Catering to the Needs of the
Y-guide, Princess, YMCA Discount, Indian Guides vest, YMCA Crafts, leather vest, Adventure Guides,
YMCA Craft Projects

Standing Bears Trading Post - Leathercraft and Native American Craft Supplies

Email Us | Search our Site | Driving Directions -  Map | Custom Leather  | The Leathercraft Guild   |   Price - Ordering  Info   |  Product List
7624 Tampa Ave. Reseda, Ca. 91335     818 342-9120   HOURS:  Mon. Thru Sat. 10am - 6pm (1PM - 9PM Eastern Time)

What is the YMCA Yguides, Adventure guides, Adventure Princess, Indian Guides, Indian Princess and Papoose Programs about?

Helpful instructions on guides suede leather vest kit sizing,  -  assembly of y-guide leather vest kits with artificial sinew  and gluing adventure guide patches to your suede vest kit.

Nationwide Link to YMCA's Y-guides,

YMCA - Adventure Guides, Yguide Program Events to attend  
10% Discounts Given to Members of Yguide program, Adventure guides, Indian Guides and YMCA Camp Programs no matter how small the order!
Orders for 15 or more vest kits receive a 20% discount on your entire order.

Catering to the Needs of the YMCA, YMCA Guide Programs, Y-Guide Vests, YMCA Adventure Princess, Adventure Guide Program, Indian Guides, and Indian Princess Program

Nationwide Link to YMCA's Y-guides, Y-princess, YMCA Adventure Guide Indian Guide  - Indian Princess Programs

Use the our already designed Yguide, Indian Princess and Adventure guide craft kits
or ask us to help you with you Indian crafts
Great stuff that you can make with your group.

WE SHIP NATIONWIDE
Due to the rising cost of gas across the nation, we know coming down to the store can cause a burden.
For your convenience we ship nationwide.
No matter how near or far, we will get it to you
Please do not hesitate to e-mail or call in your order and have us ship the items to you.

Nationwide Link to YMCA's that have the Adventure Guide Program
YMCA's Y-guides, YMCA
, Adventure Guides,
Indian Guide  - Indian Princess, Papoose Programs
California  |  Southwest  |  Midwest  |  Northeast  |  Southeast

Visit Our YMCA Page for Craft and Kits
(Especially your YMCA vest kit - leather vest kits)

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Programs with an Family and Native American Theme
Y-Guides ( Indian Guides)  (Father & Son)  |   Y-Princesses (Father & Daughter)  |  Y-Braves (Mother & Son) - Y-Maidens (Mother & Daughter) 
YMCA Adventure Guides (Y-Guides)   |  Y-Adventure Guides  |  Adventure Princesses   |  YMCA Papoose program
The Y-guide and Princess programs including the  YGuides, Y-princess (Adventure Guides - Adventure Princesses) is to Nurture Companionship of Parent and Child.
The Purpose of the Y-guides (yguides) Adventure Guides is to forst ther relationship of Father and Son.
The Purpose of the Y-Princesses (Adventure Princess) is to promote friendship and understanding between father and daughter.
Some of these programs have changed their names to Y-Adventure Guides
Whether it is YMCA Guide Program (Y-guides,  Indian Guides, Indian Princess, Adventure Princess or Adventure Guide Program),
Camps or other YMCA programs, Let us know what we can do to assist your program.

We are authorized distributors for many different suppliers, Items listed on the website are items we can get from these suppliers and
may not be stocked in our store at all times.

YMCA's
California - YMCA's that have the Adventure Guide Program, Y-guides, Adventure Guides, Adventure Princess, Indian Guide, Indian Princess, and Papoose Programs
Visit Our YMCA Page for Craft and Kits (Especially your YMCA vest kit)

The Following YMCA's are a part of the Southeast Ventura California YMCA's: Serving Agoura Hills,
Dos Vientos Ranch, Moorpark, Newbury Park, Oak Park, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village.


