Summerd603 Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Is theer an alternative to the red vest? I have some parents asking if they can make a sash for their sons and if it has to be red. They would prefer something that matches the uniform better - khaki, green, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basementdweller Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 So are these Cub scouts or Boy scouts???? Never saw a Boy scout wear a brag vest before...... Most cub age boys out grow the brag vest thing by the time they are bears..... I am guessing they are thinking about using a merit badge sash to put their scouts stuff on..... I would steer them away from that......Just cause confusion down the road... Our boys use Patch blankets.....get some bulk red fleece from the local sewing emporium.... Start sewing.....It is big enough to last a career. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc2008 Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I had an awards sash as a girl scout? My husband still has his patch blanket from his scouting days. The blanket thing is a great idea as it will last many years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blw2 Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I don't have anything from when I was a kid, and haven't started anything for my son yet.... Haven't figured out the best solution.... but I like the idea of a jacket. Many clubs and organizations do it.... Seems better than the vest. If done on a nice (ie cool looking) jacket, it might not be so likely as to get snubbed as the boys get older..... but they would outgrow it... And it's not the sort of thing that would get much wear time here in FL. For those reasons, I understand the idea of a sash.... but I don't like it. I don't really care for the blanket idea. Seems like something that get stuffed in the closet to me. It's really too bad that there's not a provision for it on the uniform itself..... like say the back of the MB sash, but that could be started in cubs and worn all through scouting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle92 Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 While the red vest was originally for Boy Scouts, it's been preempted by Cubs. Only alternative is a patch blanket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzisk8 Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Oh Basement! Most boys grow out of it by Bears!? My son loves the one I handmade for him and he is entering Bears. He wears it to school all the time, probably a lot more this year because of the ship badge he is getting. Summerd603, there really is no alternative. I don't know the link, but oh boy, the uniform police would be out if you put patches on a jacket, like the wool jac-shirts (btw, the new olive ones on scoutstuff look nice). I never knew why the vests and blankets were red. HHHMMMM, something I should Google tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basementdweller Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 The red vest probably stem from red wool jacket worn by several important scouters at Phimont in the 1950's. You understand that the jac shirt, is only supposed to have a couple of patches, one in the middle of the back, the philmont bull on the left shoulder and the scout patch on the right pocket . By the end of bear year the boys will be done wearing them....Trust me. the only ones who don't are the boys who are home schooled or autistic. No a put down, just what I have seen over the years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwazse Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 Never bought a vest/blanket for myself or my boys or daughter. If they did anything besides the right pocket on their uniform, it was to staple their favorite patch on a wall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpstodwftexas Posted August 19, 2012 Share Posted August 19, 2012 cut and pasted from http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Media/InsigniaGuide/03.aspx Excess Insignia With the exception of the Cub Scout badges of rank and Arrow Points, members wear only the insignia that show their present status in the movement. Members should make every effort to keep their uniforms neat and uncluttered. Previously earned badges and insignianot representing present statusmake a fine display on a BSA red patch vest, a trophy hide or blanket, exhibited in the home of the recipient, or at functions where such a display is invited. Members may wear only temporary patches (no badges of rank) on the back of the merit badge sash. Members may wear only one merit badge sash at a time. A merit badge sash is never worn on the belt. Personally I see no problem with a scout who gets a Special Jacket and attaches patches to it..Myself I would not do it simply because I collect the Patches and They will wear out as the Garment gets cleaned or torn and ragged out and what do you do when the jacket gets worn out or out grown... If I did it it would be done on a Windbreaker type not a Heavy cold weather type. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howarthe Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 My 7-year-old son has a few patches on a red jacket that he wears to school. He likes to show them off. They are temporary patches: pinewood derby, scout sunday, and the C for cub scout sports. I think you can sew temporary patches to anything you like. A backpack might be another alternative. I started a blanket for my daughter. She earned so many fun patches in Girl Scouts that there was no more room on her vest. She loves it. I got it at the army-navy surplus store. She has it on her bed although I imagined her taking it with her to camp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BartHumphries Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 I'll be getting a red vest and sewing my patches to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brewmeister Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 By the end of bear year the boys will be done wearing them....Trust me. the only ones who don't are the boys who are home schooled or autistic. No a put down, just what I have seen over the years. Wow...just wow. Classic BD response, on so many levels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BartHumphries Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 If Cub Scouts never see anyone older than them wearing a red vest, then of course they won't wear one either unless they're either secure enough to "stand out" from the herd and ignore what others think or apathetic enough to not care what others things. You all can decide for yourselves whether or not you're going to wear a red patch vest. Like I said, I'm going to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brewmeister Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Our Pack had never used red vests. When I was a TDL we made them as a project and were the first den wearing them, and we started doing more "fun" patches. Fast forward a year or two later and more dens started asking about the vests. By then I was CM and we bought yards of red felt and gave it to the dens along with the vest template. Soon everyone had them. I did notice that the more patches a boy had on the vest, the more likely he was to wear it. However, about half of our boys wore their vests at any given time. When my son received his arrow of light he was wearing his vest. And he is neither home schooled nor autistic. The Webelos dens used the leftover felt material to make minature "blankets" that hang under their arrow plaque and on which they put their old cub scout awards and honors when they cross over. We found the vests to be something the boys appreciated and wore. But as always, "your mileage may vary," and their enthusiasm toward them may be directly related to other elements of a particular unit's program. Sorry to continue the thread derailment of the OP's comment...as to Summerd603's question, I do not understand the correlation between the vest and a sash, unless they are talking Webelos khaki. But again, my son wore his red vest with his khaki shirt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzisk8 Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Brewmeister, I guess since my sons vest does have some order to it, he really loves it. He does see the time that I put into sewing the patches on. Right front side is all the Centennial patches. Yes, even the one with the ribbons which I sewed individually onto the vest. Left front side is the C letter with his pins on it plus I will put his Whitlin Chip and World Conservation badge there and probably his U.S.S. Hornet Jr. Crewmember (they came out with year rockers this year! By the end of Webelos he will have three years!) Since we are doing a Messengers of Peace project, maybe a World Crest with that new ring too. He has the Centennial ring on his blue shirt. Back, all of his patches from the Aces games (local minor league baseball), Harlem Globetrotters, Monster Jam, Day Camp, etc. Since I get patches too as a leader sometimes, I am making him a blanket too. What I am doing is stitching on his old kerchiefs in the middle (it will make a cool square by Webelos) and putting the patches around the edge. It is this nice sweatshirt blanket I had and decided to dye it red because I just loved the material and weight and feel so much! Speaking of sewing, I have to get to work. I finally had a shirt I bought online through scoutstuff.org last year tailored down (Incredible shrinking woman here) and have to sew on the patches. It is one of those nice cool shirts and we have an event this Saturday and I am not in the mood to bake. It has been hot! Basement, I take your comments with a grain of salt. Because you are a crusty old salt (said in jest) LOL . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now