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Thread of Gold The Embroideries and Textiles of York Minster, The Next Best Thing book

Books: The Next Best Thing Part III

In “Books: The Next Best Thing Part III,” the focus is on Ecclesiastical Giants from the past two centuries. discovering “Thread of Gold: The Embroideries and Textiles of York Minster.” This book, edited by Elizabeth Ingram, offers the history of Ecclesiastical Embroidery and Vestments at York Minster. From pre-Reformation origins to fascinating stories about Queen Victoria’s silk and the restoration of the Great Processional Banner, the book provides a rich visual and historical embroidery.

The book entitled Sir Ninian Comper

Books: The Next Best Thing : Part II

Ecclesiastical Sewing looks at Sir Ninian Comper’s work in the book “Sir Ninian Comper” by Anthony Symondson and Stephen Bucknall. Born in 1864, Comper aimed to make beautiful things that lead people to worship God. The book, with black-and-white photos, shows Comper’s creations like altars and beautiful copes with detailed embroidery. His idea was simple: “A person should like beautiful things from a young age.” The book gives a peek into Comper’s lasting influence on Ecclesiastical design.

Augustus Pugin Design Books

Books: The Next Best Thing

Ecclesiastical Sewing explores new books on Ecclesiastical Giants as an alternative to attending the Giants of Gothic Revival event at the Victoria and Albert Museum. The collection includes works by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, such as “Pugin’s Gothic Ornament,” “Pugin’s Floral Ornament,” and “Colored Plates from Pugin’s Ecclesiastical Ornaments.” These books offer insights into Pugin’s intricate designs and patterns, from wood and stone carving to delicate floral motifs. Additionally, Pugin’s “Glossary of Ecclesiastical Ornament and Costume” provides valuable insights into various Ecclesiastical terms.

Verona Tapestry Bird Motif, Rose Vestments and IHS Design

Rose Vestments and IHS Design Index

Ecclesiastical Sewing created Rose Vestments for Gaudete and Laetare Sundays. The set included an Altar Frontal, Pulpit Fall, Stole, Maniple, Chasuble, and optional Chalice Veil and Burse. Fabrics like Rose Florence Brocade and Verona Lurex Tapestry with symbolic bird motifs were chosen. The Altar Frontal featured intricate Ecclesiastical Embroidery. The Verona Tapestry’s rich design minimized the need for extensive embroidery, with selected trimmings completing the set.

Silk Dupioni is used for Church Vestments and Church Embroidery

Ecclesiastical Vestment Fabric Cost

Choosing fabrics for Ecclesiastical Sewing involves factors like season, budget, and project duration. Silk Dupioni and cost-effective options suit various vestment pieces. True Ecclesiastical Fabrics like Fairford and Wakefield, though pricier, offer quality and durability. Their longevity justifies the investment, making the cost minimal over the Vestment’s service life.

Silk Floss for Easter Set Pulpit Fall

Testing Colors on the Pulpit Fall

Testing colors for the Easter Set Pulpit Fall involves a rich and vibrant palette to convey the Glory of the Resurrection. The initial focus is on the color green, stitched with Au Ver A Soie- Soie D’Alger, Soie Paris, and Gilt Silk Twist. The lily leaves are satin stitched, with stem stitching using two strands for a textured effect.

Iron on Ecclesiastical Embroidery Transfers, religious machine embroidery designs

Vintage Ecclesiastical Embroidery Transfer Treasures

Discovering hidden treasures in vintage Ecclesiastical Embroidery transfers is always exciting. While exploring a worn book, unexpected finds emerged, including a small iron-on transfer suitable for stole ends or whitework on Church Linens. Moreover, a larger transfer sheet with four designs, and another long and narrow design, provided valuable resources for enhancing Ecclesiastical Embroidery projects.

Stylized Floral Motif

Ecclesiastical Fabric Pattern Repeats

Pattern repeats in Ecclesiastical fabrics might sound scary, but fear not! Let’s take a lovely brocade, like the Florence from the UK. It’s got motifs like floral stars and stylized flowers. The key is the “pattern repeat.” For Florence, it’s 14 1/2″ both lengthwise and widthwise. So, if you start at a point on a motif and follow it until you hit the same point on the next identical motif, that’s one repeat. Simple! It’s like a beautiful puzzle waiting to be solved.

Adding the first strand of Gold Thread

IHS Embroidery Update

IHS Goldwork Embroidery for the Rose Vestment Set Altar Frontal. Inspired by a detailed Fleur end in a design notebook, Silk Wrapped Purl was used for the cross. The technique involves a central line splitting into two at the Fleur ends. Adding a second gold thread using the “turn one, cut one method” from the A to Z Goldwork Book by Inspirations

Chalice Veil Ecclesiastical Embroidery Design

Chalice Veil Design from Althea Wiel

Alethea Wiel, a skilled Ecclesiastical Artisan from 1894, designed a Chalice Veil rich in symbolism. The illustration includes a chalice on seven rocks representing the Seven Sacraments, with the Nativity engraved on the chalice. Angels, Luke, and John surround Christ, while the reverse side showcased the Crucifixion with angels shielding their eyes. A vine, symbolizing Christ, intertwines throughout the design.

Silk Wrapped Purl and Silk Gimp

Inspirations for Silk Wrapped Purl

Silk Wrapped Purl and Silk Gimp from Thistle Threads offer exciting possibilities for Ecclesiastical Embroidery projects. Despite their unique qualities, figuring out how to use these threads can be a challenge. Tricia’s blog from The Embroiderer’s Story highlighted the difficulties faced by manufacturers of these specialized threads. To support their survival, an order was placed for Silk Wrapped Purl and Silk Gimp. The Silk Wrapped Purl, neatly packaged in one-yard lengths, possesses a playful, flexible nature. The Silk Gimp, a versatile thread, can be used for outlines, fillings, or couching, providing endless creative options for Ecclesiastical Embroidery projects.

Simple Green Chasuble with Goldwork Embroidery

Simple Details

Ecclesiastical Sewing and embroidery elevate pieces through simple details. Inspiration comes from various sources, such as photos, sketches, and notes. For instance, a plain green chasuble with goldwork embroidery gains visual appeal with a flowing gold scroll twist along the galloon trim. This detail softens the transition between the large floral motif and the clean galloon line, enhancing the overall design.

Vestments From Around the World

Ecclesiastical Sewing, a traditional craft, provides a glimpse into history and tradition. Exploring vestments worldwide on platforms like Pinterest reveals beautiful hand-embroidered pieces from countries like Russia and Ukraine. A document by the Metropolitan Museum of Art explains the differences between Orthodox and Western Church vestments, showcasing the Russian Phelonion. The ornate vestments from 1802 to 1877 feature luxurious materials, gold, silver, bells, and unique garment labels, offering insight into the rich history of ecclesiastical textiles.

Stitches come up on the outside of the threads

Goldwork Progress

Tips and techniques that can make goldwork progress
– IHS Ecclesiastical Embroidery Design for a Rose Vestment Set. Using the couching technique, she starts with horizontal and vertical rows, opting for a turn-one, plunge-one method to manage thread ends. The needle is placed between gold threads, angled under the previous row, and pulled tight. The chosen couching style creates a brick pattern with alternating stitch placement…