31225 La Baya Drive #106
Westlake Village, CA 91362
818-707-YMCA (9622)
ppenna@triunfoymca.org

The Triunfo Family YMCA

proudly serves the families of  Agoura, Agoura Hills,  Westlake Village, and Oak Park

Conejo Valley YMCA 
A Branch of the Southeast Ventura County YMCA  - The Conejo Valley YMCA proudly serves the communities of Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park and Moorpark.

4031 Moorpark Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
805-523-7613
cgualtieri@conejovalleyymca.org


 
Simi Valley Family YMCA
3200 Cochran Street
Simi Valley, CA 93065
805-583-5338
djaeger@simiymca.org
YMCA of Southeast Ventura County
320 via Las Brisas
Newbury Park, CA 91320
805-480-0309
jshaffer@millerymca.org
Newbury Park and Thousand Oaks
Other California YMCA's that have the Adventure Guide Program, Y-guides, Adventure Guides,
Adventure Princess, Indian Guide, Indian Princess, and Papoose Programs
350 North Lantana Suite #224 
Camarillo, California 93010 
Phone: (805) 484-0423 
Fax: (805) 388-7087
YMCA of Orange
2241 East Palmyra Ave.
Orange, CA. 92869
Phone: (714) 633-9622
Fax: (714) 633-4337
Email: Info@ymcaoforange.org

http://www.ymcaoforange.org
Serving, Orange, Anaheim Hills, Villa Park and Tustin California in Orange County, CA.
West Valley Family YMCA
18810 Vanowen St 
Reseda, California 91335 
818-774-2840

North Valley YMCA "Sioux North" Tribe, GA-Sioux Nation

11336 Corbin Avenue 
Northridge, CA 91326 
(818) 368-3231
Saddleback Valley YMCA

Friendly Spirit Nation (Adventure Princesses)  Rising Son Nation (Adventure Guides)  Soaring Spirit (Adventure Princesses)

27341 Trabuco Circle
Mission Viejo, CA  92692-1939
(949) 859-9622

Serves the areas of: Coto de Caza, Las Flores, Dove Canyon, Mission Viejo, Foothill Ranch, Rancho Santa Margarita, Ladera Ranch, Trabuco Canyon, Laguna HIlls, Lake Forest, and nearby areas.

of The Santa Clarita YMCA Indian Guide and Princess Program
26147 McBean Parkway 
Valencia,Ca 91355 
661-253-3593
26147 McBean Parkway 
Valencia,Ca 91355 
661-253-3593
1332 6th St. 
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 393-2721 
4500 S. Sepulveda Blvd. 
Culver City, CA 90230 
(310) 390-3604 (Office) 
(310) 390-1695 (Fax)
Fountain Valley, California
Indian Princesses of the 
Great Hunting Valley Nation, 
located in Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley, California.
Information for the nation located in 
Irvine, California. 
Includes calendar of events, 
nation officers, and tribes.
Serving Oceanside, Vista, Fallbrook and Bonsall
4701 Mesa Drive 
Oceanside, CA 92056 
Phone: (760) 758-0808 
Fax: (760) 758-8058
Information about the Y Guide Programs 
of the Los Altos YMCA in Long Beach, Ca.
Los Altos YMCA
1720 Bellflower Blvd., 
Long Beach, CA 90815 
(562) 596-3394
200 Saxony Rd. 
Encinitas, CA 92024
Phone:760-942-9622

Magdalena Ecke 
Family YMCA Y-guides

18333 Lemon Drive 
Yorba Linda , CA 92886 
Phone: (714) 777-9622
Sunshine Nation - The Sunshine Nation is part of the YMCA Indian Program sponsored by the South Coast YMCA,  Laguna Niguel, California.  This YMCA program page Includes an extensive links page

321 East Magnolia Boulevard 
Burbank, CA 91502 
818-845-8551
 Visit Our YMCA Page for Craft and Kits (Especially your YMCA vest kit)
Midwest United States -
YMCA's that have the Adventure Guide Program, Y-guides, Adventure Guides, Adventure Princess, Indian Guide, Indian Princess, and Papoose Programs
ALGONQUIN LONGHOUSE
Coalition of chapters from 
the Northwest suburbs of Chicago.
(847) 660-1230 
PO Box 603, 
Palatine IL 60078-0603

