2010 GGC centennial merchandise is here!

After eagerly awaiting its arrival, the Girl Guides of Canada officially released its pint sized group of 100th anniversary merchandise a few weeks ago. The capsule collection includes two different patches, a metal pin, a metal cell phone/key chain charm, and a comfy 100% cotton t-shirt (which is available in assorted youth and adult sizes).

For those of us – both Canadian and international collectors alike – these pieces, which feature a colour pallet of blue and white, are long awaited treasures that help to commemorate the milestone anniversary that the GGC is celebrating this year.

All of the 2010 anniversary items can be purchased online from the Girl Guides of Canada’s ecommerce site or through this latest edition of the GGC catalogue. I’ve not heard any numbers in terms of how many centennial items have been produced, but given the interest that such pieces tend to generate, I’d highly recommend grabbing your anniversary merchandise as soon as you can.

{This lovely, cheerful patch is one of two different celebratory 100th anniversary designs that are available from the GGC this year; it’s available for $1.95 (CND) from the GGC's website or catalogue.}


If you’re going to buy some of these wonderful items, I'd definitely suggest picking up a few extra, as they will no doubt prove to be popular trading items both this year and in the future (especially with fans of GG/GS anniversary patches and pins).

Should you want a patch or pin of your own, yet live outside of Canada or do not want to order online or from the current GGC (paper) catalogue for whatever reason, please feel free to email me. I plan on placing an order for centennial items in the near future and would be happy to pick up an anniversary piece or two for you (you can either repay me for the cost of the item(s) via PayPal or we can work out a patch swap).

I’m delighted that the GGC has put out items to celebrate this momentous event! It’s not every day that an organization – let alone one as profoundly important as the GGC – reaches the venerable age of 100. I can’t wait to see what the future holds in stores for the Girl Guides of Canada – and WAGGGS members worldwide – in the coming century of Guiding life.

Celebrating my second blogiversary with an open call to trade patches

Two full years have passed since I first began this wonderfully fun blog, and a tad more time than has rolled by since I began to collect Girl Guide and Girl Scout patches (and badges, and pins, and silks, and...) again for the first time since I was a Pathfinder. Over the course of those two years many things have transpired in my life. I’ve moved homes, experienced very rough periods of health, adopted an incredibly precious cat (Stella), had a marvelous visit (last spring) with my mom and step-dad who flew out to visit my husband and I here in Ontario, experienced my first (two!) operas (which I hope are the just the beginning of a lifetime of live opera performances), began a second blog (devoted to my lifelong love of the past called Chronically Vintage), become an avid photographer, and experienced many other memorable events both large and small.

In that time I’ve also had the true pleasure of meeting (in the online sense of the word) and swapping patches with many fantastic people from across the world. Getting to know some of my fellow patch collectors, learning from your years of GG/GS collecting wisdom, and sharing my thoughts on all manner of Guiding related topics with you has been nothing short of a joy. Some swappers and I have interacted only once, others several times, and a handful of badge collectors have become cherished friends. No matter the duration of our correspondence, I can say with absolute sincerity that every one of the people I’ve swapped with has definitely exuded the spirit of the sisterhood of Guiding, and helped to make me even happier that I rekindled my love of patch collecting!

On that note I am issuing a call to swap to one and all! I know that our ranks have dwindled as of late, but at the same time I know there are many people across the world who are also still actively collecting and trading patches. Whether we’ve swapped before or not yet had the pleasure, if you would like to trade, please swing by my Dupes and Traders list to see what catches your eye then zip an email my way letting me know what you available to swap.

Today, on this lovely second blogging anniversary, and always, thank you to one and all for your friendship and the wonderful swaps we’ve shared. I look forward to many more years of trading and sharing in this terrific hobby with you!

Have you heard of the Badge Collectors Club?

One of the best parts of collecting patches is the wonderful community of fellow collectors that exists. I love getting to met and trade with wonderful people from across the globe (as well as in my own backyard!). Sometimes though it seems like it can be hard to find new people to swap – or just chat about crests – with.

If you’re looking to expand your list of swap contacts, love reading about patch collecting or would just like to stay abreast of some of the patch related news that happens around the world, then without a doubt the Girl Guide and Girl Scout Badge Collectors Club is for you!

This terrific club is centred in the UK and run by a lovely lady named Annette Preston. The cost of club membership is very reasonable: £8 in UK and £10 for those outside UK (which can be paid in cash, UK Cheque, or by UK/international money order, in the following currencies: Euros, Pounds, Australian dollars, US dollars, and Canadian dollars). Membership entitles you to six printed club newsletters each year, plus a hugely useful CD upon joining, which is jam packed with a directory of known patches from various countries.

Each of the multi-paged newsletters features information on topics such as recent Girl Guiding and Scouting events (particularly in the United Kingdom), write-ups about the patches and relevant Guiding information about particular parts of the world (in the most recent newsletter, New Brunswick, Canada was in the spot light), the names and contact info of new members, general GG and GS patch related articles, and member profiles (including what patches people are specifically looking for and/or have to trade). I’ve been a member of the club for a year now and adore receiving the newsletters, which arrive like clockwork every two months, and highly recommend becoming a member to fellow patch enthusiasts.

