.::. Pack 320 FOR LEADERS .::.
.::. Brag Vest Instructions.::.
 
   
Pack 320 Home Page > Pack 320 For Leaders > Leader - Brag Vest
      
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Instructions and Patterns for
     
       
Red Brag Vest (Patch Vest)
      
       
     
       
     
               
        What is a Brag Vest? (Also called a Patch Vest):      
             
               
        The red bag/patch vest is not part of the official uniform. It can be worn by Cub and Webelos Scouts for the display of patches, medals and pins that have been given to or earned by the scout as a part of the Scouting experience. The patch vest may be worn with the uniform except during formal ceremonies and uniform inspections. The patch vest should not be worn during formal occasions such as receiving rank awards or the Blue and Gold banquet.

The "brag" or patch vest is an optional, but very popular piece of clothing that can be worn by Scouts. Brag vests give the Scouts a place to display previously earned awards that can no longer be worn on the official uniform and/or other activity awards and patches that are not intended for the official uniform.

Our Pack often distributes patches for activities such as campouts, derbies, and other activities. Often Council activities such as hockey games, District Derby, etc also present patches to attendees. These patches are not allowed on the official uniform but can be worn on this optional vest.

The vests are often made of felt or cotton depending on where purchased or if homemade.

Other options will be listed for scouts who like to collect patches but either have run out of room on their vests or don't want to wear a vest. These include "brag" ponchos, wall hangings, blankets, etc.

      
               
               
        Where to find Brag Vests (Also called a Patch Vest):      
             
       
     
        Your have a few choices on finding a brag vest for your scouts:      
               
       

1. They are available for purchase thru Scouts:

      
       
     
        Patch Vest      
  Red patch vest is 100% acrylic and has a leather string tie. Wear it with your uniform any time except for official ceremonies and inspection. Emblems not included. (Not for use with badges of rank or office.WW552/553
   
  Current on-line prices as of Jan 2005:
  Youth sizes $12.25 Adult $13.55.
  http://www.scoutstuff.org/items/ww55291/index.html
               
        A. ONLINE SCOUT STORE      
        Scoutstuff.Org - Online Catalog of Scout merchandise      
        Click here to access website and for catalog      
               
               
        B. AT LOCAL COUNCIL SHOP      
        Tidewater Council operates a Scout Shop at the council service center offering a wide inventory of official BSA merchandise and other camping and outdoor items.      
        Call ahead for current prices      
        The Scout Shop, Tidewater Council's Service Center      
        1032 Heatherwood Drive in Virginia Beach, Va.      
        757-497-2688      
        Click here for map and directions      
        The hours of operation of the Scout Shop are as follows:      
        Monday through Thursday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.      
        Friday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.      
        Saturday: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.      
        Sunday: Closed      
               
               
        2. They are available for purchase through private sources:      
        If you know of private sources of Brag Vests please contact the webmaster and we will list on this webpage. Previously a vendor was selling on-line but site is no longer available.      
               
               
        3. Make your brag vest as a scout project or at home:      
        Some basics on making a brag vest will be listed below. The durability and washability of the vest depends on the material used. Final cost depends on cost of material (cloth, thread and bias tape if seamed. Whether you purchase a pattern or not. Leather tie and eyelets are optional but may be needed on felt vests to fit well.      
        A basic pattern we created (which can be enlarged) is included but for the sewing-challenged you may want to purchase a full-size pattern with detailed instructions.      
               
