Our weaving group has been asked to weave stoles for a minister. I have no idea on how to go about doing that. I hope that someone has some idea on how to do it.

Sept/October 2016 has several articles on textiles for religious practices. There are also several threads about stoles, vestments, altar cloths on Weavolution. 

Sept/oct 2016 Handwoven.  Grar. 

This book is another resource. It is available on Amazon and possibly other places.

Weaving for Worship: Handweaving for Churches & Synagogues

Our weaving group has been asked to weave stoles for a minister. I have no idea on how to go about doing that. I hope that someone has some idea on how to do it.

There is a facebook group called Liturgical Weaving & Other Ecclesiastical Fiber.  It is a closed group, but I am the moderator and I let anyone in.  You or anyone from your guild can ask to join.  I have woven several stoles as well as other paraments.  I have used all of the books and magazine article referenced in the replies.  One very important thing to remember when weaving is that it will be seen from far away.  It is good to sample, take it to the church and hang it up front, then go to the back and look.

I’ve done them for various Protestant pastors. They usually specified the liturgical colors they wanted (eg red and white for Pentecost). Some wanted their own logo or form of the cross. One wanted a set - altar cloth, stole, pulpit banner, and large bookmark for the Bible. The length is also a consideration - short pastor, tall pastor.  I designed them in a summer and winter weave so that they were reversible and used a 24 harness loom.  Good luck with it. I had fun doing them.

There was a nice article in a recent Handwoven magazine that used Kente cloth (from Ghana) as the inspiration. I don’t have it handy to give exact issue but I think it’s the summer or Fall issue 2021 

I just wove one this summer/fall, and thankfully, I was sent an existing stole as a source for the pattern.

Weaving was easy, assembling the stole was the scary part for me, as there was only one piece of fabric, and not much of a Plan B if things went awry.

- A cut-out around the neck area made it hang on the shoulders more naturally.
- I wove a full width sample to work out the design details (in an alternate color to keep it interesting)
- The stole was lined, so I asked if the lining should match in color, or be white or black.
- For the V in the back - it was not cut at a 45 degree angle (it was far steeper), and I added two small weights to make sure it hung down and did not want to curl up when turned.
- I wove the fabric side-by-side (double width - not one single long length), so the patterns would line up perfectly when assembled.
- I sewed a complete mock up before cutting into the actual cloth.

Frankly, it was a lot more work than I realized when I said yes to the project.

Do you have any pictures?

Sara - Let me see if I can find them (we moved recently). If I attach them will the attachments show up on this group? Can somebody please advise? Thanks, Anni

I would like to know what fibers you used and what was the sett used. We need to have one done by May 2022.

Over a period of years, I wove many stoles for my husband and for many others on commission. Here are a couple of tips that will make it likely that the stole will be used.
1. Ask to see the pastor’s favorite stole, then take note of the length and width.
2. Check the color and design of the paraments (altar and pulpit hangings) and the other vestments, such as a chasuble, with which the stole will be used. It should match or coordinate.
3. The stole needs to have a crisp body and not roll or curl. That will almost surely require an interfacing.
4. Before you begin, be sure that everyone involved has signed off on the project.
5. Give yourself plenty of time. Vestments and paraments are often commissioned for major events in the life of the pastor or parish. One week late won’t cut it.

And have fun. What you create may be used and appreciated for decades.

Susan Rubendall
3407 N Trainer Road
Rockford, IL
Cell: 815-985-9792
E-mail: susanrubendall@aol.com