Making a pastor's stole?

The young woman who I hope may be my daughter-in-law one day is in seminary to become an ELCA pastor. She's just started a one year internship, then a few months after that will be ordained. Just last weekend we were talking about vestments, and I said I didn't know if I could use any of my sewing/quilting skills to make something for her. Then today I got my new issue of "Quilter's Newsletter". Look at this! http://www.quiltersnewsletter.com/articles/prayers_to_wear

How I would love to make her something this special for when she's ordained! Of course, I've never done a stained glass project, nor have I ever created my own design from scratch - - I wonder if I could do it? Will you all share any thoughts or ideas you have on making a stole?

QB, that is beautiful! If you use the iron-on bias tape it wouldn't be as difficult as trying to piece the leading into your design. You iron it on and then stitch on both sides of it so it will stay. Your stitching can become your quilting, if you want.

You are so talented, I'm sure you would come up with a beautiful design!

Wow.. isn't that coincidental.. and lovely... are you going to make it?

hummerlou wrote:

QB, that is beautiful! If you use the iron-on bias tape it wouldn't be as difficult as trying to piece the leading into your design. You iron it on and then stitch on both sides of it so it will stay. Your stitching can become your quilting, if you want.

You are so talented, I'm sure you would come up with a beautiful design!

Lou - Have you done this? Are the edges stitched by hand or by machine? I think the one pictured might have been reverse applique - but I think the iron-on bias tape sounds easier to do. Do you think so?

Golo - I'd really love to do this, so I think. . .yes. . . I'm going to make one. Maybe I'll try a small wall hanging first to get an idea of what I'm getting myself into.

[quote="QBee - Mary Ann Maybe I'll try a small wall hanging first to get an idea of what I'm getting myself into.[/quote]



QBee that's a very good idea to make something small at first and get the feel of it. I've learnt, though the hard way, that you always make a sample block first before you cut all the pieces! I'm learning the hard way!

memaw4

I have used the iron on bias tape before. LOVE it!

Here's one technique I used. Cut your pieces out and fuse them to a thin interfacing...butt up the raw edges together. Then take your bias tape (it will be slightly sticky), and stick down over top of the raw edges. Iron in place. Then stitch down (machine is easier). I used the same color as the bias, so it really doesn't show.

You can make as simple or complex as you want. Even something simple would be really pretty and I'm sure appreciate!

I am currently working on a stain glass paper pieced wall hanging. No bias in mine this time, just paper piecing the thin strips of black.

Well, nowhere is it written that you have to do stained glass, Mary Ann. Though the stained glass is quite beautiful, there are definitely other options when it comes to piecing/creating vestments. If you have an embroidery machine the possibilities are overwhelming. If you choose to "just" piece blocks, that's quite effective, too.

One of our priest's stoles is done in pastels, a long column of pieced 4" blocks (like Ohio Star, etc) down the center and 'bordered' with a white or cream satin. I believe the backing is celery green satin. (Our priests are all into green, so given the choice - and regarding the church calendar - they'll always wear at least some green in their vestments)

The black bias "leading" in the Quadriad Quilt is 1/4" wide, so after it's fused down we could use a double needle to stitch both edges at once. We tried making our own out of Kona cotton, but found that it shrinks when spritzed and ironed (!), so we just collected coupons and bought spools of the fusible bias from Joann Fabrics. The little Clover Iron came in very handy when using this stuff!


For a less "traditional" approach, check out the stoles at http://www.inspirita.net/Stoles.htm and http://gloriavestments.com/gloria_vestments_003.htm.

Tracy...what is that you are working on...the last picture? Can I see a finished project? I'm curious!!

Karol,
That last picture is an action shot of the "Rose Window" at the top of the Quadriad Quilt (from the previous picture). It's over and done with and surprisingly didn't kill me

Though I'm not in a hurry to tackle something that grand again any time soon, I'm glad to know I'm capable!

More details & up-close-and-personal info about that quilt can be found at The Quilted Quadriad Blog. There's a lot of info and pictures there, so don't just stop at the first page.

Oh, Tracy! Oh my goodness!! How gorgeous, beautiful, awe-inspiring, and inspirational!

I knew I'd get helpful advice which I would and do appreciate greatly - and now I'm grateful that it prompted you to show us the quilted quadriad!

Thank you, forum friends! Thank you, thank you!!

oh wow...I'm speechless...

QB, yes I have used to iron on bias and I machine stitched both edges down. I can see lots of us has used this procedure. I know you can do this, it is fun!

Wow....beautiful!

The gals gave a lot of good advice.... would you believe my very first quilt piece was a pansy wallhanging with the black bias tape... it actually was very easy and I would certainly do it again...You will enjoy doing it Qbee...

Besides all of the above, there are a large number of blocks with Biblical references in their names

FB, that looks great!!

Another look is to use black fabric as your background and applique on it leaving spaces in between.... check out this site www.anotherbyanita.com

I'm sure you'll be able to do this QBee!
It's such a thoughtful gift.

golo wrote:

Another look is to use black fabric as your background and applique on it leaving spaces in between.... check out this site www.anotherbyanita.com

Golo - I think that's the technique used on the stole I saw in the magazine. Thanks for the link! I think I'll order a pattern from there so I can try out that method. Have you done a wall hanging or quilt that way?

Qbee I did a wallhanging with a cat and goldfish bowl for Emi a few years back... it was pretty easy... and fun.... enjoy

Mary Ann, here's something else I learned - the edges of the stole need to be pretty "stiff" so it hangs sedately instead of moulding to the wearer or blowing in the wind. My friend who did our priests' most recent ones used a medium-weight interfacing and hand stitched the edges to the backing so the machine stitching wouldn't compromise the stiffness of the interfacing.

I don't know about the hand-stitching (my friend has definite ideas sometimes about how one should go about something :roll: ) but the stiffness thing was a surprise to me, and it made sense.