It is only Tuesday, but with no downtime over the weekend, I do not have much energy tonight to tackle Ecclesiastical Embroidery projects. I know I will pay dearly for not being productive this evening, but sometimes that is the way things go. In the meantime, a few moments were spent relaxing and refreshing with a few very nice videos on Sacred Vestments found on You Tube:

While watching the first Sacred Vestment video, at 0:26 seconds, pay close attention to the Red fabric used for the chasuble and stole. The fabric is the same weave and design as the fabric I am using in  the Planning Ahead Article. The fabric can be purchased from a number of online sources for a modest price. Surprisingly, it does look very nice in the red fiddleback chasuble and stole.  I was a bit worried about how the fabric might look when finished, but after seeing this video, I no longer have any reservations. It will be lovely.

Another Sacred Vestment of beauty was the pleated alb at 1:34 (some call this a surplice) with the embroidered cross just above the hemstitching.

At 2:36 in the video, there is a lovely gold cope with orphrey bands on the cope shield. This Sacred Vestment has an IHS monogram placed over the orphreys at the center of the shield. This would be a very pleasing and easy design to duplicate if one were making a cope and shield. The finishing touch is the gold bullion fringe at the edge of the shield, although a plainer fringe would work as well on a limited budget.

What appears to be cloth of gold is used as the backdrop for the white and purple stoles at around 3:27 in the video. The shimmer is a give away on that one. Isn’t it lovely?

And not to be forgotten, Goldwork embroidery appears at approximately 4:35 in the Sacred Vestment video.

The second part of the Sacred Vestment video talks about some of the history of Vestment Making and Ecclesiastical Embroidery in Belgium during the past centuries. The rich use of elaborate embroidered vestments  which were able to be stitched by machine opened up an entirely new realm of design possibilities.  There was a rich heritage of providing vestments to the church as items of beauty; beautiful vestments bring beauty and meaning to a worship service, regardless of denomination. Perhaps today, there is a Renaissance in the desire to return to the use of beautiful sacred vestments to the church and priesthood?

Thanks to someone dear to me,  I have enjoyed a bit of the relaxation and refreshment, as well as a visual feast of beautiful vestments.  I hope you enjoy the videos. May they might inspire new projects of beauty for your church.

Solo Dei Gloria

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Filed under: Ecclesiastical Embroidery, Ecclesiastical Sewing Tagged: Ecclesiastical Embroidery, Ecclesiastical Sewing, goldwork embroidery, Sacred Vestments, vestment making