Clergy and Wedding Officiants: A new stole design!

Do you have an idea for a stole but can’t find in any store or eCommerce site? Tell us about it! It could be that we could take it on as a one of a kind commission. But we often find what one client needs that is reason to offer it to others also. Such was the case when I client asked if we could create a wedding stole for her pastor husband who often preached about the four loves from the Greek translation of the word. This was a great idea! I mean …. geez that sermon message makes so much sense it was even in my wedding service way back in 1986!

We got to work! This is a detail of the completed stole. Below is the hope, faith and love symbol that is on the stole chest. See the stole in full here. The good news for our client with the good idea is that because she agreed to let us create a limited edition and offer the stole on the website it saved her the cost of a one of a kind commission! That’s a win for all :)

The Coffee Filter Clergy Stole

You heard me right! We’e made a stole embellished with coffee filters! I happened to be married to a man who is constantly trying to make his first cup of coffee in the morning . just . so . right. This has required some apparatus experimentation over the years. I recognize this is a little prima donna-ish but we’ve run the gamete of tools from thermal coffee pots to the french press to the our over to the areo press.

My current favorite is the aero press (seen above). It’s a combination of a french press and a pour over method. And oddly I can say that I like the texture of the way the coffee turns out and how quickly you make a quality cup of coffee.

But using this contraption daily has caused the side of me that doesn’t like to be wasteful to want to find a use for the little paper coffee filter that it uses with each press. So of course we had to trying sewing on it!

One thing led to another and the coffee filters have ended up on stoles! The inspiration for this stole series was Roman’s 8:28 …”and we know that in all things God works fo the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

So the coffee filters on this stole are symbolic of sustenance the way that cup can seem first thing in the morning. But they are also circles to remind us of God’s never ending love. How good is that? The stoles can be seen in full here and here.

What sustains you? Some might say coffee, or exercise or their family. But we’d hope that many would say it’s their relationship with God. May this stole be a reminder of all of that! … and BTW we discovered a reusable metal mesh filter for our aero press. So once we’re through the paper filters we started with that will be the end of this series!

Advent Clergy Stole created from Unique Fabric Technique

Taking fabric and combining it with more fabric and then deconstructing it to make it into a new piece of "fabric" is something we love to do. The strips in the top left image are how our latest Advent stole started out. The strips were purchased as a suggested combination by the manufacturer. They sell them all rolled up and call them 'jelly rolls' .... who could resist!? Follow the link below to see the results of this stole. We are pleased with it's uniqueness and the little bit of gold in the fabric designs provides just the right amount of extra.

About our Clergy Stole Business: Top three questions

Here are the answers to our most frequently asked questions. If this doesn't answer all of your questions do't hesitate to contact us at jenny.gallo@CarrotTopStudio.com or 412-480-4193. 

What length stole should I order?

There is no set rule as it depends upon your ministry style and whether you wear a robe or not. The best scenario would be to have someone help you use a cloth tape measure to measure from the back center of your neck to the edge of where the hem would be on one side of the stole. Or know that a 49" stole falls at the knee cap of a 5' 4" person with a thin frame and then gauge accordingly.

How long does shipping take?

Shipping is 2-3 business days within the USA via USPS Priority mail. Orders are fulfilled Monday-Saturday unless otherwise noted in the website announcement bar. Expedited 1-2 day shipping via USPS is an alternative option at checkout.

What if I don't see what I need on your website?

Don't hesitate to ask if there is a stole you like but it's not the correct length. We might be able to remake the stole in a longer length or hem a stole that is not short enough.

OR if you if an idea for a stole that is not in our current collection we would be glad to consider adding it as a limited edition to the website or creating it as a one of a kind commission. Email us here.

Mothering Stoles

Haven't I told you our clients have the best ideas? Our Mothering Sunday stoles came to be because of a client explaining the tradition of his church in the United Kingdom. Mother's and children are honored on this day celebrated on the 4th Sunday of Lent with particular focus on a mother's love. Like Mother's Day in the United States the meaning of the tradition has changed and morphed over the years. Regardless of that my client explained the use of daffodils on this day and says it gives a brief pause in the solemnity of the Lenten season. 

It's interesting to note that in other countries this tradition is called Refreshment Sunday, Pudding Pie Sunday, Mid-Lent Sunday, Simnel Sunday and Rose Sunday. In our response to our client's needs we created a purple stole for Lent with daffodils. But we loved the idea so much we translated the imagery onto a white stole that would be suitable for the season of Easter or if your congregation honors Mother's Day in May. And good news for our clients ... these stoles are currently on sale! See the purple stole here and the white version here.

And isn't it fitting that the daffodil that is a sign of rebirth and beginnings is the flower used in connection with these days in our church life? Some people even call them a Lent lily. So there's your little interesting fact for the day! 

Working in a Series: The Sheep

Sometimes one idea in the studio builds upon another. That becomes a series and our latest endeavors  have been inspired by sheep and learning about Biblical shepherd imagery. Some of this resulted in items for Christmas! You may see the stole here and the parament/banner here. 

