How to Make Baptismal Towel Altar Linens
As a special reminder of their baptism day when they receive the washing of rebirth in Holy Baptism, we have created these special little keepsake baptismal towels.
Altar Linens
Altar linens are often overlooked but essential. Regular checks for stains, tears, and faded colors are crucial. Making altar linens is a cost-effective option, offering flexibility in design and size. Renaissance Linen, a medium-weight Irish Linen, and Opalescent Linen, a fine sheer fabric, are excellent choices available at Ecclesiastical Sewing.
Hand Embroidery Design for Altar Linens
The design consists of a border pattern and a scrollwork cross embroidery pattern. The border pattern comes from my collection of vintage embroidery designs. These vintage designs come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, and conditions. They must be cleaned up and turned into a line drawing to be used as an embroidery pattern. The cross pattern is a new design created from components of the border pattern.
Altar Linen Fabric Selection
My go-to linen of choice is Renaissance Linen. Renaissance Linen is a lovely white Irish linen that is 60 inches wide. It has threads that can be pulled if one would like to hemstitch. This linen is a lovely weight for hand and machine embroidery. Renaissance is lovely enough to use for both everyday linen as well as for linen set aside or dedicated for use on festival occasions. Renaissance is an affordable linen. At 60 inches wide, one can easily get most fair linens out of a length and have plenty of linen remaining for use as small altar linens.
Small Altar Linens and a Gift for You
Linens are an item used every day or every week in the life of most churches. Linens are used for the most sacred and important part of a church service during the service of Holy Communion or the Eucharist. The small church linens or altar linens used in the Divine Service are the Fairlinen which is placed directly on the altar, the corporal, the lavabo towel, and the purificator. Some churches use a small side table that is covered by a Credence cloth.
Linen Fabric and Small Altar Linens
Renaissance Altar Linen – 100% Irish Linen fabric, which is 60″ wide. It feels like a vintage altar linens as it has similar weight and weave. This linen has a nice hand and body and presses well. Small altar linens and altar Fairlinens are made from this pristine white Irish Linen fabric.
Fair Linens: Part 2 Hems
Fair Linens are hand hemmed with a simple slip stitch worked in even tiny stitches. The quality of the hand hemming is determined by the number of stitches made in each inch of length, as well as the evenness of the stitching. To aid in obtaining even, tiny stitches, use a single strand of fine cotton thread such as YLI Heirloom Thread which is a 100/2 size, or a similar fine sewing thread.
Amice Design Ideas
The amice, which is one of the first vestment pieces that a priest puts on when vesting. it has lace edging around the sides. When one looks at the care of the tiny pleats in the lace at the corners, and the way the lace follows the linen in the folds, one can not help but to think the lace is attached to the edge of the linen amice.
Linen is Here
An assortment of linens has arrived, perfect for creating altar linens. From lightweight cambric for sheer veils to fine linens ideal for intricate needlework, There’s even linen suited for making traditional Albs, and a range of yarn sizes perfect for hemstitching. Also with various widths, starting from 54 inches and going up to 120 inches.
Altar Linen: Where Linen Comes From
Linen is an amazing fiber, which results in a unique fabric, perfectly suitable for use in the making of altar linens and church linens.
Vintage Baptismal Cloth
Baptismal Towels or Baptismal Napkins may be as simple or elaborate as one desires to make them. The size of this Baptismal Cloth is approximately 19″ x 21″ as the finished size. The embroidery may be a very simple hand-embroidered cross. The hems should be narrow. Now, there may be more specific instructions available in some older Church Vestment Books
An Interesting Item
I’ll give you a hint: it is a linen fabric, and it is old. Any guesses as to what it might be?
Wash on Friday, Iron on Saturday
Cleaning and ironing linen, though often disliked, proved essential for ecclesiastical projects. Preshrinking Alba Maxima, Ecclesiastical Linen, and Linen Cambric involved a careful process of soaking, rinsing, and pressing. Despite the effort, working with well-prepared linen, particularly Ecclesiastical Linen, was satisfying and crucial for successful embroidery.
White Garment for Holy Baptism
Creating a special garment for Holy Baptism—a simple, symbolic white piece to signify putting on the Holiness of Christ. This keepsake, though used briefly, holds significance as part of the Order of Holy Baptism. An easy project with a tiny neckline, a cross or shell design, and simple edges, making it a meaningful and quick creation for a memorable occasion. Perfect for families who wish to cherish the remembrance of their infant’s baptism.
To the Rescue in the Sacristy
“To the Rescue in the Sacristy”: Addressing the mystery of disappearing Purificators in the Sacristy after Holy Communion services, showcasing the need for solutions to ensure linens find their way back to their rightful place.
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