If you are new to Ecclesiastical Sewing or have been following along for a time, you will hear us talk about church vestments, church architecture, furnishings, and many items that are beautiful, as befitting use in the church. Our approach to design, color, style and the making of church vestments is to honor the standards of time and tradition, combining new technology where possible, as well as methods that have endured for centuries. Historically, the traditions of time have been to use the best materials, design, and workmanship when making… Read more Crown of Glory: Ecclesiastical Church Embroidery Design Part 1 →
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The other day I was in the Ecclesiastical Sewing Workroom, putting the finishing touches on a pastoral stole and I thought it was a good time to pull the camera… Read more Stole Ends: Quick Tips →
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Slate Frame Embroidery Passion I love fine needlework. In an effort to continually improve my skills, I enjoy taking classes and working on projects. One thing I have learned over… Read more Slate Frames for Embroidery and Trestle Stands →
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What is 88″ wide by 124″ long? We will use it at our local church for Good Friday…. It is so big that we are spending Saturday at church with… Read more Any guesses? →
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The most recent development in the Ecclesiastical Sewing work room has been the development of a Chalice Veil. The pattern & instructions for this will be available soon on our… Read more Sewing a Chalice Veil: Construction Details →
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The evening hour is late, and the Ecclesiastical workroom is still out of commission. Thankfully, the set of Pastoral Stoles were completed on time for the parting gift for our vacancy Pastor. With photographic apologies as there is no place to properly take photos at our church, here is the black and gold pastoral stole created for use on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. This liturgical stole is simple, made from black silk dupioni as a fabric base. The cost of a stole length of Dupioni is around $12 to… Read more Finished Stoles: Fairford Black/Gold →
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Tonight we will take a short look at applying galloon trim to an orphrey band. The orphrey bands are being placed on a pastoral stole. We have been looking at stoles for a while, but there is so much ground to cover when it comes to making a stole. Many of these tips and techniques can help give a stole that polished professional look when completed. But no need to worry. Making stoles is a process, as are all Ecclesiastical Sewing Projects. It takes time, patience, a bit of looking… Read more Sewing Galloon Trim to Orphrey Bands →
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“Details” is one of those words that can be embraced to take an Ecclesiastical Sewing project from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Taking the time to add an extra touch or to ensure a curve hits are just the right spot, or that a seam is sewn straight can make all of the difference in the world to a finished church vestment project. And there are other times when details may not matter in the least. The important thing is learning which details are important and crucial to make a… Read more Ecclesiastical Braids and Galloons: Finding the Right Trim →
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I admit. I am in a bit of a quandary and there is no way out. It never fails to happen. I have know that a set of pastoral stoles need to be completed for a young pastor. His first call was with a parish that had stoles, so he never had the need to acquire his own set of Pastoral stoles. Then he came to our church, and we do not have stoles for every season in the church year. And so, as the seasons come along, a few… Read more How to Cut Orphrey Bands →
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The use of orphrey bands for trimming pastoral stoles opens an endless array of design possibilities. Many of you might be familiar with using orphreys as a means of adding design details to ecclesiastical sewing projects, while others may be wondering what exactly does this word mean, and how does one pronounce it. Orphreys are decorative bands or ornamental borders used on items, especially Ecclesiastical items, such as church vestments and altar hangings. In French Orphron, which Du Cange explains by Frange d’ or. It signifies a band or bands… Read more Orphrey Bands for Pastoral Stoles →
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One of my favorite things when it comes to Ecclesiastical Sewing is working with Linen. Working with linen is like working with a new clean slate. As it rolls of the tube, completely wrinkle free (at least for the moment), with its crisp hand and lovely feel, one quickly gets a sense that this is a special fabric. There is so much to share about this lovely fabric. But for tonight, due to computer update issues, I will only share this lovely photo of a linen amice. Many of us… Read more Amice Design Ideas →
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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? →
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While traveling over the past few weeks, I viewed many exquisite pieces of Ecclesiastical Sewing and Church Embroidery. The list of items is almost without limit. When one stops and… Read more Altar Fair Linen with Edge Trim →
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The sweet joys of returning home. After being on the road for over two weeks visiting churches and museums, viewing embroidery collections, partaking in one-on-one workshops on making altar linens, and every imaginable type of Ecclesiastical Sewing, I can honestly say, it is so good to be home! My own sweet sewing space awaits the next project, still in the exact condition I left it in. That can be a good or bad thing, depending on how one looks at it. There are a few things still left out, but… Read more Lace for Church Use Instruction Book →
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Church lace. Is this an often forgotten and neglected aspect of Ecclesiastical Sewing? It is hard to tell. One sees new works of church lace on occasion. But they seem to be few and far between. Lace can be a touchy topic when it comes to Ecclesiastical Sewing. Some of the experts square their shoulders, lift the chins, and proclaim on the mighty printed page, “Lace should never be used in the church.” Our response is to timidly lift an eyebrow in wonder and ask, “Why?” Why is there such vehement… Read more Lace: the Forgotten Ecclesiastical Craft? →
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