Vestment Fabrics

Some General Comments:

Vestment makers face two problems relating to fabric:

• Finding the correct fabric in the correct color (the 'fashion colors do not always coincide with our liturgical colors!)
• Finding the correct fabric in the correct color at a price we are able to pay

It is my intent to help you with these problems by:

• Offering a substantial selection of fabrics in our liturgical colors in all price ranges
• Providing a comprehensive set of instruction booklets and patterns for each type of vestment.
• Offering all design and construction support through email and by phone.

My intent, for myself, is to continue a ministry through which I have witnessed to Christ and His Church. This ministry has given me great satisfaction for many years. You're not working so much with a businesswoman as you are a Christian who has enjoyed making vestments and has really enjoyed teaching other people to enjoy it, too.

Fabric Types

I am offering several types of vestment fabrics and I define them by their prices. The first group runs $12/yard. The second group runs between $15 and $20/yard. The third group runs from about $35/yard to about $190/yard. These are all fabrics that I have used over the years; they’re good friends. Each of them does an excellent job and offers both quality and versatility.

 

Fabrics for around $12/yard: These fabrics are 100% polyester and come 58 inches wide – a lot of fabric for your dollar! They are a simple, plain weave with with no pattern and are wrinkle free – a big plus!  The colors are: Dark green, lighter green, Roman purple (the liturgical red-purple), indigo (the liturgical blue-purple), red, white, off-white and rose.

Black Poly/Wool - This is a recent addition; a light but substantial, poly/wool fabric that does not wrinkle and drapes nicely. I recommend using this fabric to construct cassocks. (See my Cassock-Alb Master Pattern) 

When constructed of black fabric, the cassock-alb becomes what is known as an 'Anglican Cassock'. The Anglican Cassock is the equivalent of the Roman Cassock (the one with all the buttons down the front). 58 inches wide. $20/yard

Note: For those of you who want a pattern for the Roman Cassock, see Vincent's patterns in The Cutter's Guide.  Also see Butterick's pattern #6844.

Fabrics for around $20/yard: These fabrics are Dupioni silk (sometimes known as ‘Shantung’ or ‘Thai’ silk). Dupioni silk is an excellent vestment fabric. It has a wonderful crisp body and a natural sheen that makes vestments glow. Dupioni is not a ‘smooth’ fabric; it always looks a bit wrinkly. On the other hand, it doesn’t hold wrinkles either. While I have often used Dupioni for all vestments, I especially like it for copes. It’s wonderful for copes! Dupioni comes in an amazing range of colors. Because dupioni is often woven of threads that are two different colors, if you cut the stole into pieces and turn the pieces 90 degrees, you'll get a lovely 'tone on tone' effect.  The colors are: Medium forest green, teal green, deep red, Pentecost red, white, soft-white, Roman purple, indigo, rose, bright gold, old gold, silver and black.45" dupioni - $15/yard.  54" dupioni - $20/yard.

Fabrics for between about $30 to about $190/yard: This group of fabrics includes the ecclesiastical damasks, brocades and tapestries. (A damask fabric is all one color with the pattern woven into it.  A brocade is also one color but the pattern is emphasized with metallic threads.  A tapestry is a multi-colored fabric.)  We are so accustomed to seeing only a few of the many beautiful ecclesiastical patterns. There are so many more! I think you will enjoy seeing this 'Traditional' collection. To see them, go to this link (http://www.churchlinens.com/vestment_fabrics.htm)

Note on color: Wonderful though the Internet is, it does not transmit colors accurately.  Please!  The pictures of my 'traditonal' fabrics are meant only to show you the patterns; NOT the colors!

If you are interested in my 'traditional' group of fabrics, please email me and request my 'Online Fabric Catalogue'. I'll email it to you.  You can print it out and compare the information to the photographs at your leisure. The reason I do it this way is it's just too much information to put on a website.  Please, when you email me, give me some information about your project: Which vestments you will be constructing, the color and your price range. 

Please Note: As I write this in Advent of 2008, I have just reduced the prices of my imported fabrics to reflect the exchange rate.  I will maintain these lower prices as long as I am able.

Samples

I am happy to send samples. However! As you can imagine, providing samples of the more expensive fabrics can become an expensive undertaking. Because of this, I do request a sample deposit of $25 for samples of the Traditional fabrics. When you return my samples to me, I will refund your sample deposit to you - or, you can put your deposit toward your purchase.  Your choice.  I'm happy to send samples of both the polyester fabrics and of the silks with no deposit.