        For the sewing challenged, some instructions on the basics:      
        http://www.simplicity.com/index.cfm?page=sewingBasics.html      
               
        A couple of possible sewing patterns you can purchase:
We have not tried any of these so user beware!		      
        If you know of other please forward to webmaster      
               
        MacPhee Workshop Patterns - Design: #116
Sizes: Youth Sizes 2 - 12 (Also adult)		      
        This looks like one of the best vests and most similiar to our design. Its inexpensive although there is a minimum order required.      
        http://www.macpheeworkshop.com/catalogue/116.html      
               
        Simplicity Sewing Patterns - Design: 5744
Sizes: Child (XS to L), Adult (XS to XL) Unisex Child, Teen and Adult Fleece Vest, Hats, etc		      
               
       

Simplicity Sewing Patterns - Design: 5245
Sizes: 3 to 12 Child's and Girls' Jacket or Vest, Scarf, Mittens and Bag

      
               
        Simplicity Sewing Patterns - Design: 6336
Sizes: 3 to 8 Unisex Child's Vests
      
               
        Simplicity Sewing Patterns - Design: 9855
Sizes: 7 to 16 Girls' Pants, Skirt, Jumper, Lined or Unlined Vest and Jacket		      
               
        McCall's - item# 8337
8 Different Vest Patterns - Children's, boys' and girls' lined vests.		      
               
        For those who are willing to try it our way!:      
        Our pattern is made from one piece of material and requires sewing of only the two shoulder seams for some materials like felt. In order to have a nice finished edge for cotton twill and other materials where the edges may fray we recommend finishing all edges of the material.      
                 
        1. Make sure to measure your scout, you want it to come down to his hips so measure shoulder to hip for the required length and add about 2 inches extra for finishing.      
               
        2. Always remember to lean towards a larger size. Your scout will be growing and you definitely want this to get him thru his cubscout and Webelos years. No one wants to have to remove patches and resew onto another vest if they can avoid it      
               
        3. You can enlarge our pattern and transfer it onto newspaper, a paper bag or sturdy tissue paper to create your final cutting pattern.      
               
        4. You will need a piece of material approx 36" wide by the length you determined from measuring your scout. If your scout is a little larger lay flat his winter coat or a larger button seater and measure across to get a width.      
               
        5. For a kid easy vest the recommended fabric is felt which allows the least amount of sewing      
               
        6. For a more durable and washable vest we recommend cotton or duck      
               
        7. No choice on color ..you're looking for a nice bright red (see photos above)      
               
        8. Look in the scrap or extras piles...they just might have what you are looking for at a very inexpensive price      
               
        9. If its not felt you will need bias tape to finish it. This comes in packages, you'll need one package per vest. Ask for assistance from a clerk if your not sure.      
               
        10. For felt vests you should also purchase two eyelets and a leather tie (or cloth tie) to keep the vest on nicely. The weight of the patches may cause it to gap open without the tie.      
               
        11. Layout your homemade pattern on the material and pin. Remember this is a vest made from just one piece of material. You will not need to cut front and back or sides.      
               
        12. Cross your fingers and cut!.      
               
        13. We'd recommend having your scout try it on now. Pin the two top shoulder seams. Make sure your scout is wearing his uniform or a shirt. This vest will always be worn over other clothing and he'll need the extra room. If you find the arm holes are too tight now is the time to enlarge them to fit comfortably.      
               
        14. With any alterations made ALWAYS retry it on your scout to make sure its "just right"      
               
        15. Once the fitting is completed unpin the shoulders and if its made from regular material other than felt we recommend using the bias tape at this stage and hem all edges EXCEPT the shoulders      
               
        16. Once hemmed on the edges lay the vest so its in its final shape but have the INSIDE OUT with shoulder seams pinned and sew your two shoulder seams.      
               
        17. Give yourself a pat on the back but only AFTER your scout has tried it on and it fits.      
               
        18. Remember if you made a mistake and for some strange reason its just not the right size there will always be another scout out there with an even more sewing challenged parent who won't have one unless you make one for him too ...extras NEVER go to waste.      
               
        19. And now we hate to say it but the easy part is finished. Get your scout's patches together and NOW is the hard part - sewing piles of patches on. Hand sew or machine sew - its up to you. We recommend especially if you have a pile of patches to start with that you lay them out first to see how they fit. Don't spread out too much unless you leave enough room between patches to add more in the empty spaces. Unless your scout is not involved in a lot of activities you will find it fills quickly. You never want to have to move patches because you may rip the material if its on there good.      
               
