Tuesday 16 August 2011

Bandai Badge It

Badge It!
I had an e-mail from Becky asking if I had tried using fabric with my Badge It and not using the plastic covers ….. well the answer is yes, I bought mine for that very reason as I wanted to make badges like I had seen in Accessorize, (but couldn’t afford) that could be worn or put on bags etc.
Badge It! 3 
As you can see from the first picture I have a several materials to demonstrate it’s versatility. First I’ve used a light cotton.  All you do is use the template to draw round the material and cut it out.
Badge It! 1
…. and then pop it into the drawer marked 1, on top of a badge front, slide it all in and turn the winder on the top until it stops, it makes some weird and wonderful noises which almost convinces you that you’ve broken it, but touch wood It hasn’t happened yet!
Badge It! 4
The next stage is to add the back, which you do in exactly the same way, but using the drawer marked 2.  That’s all there is too it ……. but I have to stress this is sold as a toy, not a craft tool, but I have had mine for two years now which isn’t bad going.
Picture 322
This next piece of material is a little thicker and a very small sample obtained (ahhhhem, cough, cough) from a lovely material shop in Shrewsbury, I dread to think how much it was a metre …. but let’s say I couldn’t afford even a fat quarter, but it is exquisite.
Russian Doll Pin Badge
The material for this final badge has been cut from an old embroidered table cloth, bought from a car boot sale for 50p, sacrilege I know ….. and perhaps I’ll live to regret it … but at least the beautiful embroidery lives on and can be admired in another guise.
Badge It 5
You can buy Badge It’s new for about £20 from many toy shops, or Amazon but it’s worth looking on e-bay first, however charity shops and carboot sales are good hunting grounds too …. I got a spare machine for 20p, including badges because the lady said she didn’t want to take it home again!  Badge It refill sets are also available direct from Bandai or Amazon for about £9 for 30.
Again – I stress this is sold as a toy not a craft tool.

9 comments:

Kandi said...

I really, really love these! You clever thing you'
Kandi x

Rose&Bird said...

I have the Super Badge It for the same purpose, although I haven't used it for months.

Bumblebee said...

I picked up a small Fashion angels badge maker from our Home Bargains for £2 (they're £11 on amazon). You only get 10 badges in it though, so it will probably cost me a fortune in refils!!! It's quite lightweight though, so not sure how it will cope with fabric!

marc said...

great demo and that material is so sweet its worth going in to shops and asking for a tiny sample or bits they could never sale for useing to make badges or buttons as you dont need a lot and dont forget try stamping and useing pro markers fabric pens /paint on fabric /old hankies or cotton sheets /pilowcases ect to make your own we all have small stamps big love marc

Becky said...

Thanks Helen for the demo. Off to charity shops now for material scraps x

debscupboard said...

H Jak,

I have started a craft blog too, can I ask for a link please?

Thanks!

Deb

http://debscupboard.wordpress.com/

Julie said...

The badge it looks fab- I love the russion dolls fabric- i dread to think how much it costs - although it does look lush! x

Ruthk said...

This is perfect, your buttons are gorgeous. The embroidery detail is a fab idea.

I have just picked up a second Badge It machine for 20p, ostensibly for my daughters (we will be making Halloween badges at our next birthday party), but as I was prizing the five metal badge fronts from the mechanism yesterday I was wondering if I could make lovely fabric buttons with it. I was too scared to try.

Now I will give it a go. I bought both my machines for peanuts at the end of jumble sales.

Thanks for sharing your inspiring post.

Ruthk said...

Hi, these are perfect - thanks for sharing such an inspiring post.

I have just picked up a second Badge It machine, this time for 20p at the end of a jumble sale. As I was unscrewing it and prizing the five jammed metal badge fronts from the mechanism I wondered if I could use fabric with them, but was too scared to try. So, I'll be having a try now. I think the embroidery is inspired.