the Camp Hinds Alumni Society know. They state as such on their website--no one knows who, when or why that block house was constructed.

 

It could be based on one of the reproduction blockhouses at Olde Fort Western, Circa 1754, in Augusta (central barracks is original, everything else is reproduction), or in the case of Winslow Troop 443's patch, all that remains of Fort Halifax, a single blockhouse. It also dates to 1754 and is (was) the oldest fort in the nation, found where the Sebasticook River meets the Kennebec River in Winslow, Maine. Ft. Halifax was washed away in a April Fool's Day Flood of 1987. Roughly 65% of the timbers were found/retrieved from down stream and used to reconstruct the blockhouse.

 

Benedict Arnold's forces spent time at both forts on his ill-fated trip to try (and fail) to capture Quebec City & Montreal during the American Revolution.

 

Several years ago, a pen pal in California sent a squirrel plushie around the country to tour with friends as said pen pal could not afford to travel herself. As a result, here are pictures of Ft. Western & Ft. Halifax. Can you find the plushie in both? (chuckle)

 

Ft. Halifax:

http://home.gwi.net/~moxieman/buzzy/fthalifx.jpg

 

Ft. Western:

http://home.gwi.net/~moxieman/buzzy/ftwest1.jpg(This message has been edited by moxieman)