The Mohican Nation

Kroehler Family 
YMCA Big Tepee Federation 
Y-guides and Princesses
Sponsoring monthly outings including campouts, 
sports, museums, skating, and 
Native American education.
34 S. Washington St. 
Naperville, IL 60540 
(630) 420-6270 
FAX (630) 420-8677 
Yomechas Indian Guide Federation
Program information for Downers Grove, Illinois and surrounding communities

Indian Boundary YMCA
711 59th Street
Downers Grove, Illinois 60516
Phone: (630) 968-8400
Fax: (630) 968-8389

Logewhego Nation of Glen Ellyn 
and Wheaton, Illinois

Programs are designed to foster companionship 
and understanding between father and child, 
in a wholesome atmosphere that emphasizes fun, adventure and a shared sense of discovery of 
Native American culture. 
Information about programs and upcoming events.

B.R. Ryall YMCA 
49 Deicke Drive 
 Glen Ellyn, Illinois 60137
630-848-0100
630-858-5702 

Geauga YMCA Adventure Guides 
Geauga YMCA Indian Nation
YMCA Indian Guides and Princesses in Auburn, Bainbridge, Burton, Chardon, Russell and other Geauga County Ohio communities
Geauga YMCA
12460 Bass Lake Road, 
Chardon, OH 44024, 
Phone: (440) 285-7543
National Longhouse, Ltd.
c/o Lighthouse, Inc. 
500 E. Main St. 
Crestline, OH. 44827-1120
Farmington Family 
YMCA y-guide Programs 
28100 Farmington Road 
Farmington, Michigan 48334-3326
Downtown Branch YMCA 
Kitaki yguide program 

1039 P Street 
Lincoln, Nebraska 68508-3687 
(402) 434-9230 
Manikiki Nation Indian Guides
A YMCA based father and son organization based in the Portage Lakes region of Akron Ohio

Great Lakes Akron Region YMCA Youth & Family Programs

Visit Our YMCA Page for Craft and Kits (Especially your YMCA vest kit)

Northeast United States -
YMCA's that have the Adventure Guide Program, Y-guides, Adventure Guides, Adventure Princess, Indian Guide, Indian Princess, and Papoose Programs
 Hockomock YMCA
67 Mechanic Street 
Foxboro, MA 02035 
Phone: (508) 543.2523 
Fax: (508) 543.5503

Hockomock Federation of Adventure Guides

The Tuscarora Nation of Gates and Chili, NY. Indian Guides, Princesses, Maidens, Braves, and Trailblazers
1601 Hillsborough Street 
Raleigh, North Carolina 27605 
Phone: (919) 582-2265
An affiliate of the Capital Area YMCA with the largest Indian Guide/Princess program. Includes information about programs and services. Raleigh, NC.
Southeast United States
YMCA's that have the Adventure Guide Program, Y-guides, Adventure Guides, Adventure Princess, Indian Guide, Indian Princess, and Papoose Programs
YMCA of Greater Richmond
2 West Franklin Street 
Richmond, VA 23220 
(804) 649-9622 - Phone  
duPont Family YMCA
7373 Old Kings Rd., 
S. Jacksonville, FL 32217 
Ph: 904.731.2006
Fayette County YMCA
215 Huiet Road 
Fayetteville, GA 30215 
Tel: 770-719-9622

Acowie Tribe -
Serving families in Fayetteville, Peachtree City, and Riverdale, Georgia.  Gives history and benefits of the program.

Southwest  -
YMCA's that have the Adventure Guide Program, Y-guides, Adventure Guides, Adventure Princess, Indian Guide, Indian Princess, and Papoose Programs
Friends Forever
A fifty year old parent/child program which services all YMCA branches in Albuquerque. Information about programs and upcoming events.

