Fundraising Appeal for our White Cope

Following the launch of our fundraising campaign last week, and thanks to the kindness of our supporters, we may raise enough funds to tackle a project especially close to my heart: the restoration of a beautiful white Cope, given to the Guild of St Clare by Fr Mark Swires of the diocese of Brentwood.

The Cope has a hood, embroidered with a Pelican in her Piety, and orphreys with complementary embroidered floral motifs. The embroidery (mainly stem stitch worked with a chenille thread) is in almost perfect condition. The Pelican has evidently been re-mounted on the fabric, so I think it may originally have decorated an older Cope.

Since the fabric of the body of the Cope is mildewed (the hood and orphreys have miraculously escaped damage), I think the best thing will be to make a new Cope and apply the old hood and orphreys to it. As it happens, at our most recent Sewing Retreat, for the first time we were unable to have Benediction, because there was no white Cope in the sacristy at the retreat centre, and we didn’t have time to find one we could borrow. This therefore seems like an excellent opportunity to expend some of our precious resources in bringing this fabulous white Cope back into use.

We will need approximately 5 metres of fabric, and also 10 metres of braid. The cost of materials will be in the region of £700, and it will take around 25 hours to complete the work. This is a significant outlay for our small apostolate, but by the same token it will be a fitting and permanent memorial of the benefactors who have made it possible. A commemorative label will be stitched inside, asking for prayers for the donors.

To join the fundraising effort, please visit our GoFundMe page. Thank you so much to all our benefactors; you are assured of our prayers.

Invitation for applications for the RSN Sponsorship Scheme

 The Guild of St Clare is delighted to announce that we will shortly be making our annual award of sponsorship on the prestigious Royal School of Needlework Certificate Course. The course teaches four embroidery techniques, and is extremely flexible. Students can study it intensively, or spread it over as much as four years, and the skills learned are essential to the art of making and mending vestments. As a condition of acceptance, successful candidates must take part in at least one Guild of St Clare Sewing Retreat each year.

The Guild of St Clare Dalmatic Making class at the RSN, March 2024

The deadline for applications is 23rd June; we will hold interviews in July. More information, including details on how to apply, can be found here. If you have any questions email Lucy on guildofstclare@lms.org.uk .

Running to raise funds for the Guild of St Clare

 Lucy writes: The work of the Guild of St Clare is growing rapidly, especially through our network of local Chapters; we need money for materials and equipment, and to this end I am running the Oxford Town & Gown 10k on 12th May. 

After the Oxford Half 2023

I last ran this race in 2021, when I managed a time of 58:28; this time, I'm aiming for 60 minutes. If all goes well, I will start preparing for the Oxford Half Marathon in October. Those interested can check my stats on Strava!

Many thanks indeed to all those who support us, both financially and spiritually; we pray for you.

Benediction at the Sewing Retreat, November 2023

Passiontide veils at St Bede's

The London Chapter has recently completed Passiontide veils to be used at St Bede's, Clapham Park.

One is for a new statue of St Anne, and the other for the Sacred Heart. A wonderful Lenten alms from the Chapter to the parish: special thanks to Verena Windsor, Chapter Leader, for organising this special seasonal project.

Online booking opens for the Autumn Sewing Retreat

Booking is now open for the Guild of St Clare Autumn Retreat, taking place between 8th and 10th November 2024. We are delighted to be able to confirm that our chaplain will be Fr Stephen Morrison OPraem of the Peckham Norbertines, a great friend of the Guild of St Clare and keen needleworker.

As usual, there will be plenty of vestment repairs to do, as well as the option of making a new vestment for those interested in practising the art of traditional hand construction. As well as the liturgy we will have spiritual conferences, given by Fr Stephen, and plenty of opportunities to drink tea and eat biscuits. The Retreat will take place at St Joseph's Centre, Ashurst, near Southampton. Places are strictly limited so don't delay in registering.

Miniature Dalmatic Making at the Royal School of Needlework

The Guild of St Clare annual class at the Royal School of Needlework took place last Saturday, 16th March; this year we tackled a new skill, learning miniature Dalmatics.

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.

She brought her own exquisitely made miniature Dalmatic to show us.

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.

The annual RSN class is always a sociable occasion, and the weather was sufficiently clement to allow us to lunch outside in the beautiful grounds of Hampton Court Palace.

Heather and I are already planning next year's course. As it happens, Heather has a book coming out within the next few months (it is hoped!), on the subject of vestments and ecclesiastical embroidery, and we are thinking of taking a project from that. More details to follow!

 

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 .