Guild of St Clare

from Mass of Ages Autumn 2022

World news

Traditional skills

Joseph Shaw reports on two new awards

The Guild of St Clare is dedicated to the restoration and creation of liturgical vestments for use in the Traditional Mass, and to foster the skills needed for this. Thanks to the generosity of a benefactor, the Guild, in association with the Latin Mass Society, is able to offer sponsorship to one or two students undertaking the Certificate Course in Hand Embroidery at the Royal School of Needlework (RSN). The RSN represents the gold standard of authenticity and high standards in the realm of hand embroidery, and the techniques they teach are directly applicable to the Guild’s work.

This is the fourth year of the sponsorship scheme, and the two students whose sponsorship began in 2019 and 2020 are near the end of their courses, which can take between two and four years. In spring 2021, in the depths of lockdown, when the RSN itself could not do in-person teaching, we were unable to make any award, but this year we are making up for that by making two: to Rosa Thurrot and Miranda de Burgh.

Both have been regular attendees at Guild events, and we look forward to their being able to contribute with the skills which they will acquire on the Course. Miss Thurrot has already started the Certificate Course and is in the middle of the first module, Crewelwork.

Mrs de Burgh will mainly be attending the Royal School of Needlework satellite centre at Bristol, and Miss Thurrot the one in Glasgow.

In the meantime, the Guild has announced the establishment of two new local chapters, in Withermarsh Green near Ipswich, and in Manchester, in addition to the existing chapters in London and Oxford. To get in touch with any of these Chapters, or to enquire about starting another, email lucyashaw@gmail.com.

The Guild’s next events are listed in the Classified section of this magazine, including a Sewing Retreat in November and a training day with the Royal School of Needlework, to make a miniature cope, in March 2023.