        20. Leave an area in front for medals and pins. There is a cloth letter for the achievement pins that can be sewed on their vest. Our cubscout parent Fran has the very best idea. Sew a small rectangular piece of the same material (two pieces of material approx 4" by 2").. Sew pieces together with approx 1/4" hem on three of the four sides (leave small end unsewed). Flip piece so inside is now out (the edges are now inside). Finish piece by folding in the rough edges at the small end and sew closed. Iron flat with starch if its not laying smooth.      
               
        21. Your scouts pins can be placed on this piece of material. Use a pin to attach to front of vest, kind of like a mother's brag ribbon for her sons rank pins. When its time to launder the vest you just have to unpin the rectangle of cloth instead of removing each individual pin ...Washing and drying will usually result in lose of pins and pin backs if you try to take a shortcut and leave them pinned to the vest during cleaning. If backs slip off a dab of crazy glue in the pin back will keep it on the ribbon for his cubscout days..      
               
       
Here are two different patterns You will need to grid a large piece of paper to move the pattern from 8 x 11 size to "human" size. Just grid off the large sheet (use 1" squares) and transfer the pattern from one sheet to another by block...not as hard as you may think!
      
               
       
Pattern for Felt Vest (pretty similar to those found in scout shop)
      
       
Pattern for Cloth Vest (with 1/4" seams)
      
               
       

These are both large-size vests - stick with large to get your boy thru his cubscout year and to avoid having to move patches from one vest to another! The cloth vest is larger in terms of area and will hold more patches.

      
               
        You should be able to use felt or cloth for either vest...just remember that with felt you don't need a seam and will need eyelets at the front to help it hang correctly      
               
       
Any Questions?
      
               
               
        What about "brag" or "patch" ponchos, blankets and wall hangings?      
             
             
               
        Besides the standard brag vest there are other ways to display/collect your patches:      
               
       

PATCH BLANKET - which is nothing more than a standard blanket in your choice of size and color. If you're going to make a campfire PATCH blanket (One brought to a campout) I recommend you use cloth that is flame resistant or flame retardant. You do not want to use cloth that easily catches on fire or melts.

PATCH PONCHO - Sometime a small blanket is used and a slit is cut in the center of it and edging tape is sewn around the opening to keep it from fraying. Then it can slipped over the head and worn as a poncho around camp on cold days or nights.

PATCH BINDER/NOTEBOOK - you can buy clear plastic/mylar sleeves with pockets that fit in a a three ring notebook. BSA sells these or you can also check at your local sports card shop. Sports card shops (as well as on-line-see below) have them in different sizes and numbers of pockets.

VINYL PATCH HOLDER - Decorative way to protect and display your patch collection. One side of patch blanket is covered by clear vinyl pockets in two sizes: 4" x 4" and 4" x 8". Black backing makes patches stand out. BSA sells these.

PATCH BULLETIN BOARD - Decorative way to protect and display your patch collection. One side of patch blanket is covered by clear vinyl pockets in two sizes: 4" x 4" and 4" x 8". Black backing makes patches stand out. BSA sells these.

PATCH JACKET/VEST - You can sew them on any jacket or vest. There are some ideas below, just click on "PATCH JACKET/VEST"

SHADOW BOX FRAME - the patches can be framed or put in a shadow box. BSA sells shadow boxes for awards or you can make your own once again.

RAW HIDE - Sometimes the patches are also displayed on a hide shaped piece of leather (or fake leather) and hung on the wall. BSA sells these or you can make your own.

BACK PACK - You can sew them on a backpack or day pack.