If you are interested in joining the Badge Collectors Club, please contact Annette Preston by email at annette@badgers2.madasafish.com, by postal mail at 24 Badgers Brook Road, Drayton, Norfolk, NR8 6EY, England, or by telephone at +44-(0)-160-386-1435. (In case you were wondering, at present, the club doesn’t have its own website.)

Below is the club application form which can be mailed with your annual membership fee (make cheques payable to “Guide & Girl Scout Badge Collectors Club”) to the address above:

Guide and Girl Scout Badge Collectors Club membership application form. Please complete and return, to the above address.


PLEASE COMPLETE IN BLOCK LETTERS (apart from e-mail!)

NAME…………………………………………………………………
ADDRESS…………………………………………………………
………………………………….………………………………………
POST (POSTAL) CODE……………………………
E-mail …………………………………………………………

Data Protection Act – I give permission for my details to be held on a computer. I give permission for my details (*address / e-mail) to be published in the newsletter.

Signed……………………………………………………………

I enclose a *cheque / money order / cash for £…………………
(Sterling cheques only)

(* Please delete as appropriate)

This is official Badge Collectors Club patch.
It’s available for 75p (pence) per patch,
plus SAE, from the address above.

Girl Guides and Girl Scouts blog turns one year old

My goodness, has a year really zoomed past since I first began this blog? It has indeed, and today is this site’s first anniversary, its “blogiversary”, if you will. While elements in my personal life have at times prevented me from posting as often as I’d like, I’m also pleased with what I have had a chance to write about.

Image from the GGC's clip art graphics gallery
A huge element of any site is its readers and visitors, and nowhere is that more true that on a blog like this one that offers an element of “real world” interaction via patch trading. I began blogging about Guiding topics just a few days after I started collecting patches (et al) again for the first time since I was a youth, and over the past twelve months I’ve had the pleasure of trading patches and pins (and occasionally other GG/GS items like scarves and postcards, too) with fellow collectors from five different continents!

I want to take a moment to sincerely thank everyone that I’ve traded and chatted with over the past year. I’ve loved shipping off little parcels of crests to places as far-reaching as New Zealand and Ethiopia, as well as to my fellow Canadians and a plethora of lovely folks from many other countries. Thank you also to all of the people who visit this blog! I hope that you enjoy reading its contents as much as I enjoy writing them.

Here’s to another wonderful year of covering Girl Guide and Girl Scout topics – and taking part in patch swaps – that lies ahead!

What trades for what?

When it comes to swapping patches, badges, pins and other pieces of Girl Guiding and Scouting paraphernalia, have you ever wondered what accounts for an equal sided trade? In other words, what you need to trade in order to ensure that both (or all) parties involved in the swap feel that the trade has been fair and balanced.

As groups go, I’d have to say that the Guiding and Scouting community is not a tight-laced bunch. Most people are happy to swap “like for like” and I’ve rarely heard of any disputes arising over trades that have been worked out in advance. Generally the rule of “one for one” applies to any Guiding related item (from crests to scarves, key chains to postcards), so long as the patch or other item that each person has is of similar value and degree of rarity. However, it never hurts to know what to do if you encounter a trading situation where someone wants to swap for something which you don’t have an equivalent of, or if they’re interested in patches and you’re into merit (proficiency/earned) badges, for example.

The following list is based on my own experience as a trader and on the very helpful advice that my good friend Louise St. Germain gave me, back when I a newbie patch collector, on this matter. Please use this list as a guideline only, and always rely your own judgement when it comes to determining what you feel is fair for a given swap (keep in mind that older and/or rarer items are often viewed by their owners as being worth more and may therefore require that multiple items be traded for one rarer piece). After all, the point of any trade is to feel happy and make new friends, not to feel like you’ve been ripped off or taken advantage of.

One (Canadian) Area/Division/District/Provincial patch for one Area/Division/District/Provincial crest, US Council patch or other stitched location specific patch from an international country. (Very large/over-sized A/D/D or Council patches sometimes trade for two smaller ones.)

One (Canadian) Area/Division/District/Provincial crest (patch) for two “fun” (camp, cookie, challenge or other non-A/D/D/Council ) patches, two proficiency badges (or one rare/very old badge), or two woven silks (from Canada, the US or overseas).

One Guiding or Scouting pin for one pin of an equal value (for example an provincial pin from Ontario for one from B.C., or a Guide enrollment pin for a Pathfinder one), one A/D/D (or US Council patch, etc), or two fun patches or proficiency badges. (Some pins can be quite rare and may garner higher trade values.)

One UK or Australian Standard crest for two (or sometimes even three) A/D/D or Council patches, or 3-4 fun patches, proficiency badges or silks.

One UK or Australian Standard crest for 1-3 pins (Canadian, American or foreign), depending on the type and rarity of the pin(s).

One overseas (woven) patch or pin for one overseas patch or pin or two silks of a similar nature (for example, one patch from a camp in Scotland for one from a camp in New Zealand).

One WAGGGS or World Centre (woven) patch or pin for two (woven) location specific patches (A/D/Ds, Councils, etc), 1-2 pins, 3-4 fun patches or 2-4 silks.

One WAGGGS or World Centre silk for location specific 1-2 silks or 2-3 fun silks, or one pin.

One Canadian Girl Guide uniform scarf/tie for one scarf, 2-4 A/D/D or Council patches, 4-6 fun patches or silks, 3-6+ proficiency badges, or 2-4 pins, depending on how rare the scarf is.

