Cancellation of the November Sewing Retreat

 Much to our sorrow the autumn Sewing Retreat at Douai Abbey has been cancelled. This is because the community at Douai have decided not to re-open the retreat centre until after Christmas. Booking is open for our retreat in February and also for our retreat in November 2021. I am very happy to be able to say that Fr Tim Finigan, who was to have been our chaplain at this autumn's retreat, is able to come next November, so we have less to regret in this year's cancellation than might otherwise have been the case.

More Luna Lapin

James Sharpe, our RSN sponsorship winner, has caught Luna Lapin fever (it's even more contagious than Covid-19) - here is his beautiful rabbit.

If you feel the incipient symptoms of this yourself, you can buy the books and kits from Sarah Peel's wonderful website, Cool Crafting.

Coronavirus and the sewing retreat

Our autumn retreat is scheduled for 20th-22nd November, and, under the current restrictions, we are still able to go ahead although with reduced numbers to allow for social distancing in the refectory. We are now limited to twelve, all told. The booking page is open here: there are five places currently available. The well-known Fr Tim Finigan has very generously agreed to be our chaplain. 

If you have any questions about the measures we are taking to prevent the spread of the virus during the retreat, or indeed any other questions, please do get in touch and I will be happy to fill you in.

Luna Lapin

 Lucy writes: I've recently discovered the wonderful world of Luna Lapin, created by Sarah Peel. The lockdown has provided time for me to make the full set:

From left to right: Wilhelmina Woodmouse, Luna Lapin, Freddie Badger, Reynard the Fox & Clementine the Cat

We were fortunate to meet Sarah at the Knitting & Stitching Show (in the days when such mass events were still possible and legal): she was so encouraging to the children and they invested heavily in kits and fabrics! We have also visited her shop in Kendal. You can also buy the Luna Lapin books, and the kits to make the animals, at Sarah's website.

Royal School of Needlework Sponsorship Award

The Guild of St Clare and the Latin Mass Society are pleased to announce that an award has been made for their Sponsorship Scheme which assists students in doing the Certificate in Hand Embroidery at the Royal School of Needlework. 

The recipient is a religious who prefers to remain anonymous. We are delighted that the skills offered by the Royal School of Needlework will be joined to a vocation of hidden prayer and service to the Church.

The Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace

Fr Stephen Morrison makes a travelling stole

Lucy writes: I was honoured by a visit from the multi-talented Fr Stephen Morrison last week. While he was with us he made a violet travelling stole, to replace the one he had dropped while visiting Covid patients in the Intensive Care Unit and which was consequently incinerated. 

The stole was made using New Ely brocade and trimmed with Ecclesia braid.

This is Fr Stephen’s second foray into vestment making - he assisted in the construction of faldstool covers during our last Sewing Retreat. The quality of his workmanship is extremely high so that it looks like the creation of a much more experienced maker. I hope the Guild of St Clare will benefit from his skills in the future!

Embroidery Course Sponsorship Scheme 2020

Crewel work completed by our first sponsored
student, James Sharpe

In 2019 the Guild of St Clare made the first award under its Sponsorship Scheme to help a student through the Certificate Course at the Royal School of Needlework. Our sponsored student has made good progress, and as he enters his second year of part-time study, we can start sponsoring a second.

The deadline is 22nd June.

The RSN Certificate Course takes between one and four years, depending on how intensively students wish to do it. Its great flexibility makes it ideal for those who can only spare limited time, or whose availability fluctuates over the year. The Certificate gives its graduates a thorough grounding in a range of traditional hand-embroidery skills, skills for which the RSN is renowned, and which its experts apply to historic restoration projects and important commissions.

Sponsored students will be able to reclaim half the cost of their tuition days, up to a maximum of £2,000 a year (September 1st to September 1st), subject to satisfactory progress in the Certificate course, and their attendance at least one of the Guild’s two annual Sewing Retreats. Students at the RSN have to pay for tuition days when they book them; they would be reimbursed at that point. Progress will be monitored by reference to the successful completion of each module, and the reports which are provided by RSN tutors on each piece of work.

More information, and how to apply, can be found here.