Silk Dupioni Liturgical Stole Kit with Evesham Orphrey

Silk Duipioni might be describe as lustrous, rich, brilliant, vibrant, and there would still be many more terms that one could devise to tell of it’s beauty.

Silk Dupioni is a beloved fabric for what I fear is now decades. I remember the very first time I saw this fabric, and knew then that it would not be the last time I saw. Back all of those years ago, it was not something I could afford, and it certainly was not to be the last time I beheld it’s beauty. Over the years, I have made couture gowns, and a host of items from this fabric, and now with Ecclesiastical Sewing, the fabric has a new and higher purpose and calling: to be used in the making of church vestments and altar hangings.

This past week, I was preparing Silk Dupioni Stole kits for one of our bespoke workrooms, and silk dupioni was on the list of fabrics being worked on. The silk is available in a host of colors, but for these sets, the focus was on violet for the upcoming Advent and Lenten seasons, and red for Pentecost (yes, it is a ways away, but production must start early to be prepared for the season). In the above photo, the Evesham orphrey has been centered and cut around one of the ogee design motifs. Evesham is available in a violet color, as well as gree, red, blue, gold/gold and ivory.

If you have ever thought about making a pastoral stole, but you have been a little unsure about how to make a stole, or have not found a pattern yet, now may be a great time to give pastoral stoles a try. As part of the Grand Opening Celebration of our new Shopify Only website, we are offering our 4 1/2″ pastoral or priest stole for free with the purchase of any stole making kit. All you need to do is select the stole kit of your choice, and note “Free Stole pattern” in the special comments box at the bottom of the order page.

Our new 4 1/2″ pastoral stole has a guide line for cutting stole orphreys for use at the lower edge, as well as for use on the upper chest. The orphrey size and guideline placement have been developed based on the design rule of thirds, and by years of practice. Now, these placement and cutting sizes are “guidelines” and are not meant to take the place of checking to verify that the placement works for each and every situation. They are intended to help create a sense of balance and proportion when making a pastoral stole, by providing a starting point for placement of orphrey bands or appliques.

Too often the temptation is to place a single large orphrey at the hem of the stole, and even though it is placed there, is often looks out of place and out of balance if it is too long,  or extends too far up the length of the stole. Using orphrey bands on stoles is all about placement and proportions. There are rules that help balance placement can make a stole looking less as if it were home-made, and looking more professional and hand-made.

The orphrey bands are a simple way to add a special touch to any pastoral or priest stole. And when two different fabrics are put together, they usually require a galloon trim or narrow braid to cover the raw edge of the ophrey. St. Benet is a simple yet very nice narrow braid that is suitable to this project. St. Benet is available in a 1/2″ width and a 3/4″ width. 

This makes for an easy stole project with these combinations. And so, I am headed off to do a bit of stitching, and to get product off to our bespoke seamstresses who will be creating some of these lovely stoles so they will be available for purchase as a finished product. And don’t forget to take a look at the various stole kit fabrics and get your free pastoral stole pattern with the purchase of a fabric stole kit.

If you have questions about trim options or the stole pattern, please drop us a line.

Soli  Deo Gloria

Be sure to visit our online store front Ecclesiastical Sewing where you may shop for Liturgical Fabrics, altar linen fabrics, church vestment making patterns, liturgical machine embroidery designs,  church vestment trims and notions and so much more. You may also find us on  Ecclesiastical Sewing  on Facebook , Twitter, and Pinterest. Sing up for our mailing list  at the bottom of the page on our online store front and receive a free copy of our Small Linens Booklet as our way of saying thank you for following along.

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