Festal Vestments

We are pleased to present these images of a distinctive set of festal vestments.  This set was made according to the size of chasubles of the 16th century, being more a variant than a reproduction of such vestments.  They were made from a delightful brocade with a floriated woven design in gold and chocolate brown upon a  base colour of ivory.  The vestments were lined in silk taffeta in a beautiful and muted shade of green.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics. 

  

The vestments were ornamented with a vintage orphrey braid made of silk; it features a Cross in two shades of gold upon a vibrant yellow base.  

These vestments were ornamented with a simple column, back and front, which is attached to the chasuble.  We might say a little more about this ornament.  An unfortunate trend in vestment-making is employing a column of great width to ornament the chasuble.  Sometimes this amounts almost to 30 cm (12") !  This always looks disproportionate, even unseemly.    

The column orphreys made by the Studio to ornament our chasubles are constructed to careful measurements.  Often we use one of our unique braids as the basis for such columns, which we enhance by running a galloon along either side.  The above photograph shews just such an arrangement.  The wider orphrey braid is carefully arranged at the neckline and the bottom of the chasuble, so that its particular decoration is not truncated.  In this case, the particular is a stylised Cross, which is repeated at intervals along the orphrey.  A galloon of knotwork in burgundy and gold has been mounted on either side of the wider orphrey braid.  This same galloon is run around the perimeter of the chasuble and the neckline.  For most of our chasubles, the perimeter is trimmed with a narrow galloon.  

Enquiries.

Information on placing an order.

The vestments of the Saint Bede Studio are beautiful in design, sound in construction and distinctive in appearance.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG 

On the Feast of S. Mary Magdalen

On this lovely Feast, the Saint Bede Studio is pleased to present this set of Festal vestments.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics. 

This set of vestments is in the style we call Borromeon.   Although ornamented in the Roman manner, this is an earlier and more traditional form of "the Roman chasuble" being both wider and longer.  As made by the Saint Bede Studio, this style of vestment is very comfortable to wear.

This particular set was made from a beautiful silk damask in a shade of ivory, it was lined in a crimon red shade of taffeta and ornamented in the Roman manner : a silk damask outlined with a burgundy and galloon.

Please click on the images for an enlarged view.

Enquiries.

Information on placing an order.

The vestments of the Saint Bede Studio are beautiful in design, sound in construction and distinctive in appearance.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG 

Mitre and Vestments

In this post, we feature a chasuble and mitre set made for the Bishop of Maitland & Newcastle (Province of Sydney, Australia).

The chasuble was made from moiré taffeta, which is noteworthy for its vertical watermark effect, created during manufacture.  It is a fabric which is not too flimsy and has pleasing drapery.  Ornamenting the chasuble, back and front, is a column formed from straw-gold dupion silk, upon which is imposed one of the Studio's unique braids Saint Edmund.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics.

The mitre has the same decorative scheme, but its ornamented is formed from a much narrower version of the Saint Edmund braid.

Click on the images for an enlarged view. 

The vestments of the Saint Bede Studio are beautiful in design, sound in construction and distinctive in appearance.

Enquiries.

Information on placing an order.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG

The Season Per Annum 2026 : 9

In this post is depicted a new set of vestments in a beautiful shade of green dupion silk and ornamented with braids in colours of straw-gold upon red.  

These vestments are in one of our Gothic Revival styles.  The chasuble and accessories were lined in rust-red taffeta.

The vestments of the Saint Bede Studio are beautiful in design, sound in construction and distinctive in appearance.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics.

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

Information on placing an order.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for optimal viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG

Our Ladye of Mount Carmel

On this beautiful Feast, we are pleased to present these images of one of the Studio's most popular sets of vestments, which we call Ave Maris Stella.  This is made in various Gothic styles and from different fabrics, but always and is ornamented with the now-familiar braid.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics.

We should describe this braid, for those who have not followed previous posts closely.  It employs two shades of blue, one a sky blue, the other Royal Blue and upon these two colours, the ornamental design is figured in (non-metallic) gold.

Within a Royal blue quatrefoil (four-leafed flower) is a stylised monogram being the letters MR.  This is the Latin abbreviation of Maria Regina (Mary the Queen).  It was very typical in the Mediaeval period for such monograms to appear as decorative schemes in churches and upon vestments. 

These quatrefoils alternate with another emblem, which is upon a light blue base.  Here is a crown emphasising the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin.  Below it, in heraldic lettering, is the greeting AVE.  From this is derived the name of this braid and based on the beautiful Marian antiphon Ave Maris Stella (Hail, Star of the Sea).

Running along either side of this orphrey is a row of smaller quatrefoils in gold, upon the Royal Blue base.

Although not directly-based on the work of the Gothic designer AWN Pugin, this Ave Maris Stella braid incorporates Puginesque elements.  No matter whether you shop for your vestments in Poland, India, England or America, you will not find another braid like Ave Maris Stella.  It is just one of the Saint Bede Studio's unique braids, designed by the writer of this blog and made exclusively for the Studio's use.

Click on the images for an enlarged view. 

The vestments of the Saint Bede Studio are beautiful in design, sound in construction and distinctive in appearance.

Enquiries.

Information on placing an order.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG

Saint Camillus de Lellis

A kindly priest customer of the Studio sent us this rare portrait of Saint Camillus de Lellis (1550-1614), co-Patron Saint of Nurses.  Saint Camillus spent most of his life caring for the sick. Read more about him here.

Saint Camillus was ordained a priest in 1584 by the last Catholic English bishop, Lord Thomas Goldwell. 

The adjacent image of Saint Camillus is said to be only contemporaneous portrait of him and shews him during the Offertory of the Mass.  The Saint is wearing a style of chasuble common in the sixteenth century and often associated with Saint Philip Neri. Saint Philip was a spiritual mentor of Saint Camillus.

The chasuble is made from an ivory-coloured silk brocade interwoven with gold, but perhaps its most interest feature is its orphrey ornamentation.  The orphrey appears to be formed from a woven braid in colours of black and gold on an off-white base.  Most interesting is the design of this braid, being a series of interlinked geometric motifs: quite unlike the style of ornament found on other chasubles of this period and in the two centuries following.

AMDG

On the Feast of Saint Henry

On this Feast of the Holy Roman Emperor Saint Henry, we are pleased to present a set of festal vestments, in the Gothic Revival style.

This set is constructed from an English ecclesiastical brocade and is lined in a muted yellow shade of taffeta. 

The ornament is formed from the Y shaped orphrey in colours of burgundy and straw-gold upon a red background.  This is one of the Studio's unique braids called Saint Giles.  

Although not elaborate, this is a beautiful and distinctive set of vestments.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics. 

 

Click on the images for an enlarged view. 

The vestments of the Saint Bede Studio are beautiful in design, sound in construction and distinctive in appearance.

Enquiries.

Information on placing an order.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG 

The Season Per Annum 2026 : 8

In this post is depicted a set of vestments in a subtle shade of green brocade and ornamented with the Studio's Sancte Deus orphrey braid.  This new braid amongst the Studio's offerings is in the distinctive colours of deep blue and ivory upon a green background. 

These vestments are in one of our Gothic Revival styles which we call Saint Benet.  The chasuble and accessories were lined in a bottle-green taffeta.

The vestments of the Saint Bede Studio are beautiful in design, sound in construction and distinctive in appearance.

Click on the images for an enlarged view.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics.

Enquiries : stbede62@gmail.com

Information on placing an order.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for optimal viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG

On the Feast of Saint Benedict

On this lovely Feast of Saint Benedict, we are pleased to present a glimpse of a set of festal vestments, in the Gothic Revival style.

This set is constructed from brocade and is lined in a wine-red shade of taffeta. 

The ornament is formed from the Y shaped orphrey in colours of burgundy and platinum upon a red background.  This is one of the Studio's unique braids called Saint George and is based on designs by AWN Pugin.  

Although not elaborate, this is a beautiful and distinctive set of vestments.

The Saint Bede Studio : vestments made by Catholics for Catholics. 

 

Click on the images for an enlarged view. 

The vestments of the Saint Bede Studio are beautiful in design, sound in construction and distinctive in appearance.

Enquiries.

Information on placing an order.

Please note that posts on this blog are set-up for viewing via a web-browser, not via a mobile phone.

AMDG 

Waiting ...

For about six weeks, the proprietor of this Studio has been recovering from an injury.  Our sewing work has continued during this period, so that the schedule of commissions for 2026 has been going along as planned at the beginning of the year.

It has not been possible, however, to deal effectively with daily correspondence during the period.  All messages received by the Studio will be answered in due course.

I ask you to pray that this minor matter may quickly be resolved so that I may assist you better throughout the remainder of the year.  A prayer for this intention would be most welcome.

Michael Sternbeck

Newcastle NSW

8th July 2026.