Please keep mind that this list is by no means a complete rundown of all the possible trading scenarios you could potentially encounter. It’s merely a sample of some of the more common ones that Canadian and American collectors (in particular) might find themselves in.

By using these guidelines, I’ve completed many positive trades with collectors and Guiding members from around the world. I’m generally what I’d (humbly) consider to be a laid-back trader, in the sense that I don’t get up-tight or unnecessarily rigid about trading. If someone wants something from my list and they have items up for offer that I’m interested in, I’m more than happy to try and accommodate their needs. One point of interest I’ve found is that different people often feel differently over what a pin can/“should” be traded for. Unless it’s really rare, I don’t think a pin is worth more than one or two A/D/Ds, but that’s just me :)

Do you agree with these trading guidelines? Do you have a different list that you go by? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic and welcome you to post a comment about this article.

Girl Guides and Girl Scouts Information & Patch Collector's Resource Blog FAQ

Frequently asked questions pertaining to this blog

Since this blog was created last autumn, I've received a wide array of emails from many fellow GG/GS members and collectors, quite a few of which often touch on the same subjects. As such I thought that my readers might find it useful if I had a FAQ section in which I provide answers to the most common questions that I receive in regards to Girl Guiding and Scouting topics. This page will be updated as the need arises, and in case this section doesn't cover your query, I look forward to hearing from you any time you'd like to chat about the wonderful world of Guiding.


Are you associated with WAGGGS?

No, we are not associated with WAGGGS (World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts) or any other official Girl Guide or Girl Scout group, and make no claim whatsoever to be. This website is a personal blog, wherever possible I've striven to ensure that all information is/was as accurate as possible (or have given further explanation if I was uncertain as to the factuality of something), but I am not an authoritative expert on the subject of Guiding – just a woman who is passionate about the subject.


Do you trade/sell patches?

I, as an individual, most certainly trade patches (and the like) and am always interested in trading with people from Canada and around the world (please check out my dupes and traders list and email me if you'd like to trade or discuss trading). I'm also personally interested in buying patches, especially Canadian ones. However, this site does not sell any patches (or anything else for that matter). If you're looking to buy patches, try contacting the Guide and/or Scout shops in your area or joining some of the free online patch trading groups (garage sales, online auction sites, secondhand shops, and flea markets are also all good places to look for patches and Guiding related items). This site also has a regularly updated list of other online patch traders, which you may really find of interest if you like to collect and trade GG and GS crests.


Can you help me find this patch/pin/crest/stamp/button/uniform/postcard/etc or answer this question for me?

Time permitting, I'm always willing and happy to help fellow collectors. But do keep in mind that I never make any claims of being the biggest Guiding expert in the world, so I may not be able to answer all of your specific questions. If your question pertains to Guiding in Canada (the GGC), there is a somewhat better chance that I can help, as this is the area that I have the most experience with. If I don't know the answer to your query, I'll certainly do my best to point you toward someone/the appropriate Guide/Scout administrative body who may be better able to assist you.


Do you have a list of all Councils, Areas, Districts, Divisions, Troops, etc in my country?

As each country choses to divide the Girl and/or Scout groups in their country up based on their own geographical layouts, not all countries are divided (and subdivided) the same. At this time I don't have a list of all of the “divisions” of each country, I would venture to guess that even the people at WAGGGS would have a bit of time compiling a list such as this.

As a point of reference for US Council patch collectors, you may find this list of 319 GSUSA Councils helpful (please note that as of August 2006, the number of US councils has shrunk dramatically and new councils are being formed still at this time, so this list is more for people who are into patch related collecting, rather than for current geographically factual purposes).

Canadian Guiding is divided into far more groups (geographical regions) than our Scouting sisters to the south. In fact, over 1,600 past and/or present Canadian Areas, Divisions, and Districts have been identified, though the GGC itself, does not (to the best of my knowledge) put out a list of A/D/Ds for the general public, so it can really tricky at times to find an accurate list. That said, some people have worked tremendously hard to compose their own lists of Canadian A/D/Ds. Two such diligently hard working souls are Louise St. Germain and Ursula, whose lists are the best that I know of anywhere on the web.

A small number of links to the geographical breakdowns of various world countries (such as England and Australia) can be found on our Patch Trading Directory page, but there are very few such links (in English) available on the web. If you live in other parts of the world, your best bet is to contact your National Girl Guide or Scout body and ask them for further information on the geographical breakdown of your country.


I've heard that Ontario no longer uses the A/D/D system is this true?

Yes, it is true. I am absolutely not an expert on what led to the Ontario Council's decision to do away with the A/D/D system, but I do know that in its place, Ontario now uses the Administrative Community system. Instead of having Areas, Divisions, and Districts, the province of Ontario is presently divided in 39 Administrative Communities (ACs), which employee a single tier system (as opposed to the A/D/D three tier system). Each of these Communities is represented by at least one Administrative Community Leader, whose role is much akin to that of a District/Division Commissioner. At this time the Ontario Council (which includes the territory of Nunavut) is the first Provincial Council to adopt this new system, as far as I'm aware.

