How to wear your wood badge beads?

[WarrenW]

Hi everyone,

 

I got my beads a week ago - so happy! The scoutmaster from my course put the beads and neckerchief on some way where they were connected together. But now I do not know how he did it. I looked online everywhere and cannot find if there is a certain way to wear them. Does anyone know this?

 

Thanks

 

Warren

 

[infoscouter]

Yikes - I don't know how to describe it. Put your beads on with the thong under the collar. Put the neckerchief on over the beads. Put on your woggle.

 

Hold up the ends of the neckerchief and twist the thong, so it makes an "X". THis will result in a loop with the beads at the bottom. Put the ends of the neckerchief through the loop.

 

Wish I could find a video.

[Dizzy ona cliff]

If you get it wrong, then a fellow resident of Gilwell will provide correction, but of course the cost of such correction may depend on the sense of humor of that peculiar resident.

If you get it wrong and no one of Gilwell is present, then no one will not know the difference, but you will retain that lingering feeling of self doubt.

Oh, and congratulations.

Jeff

[ozemu]

Waren, this may be of no help at all as there may be 'rules' where you are. People seem to be good at knowing absolute rules that just don't exist elsewhere. Ways I have seen them worn:

 

placed over the neckerchief/scarf - necker first, beads second like two separate items

 

under and then flop the two points of necker back under so the beads are visible - beads first, necker second, beads brought to front

 

thong under flap at back of neck and criss-crossed over tails of necker

 

Under flap of necker and caught up in the woggle, with and without criss-crosses

 

Used like the laces on a cavalry hat. Were undone and relaced through the hat holes for use behing head but with the beads on the brim at front.

 

Tied to the woggle (thongs were cut short so it hung at the right level).

 

You've earned them and know something more that will help you serve the movement and the Scouts better - that is the main point in my mind. To me it is like long hair (I think - I get a number 2 comb) and you can wear them how you feel like wearing them at the time. If the uniform police get irritated I hope they are nice about explaining the 'absolutes' locally.

 

 

 

[epalmer84]

Congratulations!

 

There is no official way, but I do it this way:

 

* Place the thong through the woggle and drop it till it stops at the beads

* Place the thong around your neck

* Put on the neckerchief

* Put the the woggle on the neckerchief and pull the beads down

 

I keep my neckerchief on a pants hanger so it does not wrinkle with the thong and woggle hanging from it so all it together.

 

Ed(This message has been edited by epalmer84)

[Crew21_Adv]

WarrenW,

 

Greetings and Congratulations fellow Wood Badger!

 

I usually just wear the thong and beads. You will find this is more common for every day Scouting. But for ceremonies I wear the beads, neckerchief and woggle. I prefer wearing my BSA beads with my British neckerchief. The BSA beads are just slightly larger than the British version, and similarly the British neckerchief is slightly larger than the BSA beads.

If a Scouter has a larger neck, or is barrel-chested then the BSA Wood Badge neckerchief may look like a Tiger cub neckerchief around the neck . Not too bad, but if you have to rush out of campsite, you may lose your woggle as you are trotting around the entire camp. So sometimes a twist in the thong and beads will secure the neckerchief and woggle in place, no matter if youre walking or running; or wearing the BSA or British set of regalia.

 

Like epalmer84 described, it is probably the easiest way. Infoscouter also stated to cross the beads, that is what I (and many fellow Wood Badgers do to finish them)

 

If I can add onto epalmer84 list.

 

* Place the thong through the woggle and drop it till it stops at the beads

* Place the thong around your neck

* Put on the neckerchief

* Put the woggle on the neckerchief and pull the beads down

 

Then I would add

*cross the thong/beads one half turn to make a loop behind the neckerchief

*pull the lower ends of the neckerchief thru to the back of the loop just create, moving the beads from the back to the front of the neckerchief

 

This final step usually causes friction with the neckerchief, woggle and thongs/beads, and prevents the woggle from sliding down off of the neckerchief.

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21 Adv

 

[Twocubdad]

Most folks here wear the beads as described above: Twisted to make a secondary loop with the necker tails poking through.

 

But the people at Gilwell last summer were wearing theirs with the thong through the woggle, just like the neckerchief. I like that, mainly because I revel in being contrary and curmudgeonly. I especially enjoy it when people try to "fix" my beads and I get to tell them that I'm wearing them the way I they do Gilwell.