How to Cut the Chasuble

Lynne Green cutting out a chasuble.

Cut the chasuble: My mom, Lynne Green, is going to demonstrate how to cut the most important part of a vestment set.

Buy a Chasuble
Pattern Here! It is not hard to make a chasuble as long as you follow these step-by step instructions. The first important step is to cut the chasuble. The fabric you choose will be the most critical element of success for your vestment set. Buy a rayon material that is 62 inches wide and specifically designed for vestment sets. You will need four yards of this material to make the chasuble, stole, veil, burse and maniple.

Also, you’ll find a lined cutting board is indispensable for cutting out your material. Not only will it protect your table, but it will also help you keep your cutting lines straight. My mom uses a Wright’s Pattern Cutting Board that she bought at a nearby fabric store for about $12 American dollars.

Cut the Chasuble

To cut the chasuble, fold your material lengthwise on your cutting table. Make sure the crease is exactly in the center of the length of the fabric. Use the design to determine whether your fold is straight.

Folding the fabric to cut out a chasuble.

Lay out your pattern on your fabric, with the neck side against the fold of the fabric. Leave an inch and a half around the edges of the pattern.

Now you're ready to cut it out. Cut it an inch and a half all the way around to allow for for the seam.

Cutting out the chasuble.

Then cut the chasuble neck, following the pattern.

Cutting the neck of the chasuble.

Now unfold the fabric and lay it out flat on your cutting board. Before you cut the chasuble neck, take time to make certain your neck hole is centered evenly on the fabric. An easy way to determine this is by lining up the designs on the fabric with the lines on the cutting board. Is it even? Then you have cut the neck properly.

Checking to see if the neck of the chasuble is even.

Now it's time to add the banding. Using your ruler, measure down from the neck opening nine inches.

Marking nine inches down for the banding.

Using a light colored piece of chalk (My mom always uses peach), make a very small mark on your fabric denoting where the nine inch mark is. Be careful not to make your mark too big or in too bright of a color. You may not be able to remove the mark later. A small, light mark can be covered by the banding. A large, bright one may not be.

Then from the center sides of the neck, measure out nine inches both on the right and the left. Again, mark these lightly with your piece of chalk.

Marking where banding will go on the shoulder.

Lay out your banding, using the chalk marks as your guide. The center of each piece of banding should be directly over the chalk mark. When you cut your banding, make sure you cut the banding at least one inch past your nine-inch mark on the outside edge.

Applying the banding to a chasuble

For the center V of the chasuble, fold one piece of the banding on top of the other, following the line of the design. Do not draw a line on banding unless you want it there forever!.

Banding on chasuble in v-design

Then lay the top piece of the center banding over the two pieces.

Now it’s time for the shoulder seams. For the shoulder seams of the banding, you will need to do the same thing. You will need to fold your top piece of banding and then baste it in place.

Repeat this process for the other side of the chasuble.

Banding on chasuble other side.

Pin your banding in place at the center of the banding. You've cut the chasuble. Now it’s time to sew it!

Do you enjoy sewing? Then visit Quilting Tidbits. Making a quilt is relatively easy once you understand techniques and ideas that are built on a foundation that came long before you and I. To learn more, click here.

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Buy a Chasuble
Pattern Here! Before you begin to make vestments, learn about vestment colors.

Then learn these vestment sewing basics before starting to get you off on the right start.

Some vestment fabric facts.

Start by learning how to cut the chasuble.

Then stitch the chasuble, the next in our series of vestment sewing tips.

Learn to make the stole and maniple.

Learn to make the burse.

Return to the Home Page.

Buy a Chasuble Pattern Here

This pattern makes a Gothic chasuble that is 43 inches long and 54 inches wide.

A plus-sized chasuble pattern is also available.

Learn more here or -

Buy it Here:

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Easy, step-by-step instructions on making a full vestment set, plus how to make your own patterns, right at your fingertips!
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