Here's the long story. About a year ago, on a Wednesday night after school, E told me his Scout Court of Honor would be in a couple of hours. I nodded yes and continued to stir dinner on the stove. I had placed it on the calendar knowing the entire family would be attending the meeting, not just E. He went on to ask if I would sew his merit badge patches on before the meeting. At the time he had earned 4 merit badges. Sure. So, unconcerned and calm, we ate dinner and then began getting everyone ready for the meeting. I don't know what I was thinking? Yes, I can do some basic sewing. But circles? In an hour? Hah! Needless to say, I quickly sewed them on using whatever color thread I had on hand that mostly matched. Sewing quick circles does not mean pretty circles. More like rounded squares. And I didn't have the hunter green thread in my bobbin so whatever color I used to match the circle merit badge showed underneath.
Uck.
Here's the worst part. I did it again. The next time he had a Court of Honor, I quickly sewed them on again at the last minute using whatever thread I had. More ugly square looking circles. More non matching thread. Double Uck.
Which brings us to this past week.
I used my seam ripper.
I removed all 11 merit badges.
I borrowed matching thread (thank you Jeannie J.).
I learned how to sew a circle (thank you, Jana, Tara's Mom).
I asked a neighbor for some help (thank you Vivian M.).
Yay!!
I sewed them all back on.
I was feeling very proud of myself. My circles are pretty. They look like circles. They have matching thread. Job well done. That's what I thought anyway. I showed E and he thought the sash looked fine. Of course, since he really wasn't bothered with the ugly sewing from the previous episodes, he was easy to please. And as the hard working scout he is, he informed me, "I should be receiving 10 more this next time." A sarcastic cheer almost escaped my mouth.
Later I showed it to my husband. He said, "You know this one's upside down, right?" What?!? Which one? Can you tell?
Apparently, the very first patch I sewed on, the one with a snake on it, is for veterinary medicine. The red stitching is a V. I thought it was just something the snake was crawling on. Way to go. I don't even know which merit badges my son is earning. I am just proud he has earned them. So....I will be getting out my seam ripper to redo this one particular badge for the third time. At least this time I know how. LOL.