For more information on these recent changes (right from the source!), including a page which describes where the geographical boundaries are for each Administrative Community in Ontario, please use this link from the official Girl Guides of Ontario website. Or alternatively, you can also reach the Council by phone at (1)-416-920-6666, by fax at (1)-416-920-1440, or by email.


What's a camp blanket?

A camp – or campfire blanket – is a a blanket (homemade or store bought) which is often made of fleece, flannel or another sturdy material onto which a person may choose to sew (or glue, or otherwise attach) items such as Girl Guide/Girl Scout badges, sashes (often with badges), crests, silks, patches, scarves (neckerchiefs), and other mementos which they have either earned through their time in Guiding, bought (as in crests, etc) or traded with others (such as Area or Council patches).

Such blankets are often cut/sewed to form a poncho or cape shape, which allows their owner to wear them at certain types Guiding events such as camps and some kinds of day trips. Campfire blankets are not a mandatory part of the Guide/Scout uniform or protocol, and are merely a fun expression of one's interest in Guiding.

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to camp blankets, each person's own whim is what dictates how their blanket (if they wish to keep one) will look (some people also like to embellish their blankets with embroidery, wool stitching, glitter or other decorative means). In addition to (or instead of) a campfire blanket, some folks like to use camp hats, scarves, vests (fleece vests work well for this), sleeping bags, and other linens as a means of displaying and collecting their patches, crests, badges, silks and the like. Campfire blankets are popular with those involved in Boy Scouts too, and a mixed Scout-Guide jamboree or other camp (as with girls only Guiding camps) can be a terrific place to see a wide array of campfire blankets.


Will you add my link to this site?

If your website/blog/forum/Yahoo Group/etc directly relates to some aspect of Guiding (such as Guiding in your country/location, patch trading, SWAPS, and so on) and is not a link-bait site, yes, there is a very good chance that I'd be more than glad to add your link (please contact me via email). This site is all about the sisterhood of Girl Guiding and Scouting, so the more pertinent links, the better.



Page last updated on June 23, 2008

My Girl Guide and Girl Scout Dupes and Traders List

Welcome to my list of Girl Guide and Girl Scout patches, silks, and other memorabilia that I have available to trade. I'm fastidious when it comes to ensuring that I keep this list up-to-date, and any time that I get a new dupe or send out a patch, I update this page. Please feel free to bookmark it for quick reference – and check back often to see what's new.

IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE: On October 13, 2016, my husband and I lost our home, our beloved cat, my (home based online business), and very nearly all of our belongings - including 100% of my Girl Guide and Girl Scout collection - in a tragic arson fire. 

As such, I presently do not have any patches to swap/trade or sell. Please see this blog post here of mine for many further details about what happened to us.

It is my sincere hope and desire to slowly start rebuilding a new GG & GS collection again and I hope that in time I'll have some swaps to post here once more.

Thank you very much for your understanding in this matter - and a huge thank you as well to all those around the world who I had the pleasure of trading patches, badges, pins, etc with over the years.

Though the physical items I received from you are sadly now gone, the lovely memories of them and our interactions will long live on in my memory.


This page was last updated on May 9, 2017.

Jessica's Girl Guide & Girl Scout Patch and Memorabilia Collection

“Collecting has been my great extravagance.
It's a way of being.” Howard Hodgkin

How I became interested in patch collecting and trading

Like many girls and women from all corners of the globe who are involved with Girl Guiding and Scouting, I've long been enthralled with the notion and practice of collecting items related to this fulfilling pastime. As a youth I avidly collected and traded crests/patches and silks, sewing them (along with my Pathfinder sash and a few old earned Brownie badges that had belonged to one of my aunts) diligently onto a campfire blanket which I fashioned out of a grey fleece blanket. I whip stitched all of the outer edges and the neck hole with teal coloured wool, and using multi-coloured sequins and tiny seed beads, I stitched my first name (Jessica) on the back. I loved and treasured that blanket, but like so many things from our childhoods, I fear that it's been lost through many moves and conditions beyond my control (there's a very vague chance that it still exists at the home of a relative, but I need to investigate that in person one day).

In the fall of last year (2007), I decided that I was going to begin collecting patches (or as we usually referred to them when I was in GGs, crests) again for the first time in close to a decade. Starting a patch collection isn't the easiest of tasks for most people, but it's even more challenging for me, as I'm not enrolled in Guiding at this exact moment and so do not get a chance to avidly interact in person with fellow Guiding members.

However, I usually always love a good challenge, and so I set off to find patches online. So far I've had mixed success, but am delighted to say that I've been able to start a collection of crests not only from Canada, but also the US and even a few international destinations.


What I am currently interested in collecting

As my collection is practically brand new, I had to decide what Guiding related items I wanted to most focus on collecting. While the honest truth is, I'd not likely turn away any Girl Guide or Scout related piece, at the moment I am most interested in the following:

-Any patch, crest or silk from anything or that nature related to the Girl Guides of Canada, or any past or present facet of Guiding in Canada (including items pertaining to the 'Guides francophones du Canada'). This very broad description includes such things as national, provincial, area, division, and district crests/silks; camp crests; cookie and calendar seller crests (and often silks); challenge crests and patches; and event crests (for example, “Thinking Day” or “Hike for Hunger”). Really, if it is a crest, silk, patch or even pin and it relates to Canadian Guiding, I'm super interested. That said, I'm most interested of all in collecting national, provincial, area, division, and district crests/patches/silks from all across Canada, and would love to trade with you if you're also into these things!

