Are you ready to put your creativity to work? Here is a little something to enjoy. Today at Ecclesiastical Sewing, we have a lovely vintage hand embroidery design to share… Read more Hand Embroidery Design for Altar Linens →
Tonight at church, the stripped altar will be adorned in black with six candles upon it and the seventh being the Paschal candle. The crucifix is already veiled, not to… Read more Good Friday 2017 and Stabat Mater Dolorosa →
Fair Linens – what a lovely title for an article used in the church. But do we really know what is behind that title? What makes a Linen “Fair”? Fair… Read more Fair Linens: Part 1 Measurements →
Tapestries have graced the walls of castles for centuries. They have also graced countless clergy vestments through the ages. Today, there are many lovely liturgical fabrics woven in rich and… Read more Aragon Liturgical Tapestry Fabric in Red Lurex →
The delay with routine posting here on Ecclesiastical Sewing has come as a result of many things. But never fear. The posts will continue. So what has been occupying my time in recent weeks? Well, the list is long, and for the most part, rather boring. But a few good things have come about. Some time has been spent in the past few weeks documenting and sorting through the hundreds of vintage hand embroidery designs and patterns that are now a part of my collection. I have been working on… Read more More Vintage Liturgical Embroidery Patterns →
There is a book on my shelf – a LARGE book – that has sat on there for far too long. It is time to do a little dusting off, both of the book, of my knowledge of Ecclesiastical History, and the Greats from the Gothic Era. So without further ado, tonight’s topic: the book entitled George Frederick Bodley by Michael Hall. And before I begin, there is a confession to make. I know very little about George Bodley. Hence, the need for the book. George Frederick Bodley was born… Read more George Frederick Bodley →
Fringe for Church Vestments: It can be short and sweet, or long and elegant. It can have shimmer and shine, or have a perfect matte finish. There are solid colors and multi-colored styles, with headers to match that are plain and simple, or complex like a braid trim. What makes a fringe an Ecclesiastical fringe, suitable for use on church vestments and altar hangings? This is one of those questions that can be a bit challenging to answer. When I first started making church vestments and altar hangings, the only… Read more Church Vestment Fringe: is there a difference? →
Sundays are a great day to relax and enjoy a good read. One of my favorite vestment books is an old classic on the topic of Liturgical Sewing. Like many books in my vast library on the topic of vestment making, Ecclesiastical Embroidery and the making of church linens, the book of choice for this evening is, well, vintage, if a book can be called that. Or perhaps classic might be a better term. However one looks at it, the book on my work table this evening (at least one… Read more Vestments and How to Make Them by Lilla Weston →
This weekend past weekend was Laetare Sunday, one of the two Sundays in the Church Year when Rose-colored vestments are used. For this Ecclesiastical Sewing project, the two fabrics being… Read more Rose Chalice Veil Construction →
There has been a special Altar Linens Project in the works for a Royal King for the past few months. The story has its roots in the years 2012 and… Read more Fit for a King: Richard III Project →
Lurking around the edges, but not quite ready to take the plunge. That is what many of us do, often for years when it comes to Ecclesiastical Sewing and Embroidery. … Read more Ecclesiastical Embroidery Designs A Starting Point →
It’s linen time! And this is exciting because linen means an Ecclesiastical Embroidery project is one step closer to being ready for the hand embroidery to start. While one step closer… Read more Framing Steps Part 2 Advent →
Part of the fun of Ecclesiastical Sewing and Ecclesiastical Embroidery is being on the lookout for treasured resources. I keep hoping that someday a magical hidden stash of Ecclesiastical Embroidery… Read more Vintage Ecclesiastical Embroidery Transfer Treasures →
Last week, I mentioned receiving several new books relating to the topics of Ecclesiastical Sewing and Ecclesiastical Embroidery, or Church Embroidery. In case you missed the article, you can check it out the post New Books, New Information. I was sharing information about a book entitled Design for Church Embroidery by R.A. Alethea Wiel. The book, available online through Google Books, is a resource book of embroidery pattern designs for various vestment and altar furnishings such as chalice veils, pulpit falls, and altar frontals. While flipping through the pages and reading… Read more Weekend Reading and Musing →