Featuring the Habsburg Splendor Exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, a showcase of exquisite goldwork embroidery. Don’t miss some pieces, including suits of armor, tapestries, curiosities, and renowned paintings by artists like Caravaggio and Hans Holbein. Visit the intricate details on the Minneapolis Institute of Art’s webpage for a closer look at this splendid collection.
The orphrey trim for the chalice veil had been planned and cut to size and position based on the use of the black Passion Cross. The idea was to place the black motif on a gold motif so it would be more visible. The center of the orphrey was located and matched to the center of the design on the black Fairford Fabric.
Making altar linens for the King of England – a very special project, coordinated by Elizabeth Morgan. Ecclesiastical Sewing small role in a historic event
Merge three vintage Ecclesiastical Embroidery Designs into a versatile artwork. The simple lines make it ideal for whitework, but it seamlessly transitions for gold and silk Ecclesiastical Embroidery. For whitework, consider stitches like stem stitch, outline stitch, and padded satin stitch for letters. Alternatively, use outline stitch with seed stitch fill. Chainstitch is another excellent choice for whitework in Ecclesiastical Embroidery.
Ecclesiastical Brocatelle fabric for the Ash Wednesday and Good Friday Vestment set has a pattern repeat. But not a tiny, regular pattern repeat. It is a whopping 17″ pattern repeat. There is a tiny arrow at the point or peak of the gold border which is an Ogee pattern. This fabric also has a pattern repeated on the width which is easily determined by measuring the distance between the two black dots located at the base of the gold frame.
Making the Chalice Veil – a simple item to make is a chalice veil. The dimensions of the chalice veil can vary. The size used for my church is 24″ square. To keep the project simple, a plain fabric can be selected, But for now lets take a look pattern designs in the Fairford, there are two main motifs: the Pineapple and the Ogee. The pineapple motif was selected as the central motif on this chalice veil. The two crossed pins mark the center of the pineapple. The pattern design in Fairford makes it easy to match the same motif point to obtain straight and even lines for cutting.
Ash Wednesday Altar Frontal and Chalice Veil Ecclesiastical Sewing Project.
The IHS Lenten Design, taken from a detailed border pattern, offers versatility. The stylized floral elements converted into letters make an interesting stand-alone element. It can be stitched with subdued threads for Lent or with goldwork threads and silk floss for a shimmering effect, symbolizing the glory of the Resurrection. With two available sizes, this design is suitable for stoles, linens, pulpit falls, or even an altar frontal.
The stitching on hand embroidery project is not overly difficult. This would make a great beginner’s project with a few modifications, such as using floss padding, and a single strand of embroidery floss for the laid stitching.
The Passion Cross has black felt padding, over which Au Ver A Soie, Soie Ovale is being stitched. A base of silk threads would be laid to create a padded surface, and then begin the stitching over thread padding.
Fair linens, the top linen placed on the altar, are crucial liturgical items. According to Percy Dearmer, a renowned liturgical furnishing author, fair linens should be the exact width of the altar and extend within six inches from the ground on the sides. The linen should be good quality, hemmed, and bear one, four, or five devices in white, red, or blue. Modern recommendations suggest the fair linen’s length should match the superfrontal’s, often 9 to 12 inches. Working with 100% linen, mitering corners, and adding crosses can create a durable, elegant fair linen for the altar.
This treasure comes from a rare copy of a German book that arrived over the Christmas Holidays. The original design is very small. When it is enlarged on a copier, the design loses definition and the pixels become an issue. This seemed appropriate as a first challenge with the graphics program. Lots of straight lines, a circle, and a few wavy lines for rocks.
Creating Chalice Veil Cross in 20 minutes.
– The Design for the Chalice Veil Passion Cross is small. There was a tiny scrap of linen, washed and pressed, and with the right size, along with a piece of Kona Cotton to use as a backing. This was the perfect project for a small round hoop.
Trash or Treasure?
– These beautiful Ecclesiastical Designs are in tatters, are torn, and have none of their original beauty or glory. But they represent the hard work and artistic talent of a designer from years ago, creating ideas on paper to be transferred via Needle and Thread to fabric. They represent hours of selfless giving of time and talent to create objects of beauty for use in the Church.
Two of those unusual things are the Seraphim and the Cherubim. Artisans of the past have grappled with these creatures and provided some interesting interpretations. The powdering designs, dating from the glory days of Opus Anglicanum, give us some wonderful examples of these delightful interpretations of Seraphim and Cherubim.
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