By Izzy M
I was given a homemade fleece camp blanket by a friends mum for xmas when I was a beaver, & it gets used a lot, on camp & at home in the winter as an extra thin but removeable layer if it's cold, ..nice to trap air underneath & help warm you through!
It's almost the same sort of simple design you can see on this page of the site..
(poncho style no.2) page 6 / 10.
Dunelm-mill.com (we have 2 stores near-by) is a good place to find a good fleece blanket either for yourself or as a blanket for your pets, they also have ladies in store who know everything about what's needed for anything to do with sewing & cutting materials, so if you are not sure what else you need get a grown up to ask.
The easiest way to stick your badges down on a blanket (or uniform) is with adhesive (iron on) hemming tape, which can work on it's own but is best followed up with a few "catching stitches" to grip better.
The only downside to iron on hemming tape is that badges do loosen off over time & washes, but mostly when they are put through a tumble drier (the glue loosens the badges, ..sometimes completely) in which case re-doing a badge takes around 5 minutes & a bit more tape with an adult helping you!
a reel of iron on hemming tape costs around a pound, & there will be enough to see you through to explorer scouts & beyond!
Why not have a go at making your own?
Before you start find out which side of the fabric beads water off the best (use a few drops of water on your fingertips & see which side soaks up the water & which side holds the water as a droplet!
The "best side" needs to lay face up & the water absorbing side face down on the cutting surface!
My fleece was simply folded in half (lengthways).
Chalk was used to make a clear, straight line (same size should work for a beaver or a cub).
..Don't use a pen as it won't come out.
The line (which was then cut with a pair of scissors) measured approximately 11.5 inches.
Then catch the ends with some stitching to ensure the cut area doesn't expand & tear.
Next cut 2 x 2.2 feet lengths of fabric edging tape*, colourful so you know which is your fleece poncho if it's in a heap at the bottom of a tent!
*The extra length allows each end to be folded under itself so there are no edges to catch & fray or scratch your face if using it as pillow cushioning in the evening.
Measure & mark at regular intervals to help stitching (or an initial iron on hemming tape).
Fold & catch the outer ends (allowing 5 millimetres or so within the end fold as mentioned above.
with a sewing machine, run a small stitch along the edging tape making sure not to sew the sides together.
Neck closure stitching needs to be double stitched (at least) in order to withstand the rigours of being pulled over heads, sat on & pulled about (etc), whilst it's easy to sort out it's preferable to make these kid-proof from day one.
Once complete it's time to start putting old camp jamboree badges & badges you earned but have moved onward & upward, to remember fun times, & show your abilities off, it's a collection blanket packed full of memories & a nice extra layer to have round a campfire or to use on an extra chilly night in bed or to help make a soft pillow instead of taking a big bulky one from home.
A camp blanket is the stuff of memories, times past & general nostalgia, just perfect for a night round the fire, .....(but not too close).
Note: IF, you are concerned with regards to fleeces & fires, wool burns less easily, but is heavier when wet & a rougher material in general (chafing).
A new fire resistant fleece has been brought out recently for use by the fire services & is available as lengths (by the metre) ..see our dedicated page for a web link to Polartec (the best there is & the inventor of the fleece we take for granted today) ..by using proper polartec material your fleece could be a powerhouse of additional warmth & comfort for a lifetime or two of use, however we have given you a cheap, cost effective & capable generic fleece alternative as found at Dun-elm Mill.
Whether it's worn around the shoulders or folded double to keep your legs warm a camp blanket fleece is a valuable piece of kit to have when outdoors.
We are thinking of ordering some heavier fleece from Polartec to make a bigger heavy duty fleece as a project, perhaps with a hood, so it can be used for really cold outdoor camps & DofE work in the future.
Apart from sticking old badges on, why not design a superhero logo to go on the back for fun & so you stand out in a crowd? ...as a project there is so much you could do to trace & cut patterns out to make your poncho camp blanket more personal & special to you!.
see link here
Take a look here to see what someone else has done (with instructions)! ..you could even make a big scouting logo such as our fleur-de-lys!
Thanks to my dad for helping me with this post!