Beaded Pin badges

Big in the States where the girls have clubs to swap pins - they can be made in any style you wish, often with limited materials. Often useful for girls going on International Camps - the bead flags are popular. If your girls are going to any of the Centenary events where there will be other Units, they could make swaps to give out. Or you could just make them for fun - there are designs for all events!

Basic instructions

If doing bead projects with girls it may be easier to put one colour of each bead in a pot/container/plate and get them go to each colour as they need them - saves the colours getting mixed!

The supply list for this project is pretty simple. All you need are safety pins and seed beads. It is helpful, but not necessary, to have a needle-nose pliers and a small, flat-head screwdriver.

Depending on the pattern you choose you will usually need between 10 and 14 small safety pins. Open a safety pin, and slip the seed beads onto it. Once all beads are in place, close the safety pin. You may want to use the needle-nose pliers to pinch the end of the safety pin so it will not pop open later. Repeat this step until all the safety pins are beaded.

Now you are ready to put all the beaded pins onto a larger safety pin. Open the large safety pin (the size you need will be stated in the pattern). Use the flat-head screwdriver to slightly pry apart the coils at the end of the large pin.

Slip the loop of the first beaded safety pin onto the large one. Pull it down to the loop at the base of the large pin. Pull it around the loop and up the back-side of the pin. Repeat this for each beaded safety pin.

Once all your beaded safety pins are on your larger pin, use the pliers and squeeze the loop to close it. You can now pin your new safety pin jewellery onto your shirt, hat, shoelaces, etc.

© Sherri Osborn - submitted by Carole Summers

July 2009

 

Download the activity instruction sheet from the Leader Training Day 10 October 2009

Design & Material Resources

Family Crafts - Free bead patterns as above, bead designs for all occasions - Christmas. Easter, Halloween, Chinese New Year etc.

Making Friends - Lots of designs for swap badges in every shape and form - just remember they may use different terminology to us!

Craft suppliers for beads / pins (links to the general craft suppliers' page)

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