-Canadian earned badges, pins, buttons, Patrol Leader stripes (or any stripes such as Seconders or Sixers), patrol/pack/troupe emblems, etc from any branch (Brownies, Guides, Pathfinders, Rangers, etc) of Guiding (from any era).

-US Girl Scout Council patches: To begin with I'd like to get at least one council patch from each American State and then (or in the process) move onto collecting one or more patches from each of the former 319 US Girl Scout councils (in the summer of 2006 the number of US councils was dramatically reduced and currently is at 109 Councils nationwide).

-Patches from around the world: I am massively interested in hopefully, one day, being able to have at least one patch/silk/crest from each of the 144 countries that currently belong to WAGGGS. If you're an international trader, please don't hesitate to contact me, it's almost a given that my “newbie” collection does not yet contain your item(s).

-I very much like the idea of collecting US and international earned badges, but don't yet really have a collection of these. If you'd like to trade any earned badges, feel free to drop me a line.

-In addition to the above, I am really keeping my eyes peeled for anything related to Girl Guiding and Scouting in Italy. The reason being that while I'm Canadian, my darling husband is a born and bred Italian, and so as a way of honouring his wonderful culture, I'd love to gather Italian related items.

-Lastly, I'm causally (aka, as I encounter them, I'm not hunting such items down feverishly) into collecting “plush” Canadian Girl Guide items such as the various dolls, stuffed animals, and teddy bears (and their respective outfits and accessories) that have been put out over the years. Though I never owned any of these items, I remember when I was a Pathfinder and my little sister was a Brownie, the “Guide doll” had the option of wearing a Brownie or Guide dress (this uniform, sadly – it was so elegant – is no longer produced in human or doll size). I'd love to get one of each of those doll uniforms (plus any other “vintage” outfits). I'm not sure if there's a big following of doll/plushie collectors, but I'm certainly one.

(On a bit of a side note, if you have any patches, silks, crests, pins or even earned badges that you'd like to sell, I am certainly interested and can be contacted via email.)


Things that I'm not avidly collecting right now

At the moment I'm not really collecting (Canadian, US, or International) uniforms/ties/sashes (unless they have badges/patches on them), flags, camping related items (though I am very interested in the possibility of purchasing Canadian campfire blankets with crests/patches/silks/etc on them), stationary and postcards, or postal stamps.

I'm also not really too interested in US camp or activity patches, though I've amassed some already. Council patches however, are a definite yes!


My specific Canadian collecting needs

Everything! No, I'm just kidding, well..... But seriously, again, as my collection is in its infancy, I really do need a phenomenal number of Canadian crests. Whereas the US has a very finite number of councils (previously 319, currently 109), the quantity of areas, divisions, and districts (A/D/Ds) in Canada is such a large number that it's practically only surpassed by the number of kilometres it takes to drive from one side of the country to the other.

While there are concise lists of all of the US councils which can be found on numerous people's websites, it would appear that many Canadian collectors have come to the same conclusion that I reached when I recently began collecting again, there just isn't an “absolutely definitive” list of all of the Canadian A/D/Ds (and by this I really do mean the GGC does not appear to release such a list to the general Guiding population). Though a few people, bless their hearts, have given very, very earnest and wonderful attempts to cataloguing as many A/D/Ds as they possibly can.

On her fantastic site, Guidingproject.info, website creator and fellow collector Louise St. Germain , estimates that she has identified upwards of 2,000 different Canadian areas, divisions and districts. Wow, that's a huge number! Granted a small percentage of these A/D/Ds may no longer exist (or may not have, or ever had, crests), but still, that is a staggering number of patches to be on the prowl for and certainly more than enough to keep myself – and tons of other collectors – busy for a very long time.

Specifically, my heart lights up the very most when it comes to collecting patches, crests, and silks from British Columbia (my home province), Alberta – especially Calgary, and the Yukon/Northwest Territories/Nunavut (my maternal grandmother hails from Dawson City in the Yukon, and my childhood was peppered with her fascinating tales of growing up in the great white north, embedding in me a lifelong love of all things from the “land of ice and snow”). But truthfully, I really am wild about crests (and like) from any location in Canada and happily will trade for crests/silks/pins from any part of the country.


Would you like to trade?

As you may have gathered, I absolutely love to trade and collection patches and other pieces of Girl Guide/Scout related memorabilia. If you're the same way, or are trading on behalf of someone who is (a young daughter or relative without a computer, for example), I would love to trade with you, or even just discuss Guiding.

Feel free can check out my duplicates and traders page. I update this list every time I get a new trader or send out a trade and therefore remove it from the list. All trading inquiries and other email topics can be sent via email.

I look forward to trading with you, and sincerely thank you for visiting my website. Happy patch collecting to all!



Page last update on: November 30, 2008

Girl Guide and Girl Scout Patch Collecting Directory

Created (first posted) on December 5, 2007

Last updated on March 23, 2011 (Weeded out links that were no longer operational and added a few new sites to the directory.)

Introduction to Patch Collecting

While there is a bounty of fun, interesting and rewarding activities that take place when you belong to Girl Guides (or Scouts), often these activities are limited to the time spent at meetings, on day trips or at camps. Patch collecting however is a Girl Guide related activity which you can enjoy around the clock (even if you're no longer, or not currently, enrolled in Guiding), which may be part of the reason behind its widespread appeal.

