Monday 25 March 2024
Passiontide veils at St Bede's
Saturday 23 March 2024
Online booking opens for the Autumn Sewing Retreat
Thursday 21 March 2024
Miniature Dalmatic Making at the Royal School of Needlework
Our class was led, as in previous years, by Heather Lewis, an RSN graduate Apprentice who specialises in ecclesiastical needlework. The Guild of St Clare is enormously indebted to Heather for her expertise which she has shared with us over many years, and her generosity in travelling from York, where she now lives, in order to tutor us at Hampton Court Palace.
Making a Dalmatic is relatively complex in comparison with other vestments, and even the quite experienced vestment makers amongst us had to concentrate hard to understand the instructions.
The course was extremely popular, despite the rather esoteric subject, and it sold out online before the close of registrations. I was pleased to see several faces new to the Guild of St Clare.
Tuesday 19 March 2024
Monthly Vestment Mending in Oxford
The Oxford Chapter is delighted to announce the launch of regular monthly vestment mending meetings. These will take place in the parish hall at St Gregory & St Augustine, 322 Woodstock Road, Oxford, between 2pm and 5pm. The first meeting will be held on 6th April. Clare Auty, the leader of the Chapter, writes: "Vestments to be mended or made at all levels of ability will be available, and training will be given. A basic sewing kit will be needed, but I’ll try and have most things available to borrow, so don’t worry if you don’t have one. Children are very welcome to come, either to learn to sew or so that Mum is able to come."
Meetings will be on the first Saturday of each month; this is subject to variation, depending on the availability of the hall. For more information, please contact Clare on justsixkids@btinternet.com .
Monday 11 March 2024
First meeting of the East Kent Chapter
Lucy writes: I was delighted to join the East Kent Chapter for their inaugural meeting on 9th March at the beautiful Shrine of St Augustine in Ramsgate, designed by Pugin.
The altar of St Augustine's, viewed from above the sacristy |
As might be expected in such a prestigious church, many of the vestments are original to its foundation, and indeed are believed to have been designed by Pugin himself. These vestments are in remarkably good condition, a tribute to the care lavished on them by the sacristan there. The repairs will be entrusted to the new Chapter, a great privilege.
I was impressed by the enthusiasm of the founding members of the Chapter, and their high level of skill. The Cope pictured below was in need of patching in several places: by the end of the afternoon, it was half completed, and the Chapter hopes to finish it at the next meeting.
The Chapter is under the leadership of Gerrie Serpell, an erstwhile (and much missed) member of the Oxford Chapter, skilled not only in embroidery and vestment making, but also in bobbin lace. The launch of the East Kent Chapter has been made possible by her generous desire to serve the Church and share her skills.
The East Kent Chapter plans to meet monthly at the Shrine: new members are welcome. For more information, click here or email Gerrie on siew.gerrie@gmail.com
Tuesday 27 February 2024
Launch of the East Kent Chapter
Lucy writes: I'm delighted to announce the start of a new Guild of St Clare Chapter in East Kent. The inaugural vestment mending session, which I will be attending myself, is on Saturday, 9th March at the Shrine of St Augustine's, Ramsgate, 10.30am-3.30pm.
Fr Andrew Southwell celebrates Mass at the Shrine of St Augustine, Ramsgate during the St Catherine's Trust Summer School (photo credit Joseph Shaw) |
The East Kent Chapter will, initially, be assisting mainly with the vestments kept at the Shrine, where the Traditional Mass is frequently celebrated. At a historic church such as this one, the work is of particular importance, and the Guild of St Clare is honoured to have been entrusted with it.
This banner at St Augustine's will be one of the first jobs that the new East Kent Chapter will be tackling. |
Leading the Chapter is Gerrie Serpell, an experienced stitcher and vestment maker. If you would like more information, or to join the East Kent Chapter, please email her on siew.gerrie@gmail.com .
Monday 19 February 2024
February 2024 Sewing Retreat: report
Our chaplain, Fr Edward van den Bergh, celebrated the opening Mass. We were fortunate to have on loan for the weekend a beautiful and striking violet Low Mass Set, the property of the Latin Mass Society.
We had a wide variety of vestments to mend and make. Fr Edward joined in with zest, and completed repairs to a red chasuble belonging to Fr Saward over the course of the weekend.
We made use of the large refectory tables in the dining room for cutting the damasks. This chasuble, the property of the Dominicans of Haverstock Hill, is being re-made with new damask. The exquisitely embroidered orphreys will be mounted on to the new chasuble and the old lining replaced.
We will be returning to St Joseph's for the November retreat (8th-10th November 2024), when our Chaplain will be Fr Stephen Morrison OPraem. Online booking will open shortly: all are welcome!