      
       

For most of the ideas listed above...thanks to:
Richard Axtman, Assistant Scoutmaster, Troop 1, Littleton, MA
Nashua Valley Council, Lancaster, MA
http://www.scouter.com/archives/Scouts-L/199904/0022.asp

      
               
       
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
      
             
        Classic Patch Blanket      
               
        My Scout Patch Blanket      
        http://www.santeeswapper.com/my_patch_blanket.htm      
               
        1. Available from Scouting Online/Scout Shop:      
        Display patches on this reproduction of a classic patch blanket. 100% acrylic blanket has a gold fleur-de-lis screened in one corner. Measures 63" x 46". WW55290      
               
        Current on-line prices as of Jan 2005:$20.75      
        http://www.scoutstuff.org/items/ww55290/      
               
        2. Available from other sources:      
        You can pickup an inexpensive blanket at Wal-Mart for under $5.00      
        Microfiber Fleece Blanket from K-Mart or Target for Twin Size $19.00 and up (retail...look for a sale!)      
        For a store bought blanket you can pickup a great insignia (used for den flags) at your local scout shop to add to your blanket...or add a council patch with your Pack's numbers!      
               
        3. Make Your Own:      
        You can make your own patch blanket:      
        Instructions for a no-sew fleece blanket      
        http://www.exploringwomanhood.com/homelife/ideas/pom-jan03.htm      
        http://www.diynet.com/diy/diy_kits/article/0,2019,DIY_13787_2276464,00.html      
      We'd recommend you stay with solid colors versus a pattern and solid color that the instructions call for. Try blue and gold or red and tan!      
        Again you can add scout store patches to make it your own!      
               
             
       

Image File

Pdf File

 Patch Poncho      
               
        1. Make Your Own:      
        A Make-Your-Own project. You can take a blanket similiar to one used for the Patch Blanket. With a couple of snips and tucks you have a nice warm poncho to show off those neat patches.      
        Click on links to the left to get a page size diagram with instructions on how to make your scout a great poncho using a blanket. (Right click and select "save as")      
               
        You can pickup an inexpensive blanket at Wal-Mart for under $5.00      
        Microfiber Fleece Blanket from K-Mart or Target for Twin Size $19.00 and up (retail...look for a sale!)      
               
               
             
        Patch Theme Binder      
               
        1. Available from Scouting Online/Scout Shop:      
        An updated three-ring patch collector's binder with glossy color graphics. Includes a fixed, 3" capacity post mechanism that will hold the biggest collections. Black plastic handles are riveted to the cover. Can also be used as a scrapbook or literature organizer. WW34388      
        Current on-line prices as of Jan 2005:$29.95      
        http://www.scoutstuff.org/items/ww34388/index.html      
               
        Patch Holder Pages      
        For patches measuring up to 31/2" x 31/2". Each sheet has six pockets. Use in our patch collector binder, sold above. Pkg. Of 6 WW33139 $4.15      
        http://www.scoutstuff.org/items/ww33139/index.html      
        Patch Protector Binder Sheets      
        Each sheet has six pockets. Use in our patch collector binder, sold above. For CSPs up to 23/4" x 55/16". Pkg. Of 6 WW33137 $4.15      
        http://www.scoutstuff.org/items/ww33137/index.html      
               
        2. Available from other sources:      
        Photo Albums or Trading Card Albums with a variety of pocket sizes can be purchased from any department store or scrapbook/craft store. Go with archival quality. Here are some prices:      
        Photo Albums (2 albums per pack), Price $19.87      
        600 Print Capacity, Holds 4" x 6", 4" x 7", and 4" x 12"
     
        http://www.samsclub.com/      
        You can cruise the internet for lots of possibilities:      
        Trading Card Albums (sells sleeves of all sizes)      
        http://www.safepub.com/Catalog/cards/tradcard.htm      
               
        3. Make Your Own:      
        Or purchase a large binder and pocket pages (to get 6 pocket pages you may have to track down thru craft or scrapbook shop or go online:      
        Binders      
       

D-Ring Heavy Duty Binders 3" to 5" Sizes , Prices from $7.38 to $27.00
http://www.samsclub.com/

     
        Patch Holder Pages      
        Heavyweight Presentation Sheet Protectors, 100 shts/box, Top Loading Only, Prices from $6.00 to $10.00      
        http://www.samsclub.com/      
        Archival Quality Mylar Pages to hold patches:      
        http://www.trade.norwesters.net/pages.html      
        Paul Collett - Always There Trading
10975 SW Mira Ct., Tigard, OR 97223
Voice (503) 620-7314
      
