Celebrate Achievements: Grown-up Merit Badges

It all started when I got to the end of a difficult book. I quipped to my husband that I deserved a merit badge for finishing Journey to the Center of the Earth, by Jules Verne. It was not fun, but it was a classic; I felt that I had to finish, and it was hard to do. No matter that it was an audio book. (I commute almost 100 miles per day. Audio books are as essential to me as coffee.)

I started looking around online; I figured there was a chance that there was something out there that would work as a merit badge. I soon realized that there were many things I've done that deserve a merit badge.

Within an hour or so of looking, and just a few hours after making the crack about needing a merit badge for finishing a book, I found exactly that: a merit badge for finishing a difficult book (aka Book Conquest patch from Patch Fever). Ordered!!

You know how when you have a mild itch on your hand or arm and start to scratch, first you think it's going to relieve the itch, but really, it's made it worse? Then you have to sit on one of your hands to stop scratching? It was kind of like that. Or, in simpler terms, I was hooked.

The book patch wasn't the first one I bought. I vaguely remembered reading something about alternative "scout" patches, so that's where I began. I quickly found The Scout Project and oh! she had a Pen Pal patch! So I ordered a couple (and went back later when they were in stock for knitting/needlework patches).

I definitely recommend the Scout Project as a starting place, because her patches are practical, fun, and affordable (it does seem like she's out of the pen pal patch, but there are a bunch more). After that, my next stop was Etsy. And boy, howdy! Was Etsy a good place for my search.

And then I went down a rabbit hole. I found so many patches that I wanted that I had to make some rules for myself. I wanted them all, but I also wanted to save room (on whatever their home was to be) for future activities. (I have a tendency to dive so deep into a new interest that I burn myself out completely. I wanted to avoid that with the patches, and keep them special.) There are dozens and dozens of grown-up badges out there, more than I can link to. Besides, I don't want to deprive you of all the fun.

One of the rules I made for myself was that merit badges had to be earned before they could sewn on or, ideally, even purchased. So I still covet that Ghost Hunter patch, but haven't ordered it, because I haven't been able to arrange such an activity with avid ghost hunter friends. (I made sure they knew I was a skeptic, and they're still willing to include me when time and all that stuff allows.)

I even saved up my mad money and got a backpack like all the cool kids have, one that patch collectors seem to like (Fjallraven Kanken on Amazon: price varies widely by seller (and color)), but you could obviously sew patches onto a messenger bag, tote, jacket, whatever you can get a needle through. I actually really like this pack. I can fit more than I thought into it and it was designed to be easy on the wearer's back It's not super-friendly to the sewing process, so look elsewhere if you're impatient about that kind of thing. I used invisible thread and a big, sharp needle.

Shown on the pack, right:

• Pen Pal, Needlework & First Aid patches from The Scout Project (linked above).
• Letter Writer's Alliance membership patch ($5 lifetime membership pack includes this small, triangular patch).
• Book Conquest patch (linked above).
• The Martian "mission patch" - total surprise SWAG when we saw the movie on opening day. I may have squeed.
• Human Resistance patch from Storied Threads.
• Zombie Survival patch, also from Storied Threads (their patches aren't cheap, so I only have a couple, but the quality is great and they have a fun selection).

Shown left: Not merit badges, but a tribute to my very first 

fandom, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. I have a Banzai Institute patch (top) and a Team Banzai Jetcar patch. Both from Starland. 

Not shown (other side of pack): Hell, MI Route 666 patch.

This would be a great parent/child activity, too. Just avoid the naughty patches (there are all kinds out there (see?)) and have some fun! I'd love to hear from other badge collectors, so please reach out! (DM me on Instagram (see siderail for link) or email me (see profile).)