Ideas for Svinda's red stole

This red stole is for Pentecost--the flames of the spirit indicated by strong vertical lines--and will be worn by Svinda at her ordination at the end of May (because it will be the season of Pentecost). The back view could be a flame, or I could use a motif found on one of the scarves in Svinda's box (next image).


Here's a close-up of the motif painted on a silk scarf.

And this little treasure of a Chinese embroidery appeared in my mailbox a few weeks ago, sent by a friend of Svinda's from New Brunswick. This will be a challenge to cut into! A challenge from the point of view of where to cut, i.e. what motif to isolate (it's too big to use on its own). I could cut out the embroidered peony (lower middle) or one of the birds in either of the corners. I think the dragon or lion in the middle is a little too fierce to use!

Possiblities for Svinda's Green stole

Design #1 has been inspired by one of the ties that Svinda collected. (see below)
Svinda suggested the centre back motif of three overlapping circles with a small cross at the intersection.

Designs 3 & 4 use the same colours but in reverse, and the lines are horizontal--a calmer effect.




Here's the tie that inspired the first design.
I will post the red designs separately.

Another couple of stoles...

My next commission is to create two stoles for Svinda who will be ordained in the United Church of Canada at the end of May. She has collected ties and scarves from members of her congregation and her friends and family. Several of her friends live elsewhere and they sent their ties and scarves separately. What fun it was to receive fat envelopes in the mail!


Svinda's box of materials arrived last Friday, just in time for hockey playoffs--yes, you read that correctly, hockey playoffs.

Here are Svinda's materials spread out on the chesterfield.

And here's my in-house "tie taker-aparter", who masterfully strips out the interfacing and opens the lengthwise seam of every tie using an x-acto knife...all this while watching the hockey playoffs.

How better to use his time while cheering for the Vancouver Canucks?!

Carolyn's finished stole

I finished Carolyn's ordination stole Friday morning, and finally did the photography today. Click on the image to see an expanded view. The doves at centre back and left shoulder are trimmed with some lace that Carolyn had included in the box of ties and scarves she had collected from her friends and family.

Early on in our discussions about the stole, Carolyn had asked how her friends could literally write their words of support into her stole. So I cut out a white cotton lining according to the desired finished dimensions of the stole, and mailed it to her. Interestingly, both the wrong and right sides of the lining were written on so I had to cut and turn one side. This wasn't a big problem--I simply incorporated my label (printed on my ink-jet printer) at this junction.

I'll be mailing this stole to Carolyn shortly and look forward to see a picture of her wearing it! At this stage of the process I always feel some mixed emotions...happy that my vision has been realized and sad to see it leave my hands, with lots of anticipation of how it will be received on the other end!

I will be starting two stoles (one green, one red) in the upcoming week. The box of ties and scarves arrived Friday from Ontario, and Lloyd (husband and master tie taker-aparter) has taken them all apart while watching the hockey playoffs. Now I need to wash and press them while pondering the designs. Stay tuned!

Carolyn’s Stole, continued...

Yesterday I started piecing Carolyn's stole, using the blue ties at the bottom (representing baptism.) I'd made good progress by Sunday afternoon--above shows how I started to incorporate the reds (for Pentacost). This afternoon, I finished the piecing and trimmed both halves of the stole. And here it is on my mannequin. The dove is a paper cut-out...to try out the size and placement. Carolyn wants a dove like this at the centre back and upper left shoulder. These will be appliqued.

Some more designs for Carolyn's stole

Carolyn has had fun gathering feedback; her ideas have become clearer as a result. She had mentioned a favourite tie...pictured above...that she hoped I could incorporate. This got me thinking...could I start with this tie and let it guide the piecing? Below find a couple more sketches. Carolyn has also asked for an image of a dove with its wings outstretched at her left shoulder and centre back. If you look at the first image again, you'll see some printing on the white lining. Carolyn asked for a way for her friends to write prayers on the lining, so I cut out a lining a few months ago and sent it to her.

A new stole for Carolyn

Carolyn's materials arrived a few days ago. She has collected red and blue ties and scarves from her friends and family for this ordination stole. In the box of ties was a note from a member of her congregation: "My mother always told me that I would find answers to my problems at church. For three years I didn't know what to do with the ties I had removed from the tie rack. Your last Sunday at Trinity solved my problem..." It's a good thing this person didn't throw or give away the ties three years ago! (I have heard that story SO many times). Carolyn is being ordained in the Lutheran church in Pennsylvannia. She has asked for a stole which is predominantly red because she will be ordained during Pentecost. She also wants me to incorporate a little blue to reflect baptism, as well as some images of doves either on the back or on one side. Here are some possible designs for Carolyn to consider: What do you think? Comments welcome! And some other possiblities for depicting a dove: