Sacred Stitches

When you're a part of a small, mission congregation, everyone is called upon, at one time or another, to use their own abilities for the good of God's church. It truly does take a village! Only recently has our church decided that, in addition to Sunday morning worship, we'll be adding a Wednesday evening Vespers service, to include Holy Communion. This is a great thing! However, with limited resources the demand is still high to provide everything necessary for Holy Communion; this includes altar linens, which are laundered each week. Since we only have a very limited supply, naturally this will require increased inventory of needed items. I checked the church supply catalog and found the purificators (used as illustrated:)                                        

to be a bit cost prohibitive. I have white linen, and embroidery software, and the ability to stitch. I set to work. The best tutorial that I've found for mitering with inside, turned hems finished by hand was here.

The perfect, turned-under edges were easy and accurate with the use of Clover's Hot Ruler.

I can't rave enough over this tool (or any Clover notion, for that matter!); for me, this is a much used item in my ruler drawer, one that doesn't gather dust. 

Following the tutorial linked above will have you on your way to perfect, pointy, inside miters in no time! I sat and watched some Netflix while finishing the handwork on these. This is the backside ☝

And this is what shows on the front-side (before a trip to the ironing board and a thorough steaming). In some found snatches of time this week I was able to create two new complete sets of communion linens. There's no time like the present time 😌! Hopefully, these will fill a gap for a much-needed item at church. 

♰

You may not need to create purificators, but, this is a great skill to add to your repertoire! How about a hand-crafted set of napkins, tea towels or a tablecloth to give as a gift? You'll love the results if you follow along with the steps outlined here by Celebrate Creativity, it's easier than you may think; I promise! 

I entitled this post "Sacred Stitches", I suppose because of the creation of items used for a sacrament. But, if the truth were known, I almost feel like time spent sewing and creating, for whatever purpose, is sacred time to me; if not sacred, then it is certainly blessed! If I don't get it in some stitching time of some sort, every day, I can feel as though my soul isn't quite fed; do you feel the same way? 

Life is Good!

Wild Women's Weekend

I am back home this morning after an amazing weekend away with my daughter and over one hundred sisters in faith. It was an awe-inspiring, renewing time; my heart is full to overflowing with the love of God. We explored God's different names and faces this weekend, names and faces that aren't always male. We threw away stereotypes and embraced new concepts as we studied scripture and searched for clues that led us to God the mother, child, wife, homemaker. Along with Bible study there were small discussion groups, meals together, and, as always, story time. The presiding Pastor for the weekend is an accomplished storyteller, she closed Friday night's session with her version of The Lamb Who Came For Dinner by Steve Smallman, this was a new story for me, if you have a chance to read this book you won't be disappointed, I promise you that. Told with wolf and lamb hand puppets, characters from the story, they came to rest under the pulpit for the remainder of the weekend. Yesterday morning as we entered for worship the Pastors' stoles were in place on that same pulpit, adding reverence to this meaningful vignette. Yes, the stole on the left is made from a quilt, a grandmother's much loved quilt, another face of God! The table was set beautifully for communion and all were invited to come and eat, come and drink; I know that I approached that table with new eyes and an increasingly grateful heart, surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, my sisters in Christ~ faces and embodiments of God, each and every one! Who is God for you today? Who are you for others? For while God is still Father, King, Shepherd, Judge how very comforting it is to know and understand that MY God is so much more!

Life is Good!