Anyone who has been enrolled in, or involved with, Guiding will be familiar with the badges, pins and other insignia that are awarded after completing certain programs and challenges (or that are present as part of the basic uniform). These items are the treasured rewards of our hard work and dedication to Guiding, and are usually displayed on our uniforms in one manner or another (such as on a sash or vest, for example). Patches and crests (and silks) however are not the same as earned merit badges, though in some instances (such as camp attendance or cookie selling) they are earned, they are more often items which are bought (such as at a local Guide shop) or traded for.

Patches and crests are typically small pieces of sturdy fabric backing onto which designs are stitched, embroidered, or printed (they can be virtually any shape, though circles, ovals, squares, rectangles, and diamonds are especially common shapes). The outside edges of patches and badges are often covered with a border of stitching, so as to add longevity to the life of the patch, and to give it added visual appeal.

Anything one can possibly dream up can be stitched or printed onto a patch, though when speaking of Girl Guiding and Scouting crests, commonly we see patches that are designed to represent specific geographical locations (Canadian provinces, areas, districts, and divisions; American councils, for example), events (camps, Thinking Day, commemoratives such as a milestone birthday in the history of Guiding in a specific country, etc), cookie and calendar sales, specific Guiding related locations (Guide houses, Guiding museums, World Guide Centres such as Our Cabana), and general Guiding and Scouting related topics (for example, national Girl Guides of Canada items, things related to Trefoil Guilds, and/or one's current Guiding affiliation such as being a Spark or Brownie).

The terms 'patches' and 'crests' can be used interchangeably, as they both refer to the same type of item. Patch is more common a term amongst people from the US, with crest being the preferred word amongst many Canadians. The word “badge” is sometimes used instead of patch or crest, but generally, by true (at least Canadian) Guiding definition, a badge refers to an item that was earned or awarded for something that a Guide or Scout did as part of their program.

In addition to patches and crests (and badges), there are also silks. A silk is (usually) a small square, rectangle or triangle of fairly thin silky fabric which is embroidered or screen printed with a Guiding related image (cookie selling is a common silk theme). In Canada for example, silks are produced for each province and territory. These silks feature the respective provincial flower of the province, plus the name of the province and usually a trefoil. Another common Canadian theme for silks is to have ones made up that feature the names of the provincial, national and other high ranking Guiding members (such as commissioners). A smaller number of silks compared to crests are produced annually in Canada, though that certainly doesn't stop silks from having a very loyal following of collectors, too. Silks are not strictly a Canadian occurrence; they are also produced in many other countries worldwide (I have many wonderful silks from Australia, for example).

Lots of other items related to Guiding and Scouting are also highly collectible; really anything that a person associates with their time in Guiding, or with Guiding on a broader scale, can be – and probably is – collected. Some people like to collect earned (proficiency/interest/merit) badges (that were at one point likely earned by someone other than themselves), title tapes, patrol/troupe (troop)/Six emblems, uniform stripes (eg, Patrol Leader stripes), US “hamburger” council title patches/strips, pins (these can be anything from service stars to trefoils, and our often highly sought out collectables, especially because they exist for just about every – if not all – countries that have Guiding and/or Scouting programs ), buttons (such as the type of button one might wear in support of their political candidate of choice, not per se buttons that composed the fastenings of a Guiding related uniform), postcards (featuring something relating to Guiding/Scouting), and uniforms (and/or uniform accessories like scarfs) are commonly collected items.

Though of all the items that are traded and collected by Guiding enthusiasts, it is likely patches (crests) that have the very largest following. It's easy to see why: patches are often detailed, beautiful little pieces of art work. They can be displayed (such as on a campfire blanket or camp hat) or simply collected by someone who enjoys them in the privacy of their own home. One can choose to focus on a certain type of crest (for example camp crests or US council patches) or build a more general collection. As with most hobbies, crest collecting is a personal activity with overlapping social interactions (eg, you may trade in person at a camp for crests or may arrange to swap with other collectors through the mail). It's rewarding and – if I may say so – more than a little addictive, but only in the funniest and most innocent sense of that word.

If you want to get started for the first time with a crest (or other Guiding related) collection, a good place to start (or to help your daughter start) is at your local Guide (or Scout) shop (if you do not live near a Guide shop, you can order crests and other items – such as uniforms – through the mail from a national catalog, or in some places, online). There you can usually find crests that feature your local geographical location, plus provincial and national ones too, as well as crests that relate to fun general Guiding topics (and sometimes even WAGGGS/world Guiding related crests and silks). Most new crests and silks will run you anywhere from about fifty cents to a few dollars a piece (often though, they are reasonably priced at under three dollars each).

Girls and women who are actively enrolled in Guiding may also receive patches from participating in various events, activities, and camps. Girls are sometimes also given a few crests (often featuring their local area, division or district) from their Leaders before attending a multi-unit camp (I remember this was the case when I attended SOAR '98 as a Pathfinder). In turn the girls can either save and collect these patches or trade with other campers for patches or mementos from their respective locations, thus allowing a person to build up a broader patch collection.

