Altar Linen Fabric by the Yard
Linen for the altar has one job: to serve at the Lord's table and last for generations. This page gathers the linens our altar guild customers use for altar cloths, fair linens, corporals, purificators, palls and lavabo towels, all cut by the yard in our Minnesota workroom.
Choose your altar linen
- Renaissance Linen – pure Irish linen, 60 inches wide. The traditional choice for fair linens and altar cloths. Hemstitches cleanly and takes hand embroidery beautifully.
- Alabastrine White Linen – 57 inch white linen with a smooth, even weave for altar cloths and church linens.
- Radiance Optic White Linen – a bright optic white for parishes that prefer a crisp, luminous altar.
Every fabric page states plainly whether it is pure linen or a blend. If you need extra width for a large altar, see our wide white linen in 90 and 108 inch widths.
Order a swatch before you cut
Each linen has a swatch available for a few dollars. See the weave, feel the weight, and check the white against your altar before committing to yardage.
How much fabric do you need?
Measure the mensa (top), add the drop on each end, then add hem allowance. Not sure? Ask us and we will help you work out the yardage before you order. We answer these questions every week for altar guilds across the country.
Why buy altar linen here
Ecclesiastical Sewing is a family-owned studio serving churches, altar societies and 22,737 makers, with over 1,000 five-star reviews. This is linen selected for church use, not mystery fabric from a random marketplace.
FAQ
What fabric should an altar cloth be? Traditionally pure linen. Fine linen has served on Christian altars for centuries; it launders well, presses crisp and lasts decades.
Can I embroider these linens? Yes. The even weaves take hand and machine embroidery. See our altar linen embroidery designs and full linen collection.
New to sewing altar linens? Start with the Small Altar Linen Sewing Pattern or the Beginner Altar Linen Kit.