Sewing Vestments - Making the Stole and the Maniple

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Sewing vestments isn’t a complicated process, but there are a few tricks you must learn if you want a vestment set that looks professional and hangs beautifully. Here are the steps, along with a few secrets to make your project a success.

Please Note:

The process for making the maniple is exactly the same as that of the stole. However, the maniple will be easier, since it is a straight piece - unlike the stole, which is curved. Because the stole is a bit trickier, we'll be demonstrating how to make a stole.

Cutting out the stole as part of a vestment set.

Start by cutting out the stole. Leave yourself plenty of room for a seam allowance, so cut a good two inches out from the pattern as pictured above. You will also need to cut two pieces of canvas the exact size of the pattern piece.

Folding the satin for cutting the stole lining.

Then fold a piece of your satin lengthwise, to cut out your stole lining.

Cutting the lining for the stole.

As you cut the lining of your stole, not only give yourself an inch around the pattern, but also give yourself a generous three to four inches at the bottom of the stole. Satin tends to pucker when it’s being stitched. By giving yourself plenty of material at the bottom, you ensure that you don’t run out of material.

Stitching the stole material.

With right sides together, stitch the stole material, the two canvas pieces and lining pieces together at the neck. When you have finished stitching the satin lining pieces, edge stitch them to keep the seam from unraveling, as the picture below indicates.

Stitched stole lining with seams edged stitched.

Then you will need to pin the stole piece to the stitched interfacing, wrong sides together. On the inside of the curve, you will need to cut several notches so that the fabric doesn’t bunch together. Hand-baste the stole fabric to the interfacing.

Pin and hand-stitch the stole together.

Now pin the stole lining to the stole wrong sides together as shown in the picture below. Once the lining is pinned into place, hand stitch the lining into place.

Once you are finished hand-stitching the lining in place, hand-stitch the trim on the edges, and you’re done with another important piece of sewing vestments.

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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.

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