This summer we found a unique piece of fabric that gradated from cream to blush and had a border of vibrant green. And it was dotted with tiny bits of metallic gold! We were excited to buy a small piece to experiment with and pondered the usage for several months. The result is this one of a kind "sheep" themed stole in our Ordinary Time collection. Inspired by John 10:11-18 this cream colored stole depicts the joy of the knowledge that we have a Good Shepherd. He knows us and laid down his life for US! This is life giving and we can rejoice. The chest is embellished with a shepherd's cross. See it in full here. 



Looking for an "Elf on the Shelf" alternative to recommend to your young families? Keeping with the sheep theme of this newsletter, how about the "Shepherd's Treasure" as a faith based alternative? Too late? File it away for next year!

*we have no affiliation with this company

We hope the whimsical style of the sheep make you smile and that they help you make a visual connection to the story of our faith to those that you minister to. 

Do You Know: The origin of the stole

The stole was first known as orarium a term derived from the Latin oro or "to pray." The change in name from orarion to stola took place in the ninth century but it wasn't until the 12th century that the new name "stole" became generally used. By the 16th century the stole had become a badge of the bishops, priest and deacons each of whom wore it over the shoulder in their own distinctive way.

The orarium was originally nine or ten feel long and a uniform two to three inches wide. We often worry about clergy that order Carrot Top Studio stoles that seem to be really long for fear that they'll trip going up the chancel steps. How did they walk while wearing these long stoles in the 12th century? In later years stoles were of a tapered shape and were sometimes finished with fringe or little bells. Pope Innocent III gave a religious significance to the stole, which was originally a secular garment, by calling it the "easy yoke of Christ."

At the end of the Middle Ages, the stole became altered to a shorter, wider shape with an excessive splaying at the ends. Today's trend of a narrower stole became current in the early part of the twentieth century. 

Today, in our studio, we see the stole to be a visual link to the Word. We thoughtfully move through the design process of choosing colors and symbols that might assist your ministry. And as the stole in throughout the ages, our stoles (and photography skills!) have evolved over the years. 

Left to right: Our first stole sold on eBay,
one of our first commissioned stoles, and the newest stole on our website.

*Thanks to Textile Art in the Church by Marion P. Ireland for this history

Book Review: The Whispering Cloth

Stories are told through art in so many different ways. We aim to create ministry stoles at Carrot Top Studio that are pieces of wearable fiber art that tell a story through their colors and symbols. When we read about the tradition of the Hmong people in Southwest China's story cloth we felt a connection to their artistry.

Our curiosity led us to finding this children's book, The Whispering Cloth written by Pegi Deitz Shea. The illustrations are unique because some are watercolors and others are photographs of actual embroidered story cloth. They were created by Anita Riggio and You Yang. The book follows the story of a young girl who works out painful memories of her childhood by creating art in her story cloth. She is slowly and carefully taught her skill by her grandmother. This is a book about survival of a resilient group of refugees. The main characters grandmother is an example of love and wisdom.

I'd recommend this book to anyone that works with refugees, is a refugee, or to be used as a story starter for an art project. Additionally I could see it used in lessons of learning compassion, patience and loving one another in a variety of educational settings. I remain grateful that God has given us art and visual connections to learn from, to remember by, and  to grow through.

How We Got the Idea for This Stole

Do you ever look at Carrot Top Studio stoles and think "what were they thinking?" Our newest Ordinary Time design has a little back story. So it goes that my husband has just concluded his fiftieth year of life. At the beginning of this year I suggested we celebrate in small ways along the way and then conclude with a trip to a destination of his choice (that fit in my budget-of course:)). 

So one thing led to another and we found ourselves in AZ for a long weekend. I loved the drama of Sedona and the red rocks and Gary could hardly speak when first viewing the magnificence of the Grand Canyon. We departed this wonderful time of hiking and exploring a variety of creation that we'd not ever seen before simply in awe of how the earth was formed and how it has then transformed over time. 

Consequently I started envisioning creation images to place on a stole.When I think of creation I often turn to the beautiful words the Psalmists have handed down to us. Landing upon Psalm 95:1-6 my thoughts started to come together for how I would wield the scissors on the cloth and make the sewing machine work its magic. We think the result would be lovely for a Thanksgiving Eve worship service if you are one of our American clients. But it is a good buy because it's also fitting for the entirety of Ordinary Time. This stole is available in several lengths and is on the website here.

"O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker."

Visual Connections in Worship: Easter Sunday and the Season of Easter

How do you make a visual connection in worship beyond vestments, paraments and worship

This Easter joy stole
may be seen in full here.

banners during the Easter season? One way is to show that the message of Lent and Easter are interconnected. For example, if you have displayed a crown of thorns don't remove it from your worship space but simply add blossoms of white lilies as a symbol of the Resurrection. Additionally instead of removing Lent banners and cloths just add draping of white fabrics over them. Allowing some of the purple to show will remind us that Easter is the continuation of the story.