YMCA of Central New Mexico has five branches in the area.  They are:

Heights YMCA           4901 Indian School Road NE            Phone: 265-6971

 Mountainside YMCA          12500 Comanche NE           Phone: 292-2298

West Side Family YMCA          4701 Montano NW          Phone: 899-8417

Downtown YMCA          101 Broadway NE          Phone: 244-9437

Camp Shaver - 22900 Highway 4 - Jemez Springs, NM 87025 - Phone: (505) 829-3572

Chandler/Gilbert Y-Guides -
Official web site of the Y-Indian Guides (now called the Y-Adventure Guides) of the Sioux nation in Chandler/Gilbert, Arizona.
Chandler/Gilbert Y-Princess

Chandler/Gilbert YMCA
1655 W. Frye Rd.
Chandler, AZ 85224 
(480) 899-9622
TDD/TTY (800) 367-8939

Midland YMCA Y-Indian Princesses
Program description, calendar, 
history, and longhouse officers.
 

Midland YMCA
   800 N. Big Spring St.
    Midland, TX 79701
(432) 682-2551

Plano Family YMCA in Legacy 
5101 Tennyson Parkway 
Plano, TX 75024 
Phone: (972) 378-9622 
Fax: (972) 473-6274

Chinook Adventure Guides Plano YMCA

Ponyta Tribe of Indian Princesses Plano YMCA

Visit Our YMCA Page for Craft and Kits
(Especially your YMCA vest kit)

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What is the YMCA Guide Program, Adventure Guide Program, Y-guides, Adventure Guides, Adventure Princess,
Indian Guide, Indian Princess, and Papoose Programs about?

The YMCA Y-Indian Guides, Y-Indian Princesses, Y-Indian Braves and Y-Indian Maidens, now also known as the Adventure Princess and Adventure Guide program, are year-round programs designed to build strong relationships between parents and their children.  It is open to families with children in kindergarten to third grade.

The YMCA guide program was started  by Harold S. Keltner, St. Louis YMCA Director and Joe Friday, an Ojibway Indian.

The participants in the YMCA Family Programs learn about American Indian people their culture, their customs, crafts and games, and seek to bring new understanding and appreciation of the Native American Heritage and the contributions Native Americans have made to our nation.
They strive to share the qualities of the American Indian culture and life: 
Dignity, Patience, Endurance, Spirituality, Feeling for the earth, and Concern for the family.

Some YMCA y-guide programs are now called YMCA Adventure guides but have strived to keep the Native American theme. 
The reason the YMCA uses the Native American theme is to help focus the groups, and to bring traditional values and organizational structure to the program.
The YMCA you join will assign you to a group called a circle or tribe, that will meet on a regular basis in each others’ homes, weekly, biweekly or monthly. 
YMCA guides tribes/groups will get together for campouts and family outings, throughout the year to go on campouts, and other field trips.


The yguides aims are listed as:
1. To be clean in body and pure in heart.
2. To be pals forever with my father/son.
3. To love the sacred circle of my family.
4. To listen while others speak.
5. To love my neighbor as myself.
6. To seek and preserve the beauty of the Great Spirit's work in forest, field, and stream

To quote Joe Friday:
“The Indian father raises his son. He teaches his son to hunt, to track, to fish, to walk softly and silently in the forest,  to know the meaning and purpose of life and all he must know, while the white man allows the mother to raise his son.”

For more information on the
YMCA Adventure Guide Program, Y-Indian Guides, Y-Indian Princesses, Y-Indian Braves and Y-Indian Maidens 
Click here for links to the YMCA's that have these programs.

Use the our already designed Yguide and Adventure guide craft kits or ask us to help you with you Indian crafts, great stuff that you can make with your group.

