Sewing on RS patch

take it to a place that does luggage or shoe /leather repairs, they will have the heavy duty sewing machines that will do it is seconds, may cost you a few dollars.

You might consider attaching the patch to the bag with fabric glue, like this:

http://www.joann.com/fabri-tac-permanent-adhesive-4-oz/2012003.html

...or a seamstress/tailor should be able to do it for you - the lady I take my clothes to to be tailored puts patches on jackets for the local police/RCMP...

Sewing patches? I've never taken a tour so I am unfamiliar with this practice. If you're carrying your own luggage, why do you need to sew a Rick Steves patch on to it? It looks like free advertising.

We've not taken a tour either but I imagine that the patch on a RS daypack could be a conversation starter with other tourists who have also taken a tour and would recognize the branding? Sure it's advertising but every piece of our luggage and all of my backpacks have a brand name on them and I've no choice in THAT matter. :O)

I have no problem with giving Rick free advertising. After all, think of what he's done for us. Because of Rick and his staff, my family knows how to travel much less expensively so that we can go on trips at least once a year if not more!

Yep, one of my local Tour Group friends saw some people, in Ireland I think, with RS patches on their bags and struck up a conversation. Instant friends!

I have patches for every RS tour I have taken. So far I have not attached them to anything I take with me on my travels. They go into my scrap books . I don't recall seeing anyone on the tours I took with the patch sewed onto anything either.

Use a large needle like a carpet needle. Just like sewing on your Canadian Flag patch.

We have a collection of RS patches. Have not sewn them on bags, but I do see that as a positive way to "build bridges" wherever you travel.
Wear them proudly!

Edgar, Lol!

We also have quite a collection; I just pull mine out and look at them occasionally. I know a person who put hers in a shadowbox. Also someone who puts hers in her scrapbooks.

Hi,

I put mine in a shadow box with a picture of the trip and some sort of memorabilia I bought along the way. In Greece, I bought a cheap pair of worry beads, they were collecting dust sitting on my dresser, decided I would add that to shadow box.

I make a digital photo book, so I scan the patch and put it in that photo book as well.

Mary

Yes, large carpet needles would work. Some patches are also iron-on - I don't know about the RS patches.

I got a patch from an RS tour I took but I didn't find it particularly beautiful so it didn't make the cut. I sew on evocative patches that I either buy on my travels or get online, and my backpack sports a moose on my Finland patch, a blue gentian for Switzerland, a fleur-de-lis for Florence, the proud flag of Estonia, the equally proud emblem of Catalonia, the cathedral at Chartres, a monk for Munich, a gold clock tower at Bruges, a chamois for Chamonix, the Charles bridge in Prague - you get the idea. It's my way of remembering my travels and it makes me happy (though it's not particularly sophisticated here in Manhattan with all the Louis Vuitton bags) (so what?). It's also a great conversation starter, as you say. A couple from Paris recently commented: "C'est super!"

I do not believe we ever got a patch for the tour we took... What is up?

Thanks for all the helpful hints! I'll give it another go. :-)

PS - Yes, I realize that this is free advertising for RS tours, but I have no problem with this since I enjoyed myself on the trip.

The patch came with an envelope from the RS office along with other papers. It would be easy to miss.

Jane - you beat to the punch..... LOL. IT was me when I was on my Rhone river cruise in June 2017, prior to my RS Barcelona/Madrid tour. We were in France at Les Baux - de Provence and I saw a man and women with their backpacks and I stopped and visited about RS when I saw their patches. I think they were on a tour but had some free time.

Small world

Kim

I’ve always placed my patch in the circular file. I wish that they would let people opt out of it for those of us who don’t use these.

Most of the patches are similar in size. Although I have one or two that are larger and would not fit well if one would put the patches into a circle like a pie.

I like the patches-they remind me of wonderful experiences whenever I look at them. Having said that, they aren't sewn on anything but sitting in a dish in my living room. Maybe I'll put them on a bag someday, but alas, I'm lazy.

I usually arrive a few days before a tour and I stick Velcro dots on the back of patch, which I then attach to my messenger bag. I only use it to help identify myself to other tour members that have also arrived early. Once the tour starts I tuck it away, never to be seen again.

We've taken two tours. I value the patches as a nice memento. One patch from each tour is framed together with an 8x10 photo from that tour. I attached one of each patch to my suitcase using Badge Magic, an adhesive product we already had on hand to attach troop insignia and merit badges to Boy Scout uniforms. Besides being a souvenir, the colorful patches help me spot my black bag on the luggage carousel when I check it. I also scan the patches to include in photo books.

Rick wrote about the patches and other travel souvenirs recently: https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/travel-news/february-2018/hi-from-rick

My only concern about attaching it to my backpack is it identifying me as a tourist (target for pickpockets and such). Has anyone found this to be the case? Granted, I know it'll be obvious I'm a tourist when I'm with the group, but I'm thinking about times when I’m off on my own for a bit.

ankhangel713, its just a little souvenir thing, that you don't have to put on or do anything with. Some people like collecting them.

Oh, I realize it’s just a souvenir. I’m just wondering if I should wait to put it on my bag until after the tour.

I know it'll be obvious I'm a tourist when I'm with the group, but I'm
thinking about times when I’m off on my own for a bit.

The locals are going to know you're a tourist with or without the patch. They just do. If it's not evident the minute you open your mouth or stand gazing at or taking photos of something they see every day, there are so many other cues. They'll KNOW so just don't worry about it. :O)