If you've used prayer stations or stations of the cross during Holy Week how can you include some of that imagery on Easter Sunday? Maybe you make the connection just by simply keeping the worship space darkened as services begin on Easter morning. A slow transition of adding light to the space will heighten the celebration of the Resurrection. This sort of "adding to" could occur with the musicians also. A musical worship team might begin with just one person in leadership and as worship is entered into the different musicians would become incorporated into their roles. The use of images on the big screen, so ever present today in many worship spaces, can also go from simple to complex, or black and white to full color to emphasize our entering into a season of joy, light and hope. 

Moreover, the expanse of lilies and other fresh flowers on Easter Sunday are often quite extraordinary and uplifting symbols of new life. But what carries the joy for the remaining fifty days until Pentecost? Maybe the choir sings from a different location than normal or there is drama incorporated into the worship because these are visual in addition to auditory components. The trick is to keep it simple so that new and different elements don't become entertainment to the point of the worshipers loosing site of why we are all gathered. Lastly, it is always wise to educate either verbally, through a children's moment or in print in the worship bulletin as to why something is new or different. Anything we can do to help the alleluias of Easter proclaim Christ's victory over sin and death will only deepen our great hope.

The Making of a Commissioned Ministry Stole

Several months ago I was thrilled (ok, actually I was positively giddy!) to respond to a request to create a stole for the moderator of the 220th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church USA. This was special for several reasons. First, the commission came to be because someone told someone who told someone about Carrot Top Studio and the unique stoles we create. This is how our business has been built and we are continuously grateful. Secondly, the General Assembly is in our hometown of Pittsburgh, PA this year. In the midst of the behind the scenes planning of this event we've been so proud to discover how the people of the "Burgh" would be extending hospitality and wrapping the time together in prayer. Lastly, I come from a very long line of Presbyterians (I'm at least a fourth generation) and I am proud and thankful for this heritage.


This commission gave me wonderful artistic free reign with the criteria simply being that it should represent the GA scripture from Isaiah 40:31 (but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint) but also reflect Pittsburgh. Here's a little documentation of how we came up with the finished product:

First step in a new stole design is to "audition" fabrics on the design wall to make sure the values and prints are compatible and create visual balance. Choosing the sky fabric was our greatest challenge and the blue in this image didn't make the cut! What we ended up working with was a piece of vintage blue denim. The vintage quality of the fabric seemed to shout, "remember those that have gone before you!"

Pittsburgh has 446 bridges. We thought a bridge was a great symbol for the moderator's stole because we think of the General Assembly as a place where a lot of ideas are bridged together. As the stole components were put into place we weren't sure which bridge would serve this piece the best. The Roberto Clemente bridge (on the left) that leads from downtown to the home of Pirates baseball at PNC Park seemed to be the best choice. On the finished stole (at the end of this post) you can see that the bridge is set above the three rivers that come together at the point of Pittsburgh. Of course this liturgical artist sees the number three as spiritually significant here!

There are times that we get caught up in a creative zone. Our left brain has learned to leave our right brain notes during these moments so we won't forget to do things--like add the birds above the bridge that represent "soaring in hope."

Creating the stencil for the seal applique.

I've always admired the PCUSA seal because it speaks to so much about our faith. Personally, I've always seen the Holy Spirit, the activeness of studying and proclaiming the Word (because the Bible is open not closed) and the Baptismal font. It's actually deeper than that and you can read about the seal here. During our brainstorming phase it was exciting to learn that permission was granted for us to use this trademarked image on the moderator's stole.


We have many hills in Pittsburgh so couldn't resist including a few! The medium green fabric used in the hills of Pittsburgh is from Malawi where our Pittsburgh Presbytery has a longstanding partnership. 

The back tip of the stole is a rising sun. Artistically throughout history the sun has been used as a symbol to represent "the son." On this stole it is in the midst of a colorful sun rise. We thought this was fitting imagery as a symbol of hope because we are blessed to have the light of Jesus replacing the darkness. The colors of the sunrise have been created using fabric hand dyed from a ministry my Pittsburgh church home has in La Croix, Haiti. The silk scarves are dyed by LaFemme de la Croix at the New Testament mission in Haiti and the sale of the scarves in the United States benefits the women's education. I've worked side by side with these dynamic young women and it was meaningful to include a piece of this silk that came to be because Christians from two very different communities were able to work together. This is a reminder that we are one in the Spirit.

What else reflects Pittsburgh on the 220th GA stole? We toyed with including a pierogi or Pirmanti Brothers sandwich but an incline won out instead. Inclines originally dotted the mountain side surrounding the city and allowed for the movement of people and supplies as the population expanded in the 1800's. Today there are two inclines left and they tend to be a favorite tourist stop.

And here's the finished product that was presented to Rev. Dr. Neal Presa after he was installed on Saturday night at the GA. We pray that it will be a fitting visual tool during his ministry.