VESTS - Suede Leather Vest Kits - Leather Vest Kits, Suede Vest kits for Guide Program Y-guide Vests, Vests for Adventure Guides Suede Leather Vest Kits For Your Patches

The vest kits are made of Cow Suede Leather, They are a tan/beige color leather included in the kits. The vest kits offered on our website are not ready made, they are kits that have to be assembled, we do not have finished vests available through our store other than occasionally having some made up during Y-guide season
for our in store customers to purchase.
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Adventure Guides, YMCA, Yguides Vest Sizing Assistance

Many parents would like to be able to mail order their YMCA vest kits. To assist you in getting the correct sizing we have added this information to our site.
The child’s vest be ordered larger than the current need and just as the adult vest orders,  these vests should have room to wear over bulky sweatshirts throughout the winter months of the program

Childrens' YMCA Vest sizing
The size child's' sizes run small, the large will fit most children 4-5 years of age, Most of the girls in the princess program can wear the large... if they are small or average sizing If your daughter is taller or heavier than average or about to turn 7 you may want to get the child extra large in order to insure the vest will fit them until they are 8.
We suggest for the boys in the Indian Guides/Adventure Guides Program that, unless you have a smaller child, purchase the child's extra large vest kit
This will give them room to grow and allow for bulky clothing under the vest. 

There is a 1-1/2" difference overall (in length, width etc) between the child's large and X-large vest kit. If your child is in the YMCA papoose program, the Child's large would be sufficient.

There are many children that are in the 6-8 year old range that parents have purchased the adult small vest kit for them. The adult small vest is usually for children that are taller or are experiencing a growth spurt and the X-large fits them snug right now.
IF your child is larger than an average 7-8 year old OR the program lasts past 8 years of age your BEST choice is to purchase the adult small vest kit for your child.

Adult YMCA Vest Sizing
The large Adult vest kits are cut high in the arms so they tend to bunch under the arms if you have broad shoulders. Most of the adult men in the program order the X-large adult vest kits. Woman can usually wear the adult Medium or the adult large vest kits, depending on their size.

I am Female...5'6", 150 lbs. and wear the Adult Large,
A woman 5' 8" who weighs 180 or more would wear the Adult X-large.
CowboyWC is 6'3" 215 lbs. and wears the X-large.

If you are local to us, it would be beneficial to stop in our retail store. We have in store ready made samples of the YMCA vests for customers to try on,
If you are not local to us you may try to ask other members of your group about their vest sizes to determine the correct size of vest to purchase.

VESTS - Suede Leather Vest Kits  -  Leather Vest Kits, Suede Vest kits for Guide Program Y-guide Vests, Vests for Adventure Guides Suede Leather Vest Kits For Your Patches

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Y-guide Vest Assembly and Patch Gluing Instructions

The kids yguide vest kits come with a white kite string material for sewing them together
The adult y-guide vest kits come with a flat leather lace. like the lace used in lacing leather projects such as wallets together, some parents have difficulty working with this lace.
Because of this difficulty, we suggest using artificial sinew to sew your YMCA vests together.
One spool of artificial sinew will sew both the adult and child's vests together and also leave extra for other projects.
You would use the needle that comes with your child's kit to sew both vests together with the sinew following the instuctions below.

These instuctions are for use of Artificial sinew to replace both the leather lace and white kite string that are included in the vest kits.
Some parents find the leather lace hard to work with so we have tried to make the assembly of your guide vest a little easier

There are 5 pieces in the adult vest kit and 3 pieces in the childs' vest kit.
If you are using artificial sinew to replace the leather lace in the adult vest use sinew to replace the thread in the child's kit and lace in the adult kit.
Use the needle in the child's kit to sew both vests together with sinew..
You can follow the child's kit instructions that come with the kit for sewing vests together with sinew...with 1 exception...You don't have to use the complicated step 1 of the child's vest instruction. Just thread the needle as normal and then twist. The main goal is so the sinew will not slip off the needle while you are sewing.
When finished sewing a section, double knot the thread and melt the knot tails into the knot. This prevents the knot from unraveling or coming untied.

