The Guild of St Clare (Wandsworth) Chapter has arranged vestment repair workshops at the church of St Mary Magdalen on the following dates: 28th March, 16th May and 27th June. All are welcome, including complete beginners.
For more information please contact the Chapter Leader on gosc.wandsworth@lms.org.uk .
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Ancilla writes: At Withermarsh Green Chapter we decided last year to embark on a large project: a Liturgical Banner in honour of our Chapel's Patron, St Edmund.
This is no small undertaking but will involve basic to advanced hand sewing techniques, like those taught at the Royal School of Needlework (where the Guild of St Clare regularly organises workshops and has a sponsorship scheme).
All members, young and old, newbs and veterans, have the opportunity to be involved at all stages of the project, giving their input and bringing their unique skills to the piece. It is a rare opportunity to be involved in such a project as nowadays liturgical banners are generally just for the professional sphere.
Currently we have just completed the design phase and ready to begin sewing at our next meeting. We spent two meeting entirely dedicated to designing; taking inspiration from images of St Edmund found in art, illuminated manuscripts from the time period, and the Bayeux Tapestry, as well as free hand drawing.
We wanted to impregnate the image with symbolism. For example, St Edmund was martyred on a tree, a correlation to Our Lord on the Cross. We drew St Edmund’s tree in a more “cross” like shape. Another example, the pagans are imaged on the left of St Edmund, while to his right side will be pilgrims (families including children, as well as monks) ascending towards Bury St Edmunds Medieval Cathedral. The previously mentioned tree will be depicted as having its seeds (acorns) on the pagan side, as it is the blood of the martyrs which water the seeds of faith to the unbelieving. While on the right side, or Christian side, the tree is flowering, blooming with verdant life, the culmination of the sacrifice of the martyr having been united to Jesus Christ brings about conversion and true living.
As you can imagine, it’s an exciting project, and like all things that are worthwhile it will cost a lot of prayers, time and money. Our Chapter has started raising funds in order to pay for the material needs of the banner, such as silk and velvet fabrics, specialised paints and threads, etc. As Chapter Leader I will be training up to do a 10k run on the 9th May. Please consider helping our Chapter by going to the JustGiving page. May God, through Sts Clare & Edmund, reward your generosity!
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/gosc-withermarsh
Lucy writes: Our annual February Retreat took place between 13th and 15th February at the Carmelite Retreat Centre, Boars Hill, Oxfordshire. Our chaplain, Fr Andrew Southwell, gave us a series of talks on holiness, with a particular focus on the spirituality and mission of St Clare, our heavenly patron.
We had many repairs to tackle, including making a new chasuble with the orphrey from an old one, patching holes in the lining of a gold Dalmatic, replacing the orphreys on a Cope, making a burse out of remnants of an old one, stitching lace protectors round the necklines of chasubles, and re-lining a maniple, among others.
Especially delightful was the presence of several children, who participated whole-heartedly in the vestment mending. Seeing young girls repairing a chasuble together, encouraging and helping one another, was a beautiful and touching sight. Their work of prayerful restoration extends beyond the vestments - these young ones are literally building the Church of Christ on earth with their own hands.
As well as daily Mass, we said the Rosary together each morning and sang Compline in the evenings. We also had Benediction on Saturday, when we were thrilled to see our own recently restored Pelican Cope in use.
The Retreats are increasingly popular, both here in the UK and overseas: we have welcomed retreatants from all over Europe, and the US. They attract a diverse crowd, including students (men and women), mothers, young working people and the retired. With the success of this initiative has come increased pressure on places; the waiting list is sometimes as long as the list of participants. Our November Retreat is already fully booked: dates for our February Retreat will be announced shortly.
This weekend we fire the starting gun for our annual Lenten Vestment Mending Challenge at the February Sewing Retreat at the Carmelite Retreat Centre, Boars Hill.
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| Maniples repaired during the Challenge of 2023 |
The Challenge is a beautiful way of augmenting your Lenten devotions. Vestment mending is three times a service to the Church: it is simultaneously an alms to our priests, a Corporal Work of Mercy, and also a contemplative prayer in itself.
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| Passiontide crucifix veil made by Fr Stephen Morrison OPraem during last year's Challenge |
Anyone who would like is welcome to join our Challenge, and if you have no vestment to mend, we will be happy to send you something suitable for your skill level - beginners included.
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| Chasuble of Our Lady of Guadalupe repaired during the 2025 Challenge |
There is a WhatsApp chat for support and encouragement too. To find out more or to participate, please email Lucy on guildofstclare@lms.org.uk .
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| A young participant at work on her 2023 Challenge project |
Booking is open for our next Sewing Retreat, which will take place between 13th-15th November 2026, at the Carmelite Retreat Centre, Boars Hill.
Fr Stephen Morrison OPraem, a great friend of the Guild of St Clare, has very kindly agreed to be our chaplain.
The Sewing Retreats always book up very quickly, so if you would like to come, don't delay in registering! More details about our retreats can be found here.
The Guild of St Clare is collaborating with the Royal School of Needlework to provide a special one day course, making miniature embroidered mitres. This is a unique opportunity to practise the skill of ecclesiastical embroidery and learn how to make a mitre using traditional hand construction techniques, in the beautiful setting of the RSN's teaching apartments at Hampton Court Palace. The tuition will be provided by RSN tutor Heather Lewis, who has led many courses for the Guild of St Clare in the past.
Heather leading our burse making course at the RSN in March 2020
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| Heather's embroidery sampler |
The Guild of St Clare is delighted to be opening the New Year with a new Chapter, our first in Scotland. The Scottish Chapter will meet for the first time on 31st January at Lawside Convent, home of the Marian Franciscans.
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I will be attending the launch meeting myself, and am looking forward enormously to meeting the volunteers and practising the beautiful art of vestment mending in this most romantic setting. Please pray for a successful inauguration!
