Girl Scout Banner out of flannel? Or?

[iluvdiscruises]

Trying not to spend a fortune on a banner for a daisy troop (will be brownies next year). Thinking of starting with a flannel sheet and doing something on it? Anyone have any ideas or photos to share of your banners? We saw a few at a parade in the fall and should have taken pictures! We definitely want to MAKE something not purchase a pre-done one.

 

[scrapquitler]

Trying not to spend a fortune on a banner for a daisy troop (will be brownies next year). Thinking of starting with a flannel sheet and doing something on it? Anyone have any ideas or photos to share of your banners? We saw a few at a parade in the fall and should have taken pictures! We definitely want to MAKE something not purchase a pre-done one.

Not flannel, FELT. Go to Joannes or other craft store and buy yardage of felt for the background (it is either 60" or 72" wide, so the size is great for banners). Use felt letters on it (purchase either squares or yardage to cut them out, depending on the colors they have available). The letters can be either glued on or ironed on using Heat&Bond or WonderUnder (the ladies in the store can help you...it's an adhesive that you iron on the back of the letters, peel the paper off and then iron it onto your background fabric). The felt is better than flannel because it has more body and will be a bit stiffer than flannel.

I've seen troop banners where it says the troop number/council/name and then the girls do handprints and write their name in marker on the handprint.

I'm not sure exactly what banners you are interested in, but I did a quick search from google and here are some pictures: http://images.google.com/search?hl=...&q=girl scout banners&orq=+girl+scout+banners

 

[Gnomegirl]

Felt can stretch out of shape with all the little hands carrying it - ask how I know LOL

I'd buy canvas and then to be simple and not have to iron and cut out the letters you can trace whatever it is you want on the banner with pencil and then use craft paint to paint it in. Perhaps a large "daisy" in the centre and then use those petal colours for the girls to do their handprints. They can sign their names with Sharpie marker.

Have fun! I love coming up with the crafts.

 

[KJSJpipe]

We made a new banner every year for our Girl Scout Troop. We used beige canvas and pre cut stick on felt letters. We would center the words in the middle of the banner then have the girls put their hand prints all around it in glitter paint in several different colors. It was great to see the hand prints grow each year.

Township Name/School Name
Daisy/Brownie/Girl Scout Troop # 1234​

 

[iluvdiscruises]

Thanks for all the ideas so far! For the felt or canvas, are you attaching it to some sort of rod at the top that the girls will hold? I am impressed with those of you who do one every year, that is great! We are hoping that this one will last us several years...so to finish this year at daisies and continue into brownie years. I love the daisy idea with the handprints in the colors of the petals, but then we'd definitely be committing to a new one next year. It is going to take us several meetings to get this one done so we definitely want it to last!

 

[Gnomegirl]

I would just let a few girls carry it and not worry about tripping while walking and landing on a pole. Also much easier to store and not have to worry about a big stick somewhere.

As for the daisy part - what about using a second piece of canvas to put the daisy on and pin it. Next year when they are Brownies take the cenre part off and add the brownie symbol, keeping the handprints.

 

[iluvdiscruises]

I would just let a few girls carry it and not worry about tripping while walking and landing on a pole. Also much easier to store and not have to worry about a big stick somewhere.

As for the daisy part - what about using a second piece of canvas to put the daisy on and pin it. Next year when they are Brownies take the cenre part off and add the brownie symbol, keeping the handprints.

Brilliant!!! Love it...
The girls voted this afternoon and want to do a banner with felt paper dolls that they each decorate...I'll either use the Sharpie idea to have them draw names on it or add handprints somehow. They are so excited to start this project. Where do you buy felt or canvas? Regular fabric store? Online? Thanks!!

 

[ntink]

I second the thought of using the banner year after year. Some of our troops have on banners "Troop 1234" with no reference to the level. Alternatively, you could write "School Name and Level" (like Elmwood Brownies) and then pass the banner down to other troops when you move up. I love the paper doll idea.

 

[3boymthr]

Not brownies, rather Cub Scouts, but we also have a banner for parades, to put on our table front at fairs, and other events and while not exactly the same, similar principles.

Our banner is now 20 years old. It's made of felt and has held up very well. We roll it up and store it in a bag after every event. It easily slides under the bed after each event.

To prevent stretching and damage from little hands and to make it easier to carry it's attached to a rod. The original maker made a 4 inch pocket similar to what you'd use for a drapery rod and the rod was slipped inside. The rod is a broomstick that has been sanded and stained and the ends rounded out. Balls were attached to the ends so the kids could hold onto it and so that the banner would not slide off. But you could also use a drapery rod with the fancy ends. I've seen some very cheap on clearance.

As an idea for decoration, we have Cub Scouts (general, no reference to rank), our pack numbers, our town, and felt cut outs of things we've done attached. I love the idea of cut outs of the girls but I wouldn't put the girl's handprints or names on because as girls come and go you'll feel less able to use the banner. One thing I've learned in 10 years of scouting there is always turnover - people move, kids lose interest or you get a bunch of new kids because the current kids convince their friends to join.

ETA - oh, another reason not to use names, there are always the privacy obsessed parents who won't want people taking photos of the banner because their child's name is on it.

 

[MomToOne]

My daughter was a Daisy Scout and Brownie for years, and their troop never made a banner - I'm not sure where we would have used it, I never saw any other troops with banners at the activities we went too. Maybe it's a regional thing? Parades aren't really a big thing around here for Brownies to participate in, maybe that's it??

 

[Ceila]

My daughter was a Daisy Scout and Brownie for years, and their troop never made a banner - I'm not sure where we would have used it, I never saw any other troops with banners at the activities we went too. Maybe it's a regional thing? Parades aren't really a big thing around here for Brownies to participate in, maybe that's it??

I think it depends on the activities that the troop participates in. We use ours for a parade that we're in annually, and we can use it when we have cookie booths.

 

[RangerPooh]

I like the banner idea! Our Daisy Troop is looking to do cookie booth sales tis year so this would be nice. Plus we as a small town we do have a local parade for the 4th of July and Lentle Festival. I think this would be a great way to let people know that we do have troops in town

As for the banner, my mom always made our soccer and little league banners out of felt and either made a pocket or loops for PCV pipe to slide through so that they could be hung. I'm thinking that our banner could be blue (Daisy's afterall) and have the daisy petals in the center. Then somewhere on it it could say:
Girl Scouts
Daisy Troop 3210