If you (and/or your child) want to trade patches with others from across the country (or the globe), it's very helpful to have duplicates (often simply called “dupes” or less commonly, “dups”) available that you can trade for crests/patches/silks/pins from people living in other places (of course one is not obliged to trade, though it does tend to make it much easier to collect a large volume of crests from different locations). Once you have a stock of dupes, it becomes much easier to find people who are willing (and often very delighted) to trade with you (in person or through the mail).

As Guiding and Scouting related items are popular trading and collecting pieces, a number of people have created websites (such as personal homepages and Yahoo groups) that focus on (or have a page dedicated to) this very topic. Below is a list of all the sites relating to patch and crest trading that I have located so far. Every time I find a new site, I will add it here immediately. If you happen to have/run/know of a patch trading site that’s not listed, please drop me an email and I will be very happy to add it to the list.

Wherever possible I've tried to list all sites using the names (titles) that the people who created them bestowed up on their own pages. However, in a small number of instances (namely with homepages), sites did not have a formal title or the title was simply too vague/generic (eg, “Patch Collecting”). In such cases I have named these sites myself, by taking an element from that person's page (such as their location or first name). Please, if you see your own site here and would prefer that it be listed by a different name, just contact me and I'll happily change it right away for you.

Each section of links below has been arranged in alphabetical order (with sites that begin with a numerical title preceding those with words as the start of their titles), so that you can easily search for the name of a particular site with out having to scan through the entire page as though it were a word search puzzle :)

This list was initially compiled at the end of November and start of December 2007, at that time, all of the links listed below were active. However, I know that a link can “die” as quickly as a candle flame is snuffed out, so their validity can only be vouched for at the time when they were posted. Do note though, that at least twice a year, I will do my best to go through each link on this entire website (blog) and weed out any that are no longer active.

If you would like to have your patch/crest related website listed here, please contact me via email, and I will add it (please note, no spam pages or sites that do not related to the topic of GG/GS collecting will be posted. Thanks!)


Girl Guide and Girl Scout Collecting Homepages

The following sites are the personal pages of fellow patch and badge collectors from around the world. As a general rule these sites do not sell items; they are about showcasing and/or trading patches.

Beth's Patch and Pin Trading Collection (Site features a fantastic collection of patches and pins with pictures, including the following categories: USA patches, GSUSA 90th Anniversary Patches, Canadian patches, Canadian earned badges, United Kingdom patches, United Kingdom earned badges, Australian patches, Australian earned badges, New Zealand patches, other international countries patches, international earned badges, pin collection, and scarfs and bandannas. This is site is a true must for any serious patch collector!)

Brownie Troop (Troupe) 75's Patch Page (A written list of all of the US council patches that have been collected by this Brownie group, including listings of the patches that have available to trade)

Collen's Badge Trading (An Ontario Guider's patch collecting homepage with written lists of her collected patches and pictures of the ones that she has to trade)

Debbie's Girl Scout Homepage (Features written lists of her collected and up for trades/dupes US council patches)

Girl Guides of Ontario Guiding Badges and Insignia Directory(This recently launched, absolutely stellar project from the Girl Guides of Ontario is comprised of a series of PDF documents dedicated to corralling all of the badges and insignia that have been earned by members of the GGC between 1910 and 2010 in one easy to navigate spot. It is an invaluable resource for anyone with an interest in vintage or modern GGC patches and pins.)

Girl Scout Council Patch History (A detailed, descriptive list of what many US council patches from both the past and from more recent years looked, and still/currently, look like)


Girl Scout Council Patch History (A detailed, descriptive list of what many US council patches from both the past and from more recent years looked, and still/currently, look like)

Heather and Adrine's Girl Scout Page (Includes written lists of their US council collection and available US duplicate trader patches)

Kim's Own Website (Homepage of a GS Leader with written lists of her US council and Canadian patch collections)

Kim's Patches (Site features photographs of Kim's collection of assorted Canadian crests and earned merit badges)

Laurie's Patch Trading Page (An American GS's written list of the US councils patches and international crests/silks that she's gathered including dupes)

Lisa's Girl Guide Trading Page (Though the creator of this site clearly states that she's not actively trading at the moment, this page makes for a handy visual reference for those who are interested in A/D/D crests from certain parts – such as the Okanagan – of British Columbia, as there are a few pictures of patches to be found here)

Liz's Badge Swapping Page (Homepage of an Irish GG who is currently trading the the “30th World Conference, Dublin, Ireland” patch for other crests from around the world)

Lee Ann's Canadian patch collection (A delightful, relatively new online album displaying Lee Ann's lovely collection of Canada patches. Please see this post for more details about Lee Ann's site.)