        Quantity: Price Per Sheet      
        1-10 $.50      
        11-24 $.40      
        25-99 $.30      
        100+ $.25      
        A Great note from the Scouter Forum:      
        People who have been in Scouting for years just can't wear all the patches they have accumulated, even with blankets and red jackets. Eventually that realization sets in and it becomes time to start a nice notebook collection using archival plastic pages with different sized pockets. The collection becomes its own resource of interest and pride. KA6BSA, Troop Committee, San Diego, California      
        http://www.scouter.com/      
               
             
        Vinyl Patch Holder      
               
        1. Available from Scouting Online/Scout Shop:      
        Decorative way to protect and display your patch collection. One side of patch blanket is covered by clear vinyl pockets in two sizes: 4" x 4" and 4" x 8". Black backing makes patches stand out. Perfect for CSPs, as well as standard 3" patches. Blanket measures 50" x 57". Rolls up for easy storage and transport. Made in the U.S.A. WW01451      
               
        Current on-line prices as of Jan 2005:      
        $49.00      
               
        http://www.scoutstuff.org/items/ww01451/index.html      
               
             
       
Cub Scout Bulletin Board
      
        Thanks to Kids Domain.com      
        http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/cubbulletin.html      
        What should you do with all those patches you earn before they are sewn on your brag vest? How about last year's Quality Unit patch? Where should you put that the shooting range page you did in camp? How about making a Cub Scout Bulletin Board to display everything?
Parental supervision is recommended.

This project is rated EASY to do.

      
        What You Need      
       
  • Bulletin board
  • Bright blue spray paint
  • Newspapers
  • Warm not too windy day
  • Cub Scout memorabilia
  • Tacks
  • Hammer
  • 2 Nails
  • 2 Picture hangers
  • Level (to help hang pictures evenly), optional
      
        How To Make It      
       
  1. Take the bulletin board outside.
  2. Lay the newspapers out on the grass.
  3. Lay the bulletin board on the newspapers.
  4. Using a sweeping motion, lightly cover the bulletin board on the top and sides with spray paint.
  5. Let dry.
  6. If needed, spray a second coat and let dry.
  7. Attach picture hangers to the top of the bulletin board, close to the outside edges, equally spaced.
  8. Find a wall in your bedroom (Ask your parents!) to hang your bulletin board.
  9. Hammer in one nail, but leave about 1/4" away from the wall.
  10. Place one of the picture hangers on the nail.
  11. Place the level on top of the bulletin board. Move the opposite corner of the bulletin board up a little or down a little until the bubble is in the center area. Use the nail to make a tiny mark where you should hammer (make sure it lines up with the middle of the picture hanger).
  12. Set the level and the bulletin board down.
  13. Hammer in the other nail, but leave about 1/4" away from the wall.
  14. Hang up your bulletin board.
  15. Use tacks to attach your patches and other memorabilia to the bulletin board. Note: It's also a good way to avoid losing your pins!
     
                 
       
Our Pack does something similiar to that with a felt covered board displaying patches. We take this to our Pack Recruiting Nights
      
       
     
               
             
       
Patch Jacket/Vest (Usimg ANY jacket, sweatshirt or vest)
      
        If you go to the Scouter Forum you'll find lots of great ideas for wears to wear your patches! http://www.scouter.com/
Here are just a few:		      
               
        My son's pack has given up on the BSA red felt vests because they are too hot most of the time here in So. Calif and they don't wear very well either. You risk making all the patches pink by putting it in the washing machine. So the pack committee came up with an alternative by making available to all the boys a tan fisherman's vest made by Orvis. It comes in kid's sizes and can be easily "takin in" with a few stitches in the sides for small kids growing rapidly. There are pockets on the front to sew patches on and lots of space on the back. Since it is Boys Scout (or Webelos tan) color they can