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Merit Badge Sash


gbern

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gbern, welcome to the boards! I just sort-of butt them up to each other, there isn't much room for play when you go 3 across, so i just use the same prinicple going down.

 

However, when he first crossed-over into boyscouts (3 years ago) i heard rumor that Eagle MBs go closest to the heart (last in the row). I never read that anywhere, but i liked the idea :).

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I hope I am not too late with this, but don't worry about the spacing, worry about the length of the sash. They come in at least two lenghts, 30 inches and 42 inches.

 

We have tall boys in our troop who should have purchased the longer sash, and short guys who should have purchased the 30" sash. Best of luck.

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The problem with the smaller merit badge sash is that the small scout eventually grows, then all the lovely badges must be transferred to the larger sash. This is what my son and I are in the process of doing now.

 

We agreed to place them 3 across, which is what we've done from the beginning. This time, however, he decided to place all the Eagle-required badges at the top (leaving a space for the last as-yet-unearned one) and in alphabetical order. Yeah, we're probably one of those obsessive-compulsive families. The same alphabetzation goes for the elective badges. I've been saying "we" because this go-round the dear lad said he'd help sewing them on. We use monofilament thread so no-one can easily compare his inexpert stitches to his mother's. ;)

 

As for spacing, the 3 across touch as do all the rows of 3. It makes for a neat presentation. We left a badge-sized gap between required and elective badge groups just in case he decided to earn any of the 3 leftover required badges as electives.

 

All of this is by choice of my son, as is the placing of badges on any scout's sash - a personal choice. I've never seen any placement specified in any BSA literature. There are pictures/photos that show several different arrangements.

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Regarding the length of the sash, here is a suggestion. Get the long sash. Young boys will grow into them. You can take up some of the extra length at the top of the sash where it rests on the shoulder. Mak a loop in the fabric on the inside and stitch it across. Press it and chances are it will not be noticeable. Saves moving all those patches to a longer sash later on.

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Not about the merit badges, but about temporary patches on the back. Sometime shortly after I started as an adult Scouter in the mid eighties the rules changed to allow temporary patches on the back of the sash. I don't like it.:( I think it looks messy. What do you think?

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I've seen sashes with lots of different patches on the back side including rank patches and position of leadership patches. It can look sloppy. From the Insignia Guide: Members may wear only temporary patches (no badges of rank) on the back of the merit badge sash. A merit badge sash is never worn on the belt.

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My son Conner came up with spacing 12 required to fill the top of the sash & adding the elective below. His special twist was to start them chronologically at the point where the two come together. Eagle Required read up, Electives down. This filled up the center of the sash first. As to the possibility of earning the extra Eagle required, "I guess that they'll catch your eye and if anyone asks I'll explain"

 

Sometimes he really impresses me.

 

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My son chose to have his badges sewn on in the order he earned them - but since they are awarded in groups, he may get anywhere from 2 - 8 in one COH. So we have a little leeway room for 'arrangement'. he has the Eagle required badges down the center row of his sash - electives on the outside boarders. We started at about the height of the shirt pocket.

 

the suggestion about taking a 'tuck' in the top of the longer badge sash at the shoulder and later letting it out is a good one - it is unobtrusive and saves ALOT of re-sewing later.

 

 

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