Louise's Girl Guide Memorabilia Collection (A vastly interesting and well laid out site created by a woman with a very vested interest in Canadian and international Guiding. Includes pages about her trading needs and her traders/dupes, which include a fair number of photographs covering such items as earned Canadian badges, A/D/D crests, pins, scarfs, and patrol emblems)

May's Patch Girl Scout Patch Trading Page (A cool site belonging to a woman who has completed a quilt with patches from every US GS council. Also lists the sorts of patches that she's currently collecting and what she has available to trade)

Nanook's Trading Page (An Alaskan GS trader's homepage with written lists and photographs of her US and international collections, plus her collection of dupes. As well as a very interesting pages about the history of various GSUSA related patches and pins)

Patch Trading (Troop 809) (A mother-daughter page that lists [no photos] their collection, and available dupes, of US council patches)

Patch trading tracking record PDF (A handy PDF page which you can print off and use a way of easily keeping track of who you've traded patches/crests with)

Pud's Page (A UK Brownie Leader's site featuring written lists of her UK, US, and international patch/silk collections)

Sandralee1313's Flickr Album (Featuring pictures of her US Girl Scout council patch and assorted international patch and silk collections)

Sarah's Girl Scout Patch and Pin Trading Page (Site includes written lists of her current US, Canadian, UK, and international collections of patches and pins, plus her list of patch needs)

Scout Guide Badges (A superb collection of Boy Scout and Girl Guide patches/silks/pins from Canada and some international locations, complete with photos, composed by a Scouter from British Columbia, Canada. Some items are available for sale and to trade)

Scouting Memorabilia Collecting Information (on Wikipedia)

Stormy's WAGGGS Patch trading blog (A lovely, recently founded blog from an American patch collector that details some of her trading experiences and lists the patches she has available to swap. See this post for more details about Stormy's great blog.)

Tely's index of New Zealand Scout and Guide Badges (A very useful source for pictures of Girl Guide crests and badges from NZ)

Trefoilnet (This site is rich with useful GG and GS general information, plus it features a page with a page with pictures – in PDF form – of the site creator's own Scout and Guide pin and memorabilia collection)

The Scout Patch Collector's Base Camp (A superb Boy Scout Memorabilia site chalked full of collecting resources such as articles, resources, videos, links, and trading portals. Though the focus of this site is on Boy Scouting, some areas of the site may also appeal, and apply, to those who are interested in Girl Scout/Guide collecting. In addition, the site's creator, runs a wonderfully enjoyable blog (the Patchcamp.com Blog) about his interest in Scout collecting.

The International Badgers Club (A 'by membership' group of people from around the world who enjoy swapping Scout [boy and girl] and Guide patches/badges. Features some images, particularly of UK badges)

Troop 72's Patch Trade Site (A Mississippi GS's page which includes a written list of all the US patches that she's collected, plus a description and picture of the patch that she has available for trade)

Vintage Girl Guide and Girl Scout Online Museum (A site filled with images of retro and vintage GG and GS items from around the world including such things as crests, pins, jewelry, and uniforms. A very handy reference point for those who are interested in older GS and GG items)


Sites with patches for sale

The following sites actively sell Guiding and Scouting related crests.

Boy Scout & Girl Guide Memorabilia (A seller/collector of Boy Scout, GS, and GG badges from around the world. Many items for sale)

Scout and Guide Badges (A pretty looking site featuring mostly Australian, but also some international, Guiding and Scouting badges which are for sale)


Yahoo Groups

There are a number of Yahoo groups out there that focus specifically on the subject of patch/crest trading and collecting, and they can be a great way for you to interact with fellow traders from all parts of the globe. (*Important note* Not all Yahoo groups – in general – are moderated with the same level of diligence, which means that sometimes, even on seemingly innocent and child-friendly pages such as those related to Guiding and Scouting, unscrupulous people may post links or messages related to adult themed topics. If your child is interested in joining one or more Yahoo group, please read through some of the groups posts first to ensure that that particular group is not plagued by inappropriate spam message.)

Badges for Thinking Day (To quote this site's homepage, “This group was set up in order to facilitate Girl Scouts/Girl Guides being able to earn and be awarded actual recognitions from Girl Guides/Girl Scouts in another country.”)

Cross The Council (To quote the site itself, "This is a SWAPS group solely for those interested in swapping Council Patches or Council Pins related to Girl Scout/Girl Guide badges.")

GS-GG Exchange Resource Site

GG-GS Patches

GS Patches for Sale or Trade

Girl Scout Patch Trades

Girl Scout Patch Trading

Patch Hounds

Scrapbooking and Girl Scouting


Flicker Groups

So far I've only located two Flickr groups which pertain to patch collecting, and in both cases, they tend to be of a more generic patch collecting nature, as opposed to being solely focused on GG/GS related patches.

Amazing Patches

Patch Collectors

Girl Guides and Girl Scouts on Flickr (I created and administer this group; definitely check it out if you’re on Flickr)


Lists of Canadian A/D/Ds, US Councils, and the geographical Guiding breakdowns of various other international countries

The following websites contain well compiled lists of the respective areas, divisions, and districts; councils; or other geographical divisions by which Guiding or Scouting is arranged in a given country. I have used the term “Guiding Breakdown” as a way of describing a site which lists the GG/GS geographical divisions of a given country (please not that this list definitely does not have contain a breakdown for all of the countries that belong to WAGGGS, so far I've only been able to find lists for a small percentage of such countries). In many cases a tremendous amount of work on the part of the person/people who compiled them has gone into these lists, and the entire GG/GS patch/crest collecting community is extremely fortunate to have these resources available to us.


Girl Guides of Canada Patch and Badge Directory (please note, I termed the aforementioned name as a way of describing this awesome labour of Guiding love): A written multi-part directory, listed by Canadian province/territory, of all of the camps, areas, divisions and districts; earned merit badges, and national Guiding related crests/silks that this woman has thus far encountered (plus listings of her own collections). It is a truly impressive tomb of information.

Louise's Catalogue in PDF form (Invaluable for novice and experienced collectors alike)