Constructing Chasubles and Dalmatics - With Notes Concerning Vestments For Hot Climates - $14

This booklet contains everything you need to know about construcing chasubles and dalmatics.  It probably contains information you never thought you wanted to know!  I offer this pamphlet separate from the Chasuble Master Pattern and the Dalmatic Pattern (look for these patterns when you get to the 'Patterns' section).  This book also offers a discussion of methods of achieving cooler vestments for use in hot climates - a valuable insight.

Constructing Stoles - $14

This booklet contains everything you need to know about constructing stoles.  If you've never constructed a stole before, I recommend that you purchase this booklet as part of a Teaching Stole Kit.  (Go to the section titled 'Kits' for information about Teaching Stole Kits.)

Constructing Pulpit Falls (A Primer for Constructing Frontals and Super-Frontals) - $8

Anyone who sews knows that there are 'tricks' to any trade.  The more experienced you are at sewing, the more aware of this you are.  It is perfectly possible to make a pulpit fall or a frontal without knowing the 'tricks'.  However, if you know the 'tricks' beforehand, you'll avoid making all the mistakes that cause so much wasted time.  There's a saying: 'Experience is the best teacher - as long as it doesn't cost too much!'  This little pamphlet shows you the 'tricks' about using interfacing as the basic construction foundation, which interfacing works best and how to connect the pulpit fall (or frontal) to the lectern (or altar).  There are no patterns for pulpit falls, frontals or super-frontals (antipendium).  You just have to know how to 'do it' - the tricks of the trade.

Altering Ready-Made Shirts To Fit A Clergy Collar - $8

The clergy shirts and blouses offered by our ecclesiastical supply houses leave a bit to be desired as far as style and fabric choice are concerned.  This little pamphlet tells you how to take a ready-made shirt or blouse and convert the collar so that it takes a clergy collar. Being able to do this vastly expands your choice of style.  This little pamphlet was written by a friend who is a priest.  She wears about a size 3!  She makes most of her clothing and devised this method for altering collars in order to expand her choices of style.  She has a lovely, simple jumper that she wears with a white blouse that has puffed sleeves - and takes her clergy collar.  I have another priest-friend - a guy - who prefers Brooks Brothers shirts - preferable striped.  He has the collars altered to take his clergy collar - and looks like a million bucks! 

Mitre Instructions - $3

This is a small pamphlet that give instructions fo two methods of constructing mitres.

Simple and Beautiful - $8

This is really a kit, rather than strictly information. This is a simple method for decorating vestments and/or making lovely banners.  While it's not for everything, it's one of those little techniques that comes in useful with some regularity.  You get enough of the bits and pieces to give this method a try - for instance to decorate a stole or small banner.   A nice thing to know about!

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The next books are my historic books.  I care a lot about reclaiming the old materials written about the vestment crafts.  I've been seeking out these books for years.  I've also been blessed that people send books to me because they know I'll make them widely available.  These books are of interest for two reasons: First, because they are historic and, second, because the authors lived contemporaneously - they may have known each other personally or, at the very least, knew of each other.   

The Girls + Vincent - $12 each or $55 for all five

This is an interesting group of publications.  Of course they contain a great deal of useful information.  On the other hand, these books were written during a time when all women were competent seamstresses.  I've found that the authors left out a considerable amount of information simply because they presumed that the information was so basic that everyone knew it and it didn't need to be repeated!  (Well, when I was starting out, I needed it!)

Also interesting is that these books were written before the invention of synthetic fabrics.  Think about this!  One thing that happened once synthetics were invented was that looms were made wider.  Think about that!  These ladies used fabrics that were typically 36 inches wide - maximum 45 inches wide.  Big difference from today's fabrics!

As well, these books offer us a window into the times when they were written.  At the end of her book, there's a wonderful photograph of Lucy Mackrille taken in her garden.  A perfect '20s photo!

As I say, this is an interesting group of books:

The Girls are Lucy MacKrille, Lilla Weston, Hinda Hands and Maud Hall.  Each of these ladies wrote significant books about vestment making during the early decades of the 1900s. 

Vincent was a British tailor who wrote during the late 1890s. Vincent is remarkable because he wrote books of patterns during a period when there were no patterns - you couldn't go down to the local fabric store and purchase tissue patterns.  There was no way to share patterns.  Vincent invented a system for transmitting patterns and then wrote books that gave hundreds of patterns. These books included patterns for women's, men's and children's clothing, under-clothing and lang erie, outer-wear, servant's clothing and uniforms, military uniforms, academic wear, clergy clothing and vestments.  The patterns in Lilla Weston's book utilize Vincent's method.  I'm offering his books of vestment patterns.