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Circle Vests |
YOUR CIRCLE'S VESTS are full of powerful MAGIC!
- Your vests give your Circle its group identity.
- Your vests give your Circle its most basic tradition.
- Your vests change newcomers into Circle Members.
- Your vests tell personal stories about each member -- by virtue of the patches that are sewn on.
Each member's vest can be (or should be) a personal history.
Vests are not just "ceremonial".
A good Navigator will encourage members to wear their vests at all Adventure Guide functions.
Circle meeting? Wear vests.
Campout? Wear vests.
Nation event? Wear vests.
Special outing? Wear vests!
Vests are not just for the kids.
Adults and children alike should wear vests.
Adults should set the example.
By wearing our vests, we tell our children: "This is something special! This event is something special for you!"
Display your patches!
Fabric patches are earned throughout the year by attending events such as campouts, pumpkin decorating, bowling, etc.
Patches are also earned by community service such as selling YMCA Christmas trees.
The vest is the showcase for the patches.
The patches make the vest special to the individual.
The patches communicate the history of the individual.
If you do not have a sewing machine, many dry-cleaners will sew on your patches for a modest fee.
Tribal vests must be easy to obtain
A good Navigator will make sure that new members can obtain their vests easily.
New members will expect their Navigator to tell them exactly what to do.
The Circle should have a written page that helps new members order their vests and/or purchase the materials.
The plan should specify sources, colors and sizes.
(Hint: Recommend oversized vests for the youngest children; they will grow into them over their years in the program.)
Vests should be relatively inexpensive.
A Circle should offer at least two of the following three options:
- Make your own vest
- Have a vest made
- Purchase a vest
Vest Design
Members of a Circle should all wear a similar vest.
A Circle's vest design should not change from year-to-year.
But new circles will need to create a design.
And occasionally, an old design may need to be updated a little.
Considerations when designing vests
A circle's vest should include decorations that make it distinctive.
Most circles have an "emblem" of some kind.
Keep it reasonably simple.
A fully decorated vest should be easy to create with only modest sewing skills.
Considerations when choosing materials
Vests that are worn at circle meetings, campouts, and Nation events, will gain "character" -- they will become a little dirty and tattered.
Therefore, vests should be made from materials that are sturdy and cleanable.
Corduroy, denim, or heavy felt all work well.
Leather may look good, but it is hard to clean and difficult to work with when sewing on patches and decorations.
The materials you select for both the basic vest and its decorations should be easily obtained.
Many generations of your Circle will reuse the same design; they will be frustrated if the materials become hard-to-find.
Members who are handy with a sewing machine (or who have a family member that is) often prefer to make their own vest.
This is typically the low-cost approach and often the highest-quality approach.
The circle's Navigator should provide a pattern (or a sample vest to copy).
The Navigator might offer suggestions for local sources of materials.
The Navigator might maintain a stock of pre-cut decorations that can be applied by the individual making the vest.
Some circles have a family member who is handy with a sewing machine and willing to make vests for newcomers.
This approach may work for a few years, but as a circle's membership changes from year-to-year, these resources may disappear.
Instead, you might try to find a local seamstress or tailor who is willing to make your vests for the cost of materials plus a modest profit.
This is convenient because the end-result is a fully decorated vest.
But this approach is usually carries the highest cost.
Also, quite often the circle member still must acquire and provide the fabric(s), so the actual convenience may be diminished.
As a matter of convenience, most circles elect to have members purchase their basic vest.
If a circle takes this approach, the vests will be relatively unadorned.
The circle should maintain a stock of pre-cut decorations that can be applied by the individual after the basic vest is obtained.
If you choose to purchase your vests, you might try the supplier listed below:
CQ Vest
477 W. Fullerton, Elmhurst, IL 60126
From within Illinois call (630) 530-0177. From elsewhere call (800) 537-2824.