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Season Changes

Season Changes The seasons are changing, and there is no doubt about it. The days are still sunny and warm while the evenings have a bit of a chill. There has even been a hint of frost in the air and on the ground this week in Northern Minnesota.  Seasonal changes are not the only new events occurring in and around the Ecclesiastical Sewing workroom.  Soon there will be a brand new format for Ecclesiastical Sewing along with a new website storefront. The changes are slow, and it takes a… Read more Season Changes

Liturgical Fabrics Design Details

Liturgical Fabrics: Design Details

Venezia is a lovely name for a liturgical fabric. It conjures up thoughts of foreign lands with such a name, and so it should.  Venezia’s name is tied to the Venetian artisans of long ago. The 15th-century Venetian artisans, who drew much of their design influence from the ancient Romans, developed a taste for reproducing many of the classical architectural features from that era.  Those features include the use of graceful lines, the classical form of the pottery or jar, in the jardiniere, as well as other design elements such as the birds, plants, and scroll work.

Meet Martin the Steadfast

Meet Martin the Steadfast

There is a new man in the Ecclesiastical Sewing workroom of late. He is on duty, 24/7, never leaving his post. He never complains, or tires of his duty.  He responds to my beck and call.  He stands to guard over my vintage liturgical sewing library, keeping harm and danger at bay. He has been hanging around for several months now, not doing much of anything…..sometimes he is in the way and gets shoved or pushed, but he takes it in stride.  He is tall and well-built. But sometimes, he gets a bit down. Let’s meet Martin the Steadfas

Vintage Liturgical Embroidery Patterns

More Vintage Liturgical Embroidery Patterns

A collection of historic designs on aged paper dating from the 1870s to around 1940 and beyond. The collection includes original works by renowned designers from the Gothic age spanning the last two centuries, including perforated designs and transfers sourced from an antique Thomas Brown and Sons catalog. The designs are currently undergoing verification after a thorough historical tracing. It’s important to document and preserve this collection for future generations as a valuable resource for study and learning.

Liturgical Arts Resources

Liturgical Arts Resources

Liturgical Arts Resources link artists for inspiration. The Lutheran Art Resources site values quality in church aesthetics, focusing on unique paraments and vestments. Despite limited resources, various options exist for obtaining high-quality liturgical art. Scapegoat Studio Blog’s logos and Ad Crucem’s vibrant paintings, including Edward Riojas’s, add richness to this artistic community.

George Frederick Bodley

This book is about George Frederick Bodley’s life and work, along with other influential figures like John D. Sedding and A.W.N. Pugin. It covers various schools and methodologies, showcasing famous works. The book also explores how these visionaries collaborated with artisans in creating church artworks. With over five hundred pages, it’s a detailed journey into the design process of churches and their furnishings.

Vestments and How to Make Them by Lilla Weston

This book is written with the primary idea of promoting a more reverently industrious spirit among the people of our parishes. Incidentally the making of Vestments by the women of the parish saves a great deal of needless expense; but it also brings all those who assist in such work into closer touch with the Church, her meaning,s and her blessed privileges. The fashioning of Vestments is not an idle task, nor should it be undertaken lightly. Vestments ought to be made when one is in a different frame of mind than one is likely to be when making a centre-piece or an apron, or even an exquisitely embroidered garment. One should bear in mind that one is busy upon holy garments – garments in which a Priest of God is to stand arrayed…..(Weston, 1914, p. vii)