Child's Kit
Measure 4X the distance you are going to sew and cut off the sinew.
Thread needle with waxed sinew and twist to secure thread onto needle.
Overlap and align shoulder holes at left back (top) panel over front panel.
Leave 2" of thread at first hole, sew along seam "in and out" running stitch to the end.
Turn and sew back to starting point filling in between previous stitches.
Double stitch through the last hole and tie ends of thread together in a square knot. Trim off the excess thread.
Melt knot into itself to secure the knot and stitching from unraveling.
Overlap and align holes of the left front  (side) panel over left back panel.
Leave 2" of thread at first hole, sew along seam "in and out" running stitch to the end.
Turn and sew back to starting point filling in between previous stitches.
Double stitch through the last hole and tie ends of thread together in a square knot. Trim off the excess thread.
Melt knot into itself to secure the knot and stitching from unraveling.
Repeat overlap steps on right side of the vest.

**NOTE**
You can overlap the seams in any way that you would like to as far as back over front, or front over back.
You can add 2 different color pony beads in the stitching to add decoration to the vest.
You would just add the beads as you are sewing...it is suggested that you only add beads to the top and side stitching.
Adding beads to the back of the adult vests will cause the beads to rub on chairs etc and make it uncomfortable.

Adult Kit
Begin by construction the back of your adult vest kit
Begin stitching at the bottom center of the vest.
Measure 4X the distance you are going to sew and cut off sinew.
(You will use 1 piece of sinew for the full back...
so measure 4X across the back and from the bottom to center of V-shape if vest)
Thread needle with waxed sinew and twist to secure thread onto needle.
Place 2 bottom back panels together, overlapping left over right.
The top panel is overlapped over BOTH bottom panels.
Leave 2" of thread at first hole, sew along seam "in and out" running stitch to the end.
Starting at bottom, go up to venter, over to the right, back to center, stitch to the left and then back to center.
Then stitch back to your starting point at the bottom center of the vest.
Double stitch the last hole and tie ends of thread together in a square knot. Trim off part of excess thread
Melt knot into itself to secure the knot and stitching from unraveling.
Follow instructions above (under Child's kit) to sew shoulders and sides of vests.

Hopefully the instructions we have created for construction of your y-guide vests using artificial sinew, will be helpful in making your vests a project you can do with your child.

Many of the kits that we carry require similar sewing as is done with the vest, so this is a perfect opportunity to assist your child in learning this skill so that they will be able to master the other kits as well.

VESTS - Suede Leather Vest Kits  - Leather Vest Kits, Suede Vest kits for Guide Program Y-guide Vests, Vests for Adventure Guides Suede Leather Vest Kits For Your Patches

10% Discounts Given to Members of Yguide program, Adventure guides, Indian Guides and YMCA Camp Programs no matter how small the order!
  Orders for 15 or more vest kits receive a 20% discount on your entire order.

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Leathercraft Cement Glue Notes: Gluing your patches to your suede vest.

If the back of your patch is shiny (which many of them are now), scuff up the back of the patch so that the glue will adhere.
Place the patch on the vest in the position where it will be glued.
Mark around the patch lightly with a pencil.
Put a thin coat of glue on the back of the patch and in the space you have marked out for the patch.
Allow glue to become tacky.
Put patch on vest in position.
Set a book on top of the patch when the patch is on the vest to hold them together while the glue dries.
MAKE SURE that you only apply a THIN coat of glue... If you put too much glue on the patch or vest it will seep over the sides of the patch and stain the vest.

Try to get the glue all the way to the bottom edges of the patch so that they will be fully adhered to the vest. If the edges are not glued down this tends to cause the edges to lift and the patch to "pop off"

VESTS - Suede Leather Vest Kits
Leather Vest Kits, Suede Vest kits for Guide Program Y-guide Vests, Vests for Adventure Guides Suede Leather Vest Kits For Your Patches

10% Discounts Given to Members of Yguide program, Adventure guides, Indian Guides and YMCA Camp Programs no matter how small the order!
  Orders for 15 or more vest kits receive a 20% discount on your entire order.

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Standing Bears Trading Post - Leathercraft and Native American Craft Supplies
Email Us
|
Search our Site| Driving Directions -  Map | Custom Leather  | The Leathercraft Guild   |   Price - Ordering  Info
7624 Tampa Ave. Reseda, Ca. 91335     818 342-9120   HOURS:  Mon. Thru Sat. 10am - 6pm (1PM - 9PM Eastern Time)

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