Cathedral Broderers

Commenced October 2010.

There are 8 kneelers in 4 different designs stitched in a variety of canvas work stitches and a range of blue wools.

Commenced October 2010

Finished  December 2011

Chapter chose this design from several I submitted. It features, on one side, the sun’s rays with “Swithun; Saint and Bishop”  and on the other side, the rain drops with stylised branches and leaves and, along lower edge, “St Swithun’s  day if thou dost rain, for forty days it will remain. St Swithun’s day if thou be fair. For forty days twill rain nae mare”

Each of the Broderers contributed to the stitching.

These all date from the 1930’s and were made under the supervision of Louisa Pesel. We provided new fabrics for the top and the bottom of each, cleaned and repaired the stitching and then it was reupholstered.

This was requested by the Precentor who donated the fabric. One of the Broderers designed the motif for the orphreys and the stoles.

Possibly early 20th Century, was donated to the Cathedral. It was decided to modernise it so the orphreys were removed and replaced on a new Chasuble of more contemporary design. Then outlined with new gold braid.

Two Broderers took 3 years to stitch.

The Dean asked us to design and make two new kneelers for special occasions. We took the Retrochoir tiles as our design. They were worked in crewel wool and perle threads.

Two Broderers took 5 years to complete.

The Cathedral did not have kneelers for Bride and Groom to kneel on so these were designed and the threads were donated by the Broderers. A variety of canvas work stitches were used with stranded cotton and perle threads.

Found in Calefactory when clearing the space, it took 2 people about 450 hours to restore. The images were traced then cut away from the rotted background fabric  and repaired, then applied to new brocade. The gold lines were then couched onto the new backing and conservation net stitched over the frontal and the super frontal. New fringes were added.

Approximately 300 hours work.

Also found in the Calefactory, the silk stitching on the motifs was repaired then the gold threads were stitched down or replaced. The frontal was then stretched onto a new frame with new fabric addd at each end. The entire frontal as then covered in conservation net. The red velvet super frontal was replaced with new gold velvet with a matching cord edging.

These were designed to go with the purple Advent Vestments. They are made up of strips of silk and ribbons with handmade cords between some of the strips.

This is one of several repairs we have done from the “Gold Set”. Most of these vestments have been patched where they have worn around the neck and hem. They are probably now 30 years old.

Designed by Sophie Hacker and stitched by Cathedral Broderers. Commenced March 2019 and finished December 2020.

The design, showing water turning into wine from 5 vessels has been interpreted in silk fabrics and  organzas with some machine stitching, hand stitching and beading. The vessels in silhouette have been machine stitched and outlined with hand made piping. The water and wine are worked in organzas all of which are covered in hand stitching and beading.

Commenced April 2019 and finished

These three kneelers are designed to continue the flow of water into wine from the Altar cloth. All three kneelers are in Parisian Stitch using a variety of red yarns in an abstract pattern.

Commenced August 2023, finished  October 2025.

Having completed the Epiphany Chapel kneelers there were plenty of red threads left so we decided to stitch 2 new cushions for the wooden arm chairs that sit in the Chapel. The same stitches and design were used as on the kneelers at the Altar.

Commenced December 2017 and finished September 2020.

The image was taken from an old manuscript and worked in silk fabrics with hand stitching. The surrounding arch was entirely stitched in chain stitch with silk threads. The Scribes designed the lettering for us.

Commenced 2020 and finished June 2023.

The hare design was taken from an illustration by  Vikki Yeates  and also found in the stained glass window of a Church in Suffolk.

Three Broderers were each  given the same drawing of a hare, identical selection of threads and a colourful illustration of a hare from Kit William’s book.

All hares were stitched in long  straight stitches. When finished the hares were applied to a silk circle which was then stitched onto the green brocade and outlined with red piping cord.

Commenced August 2022 and finished October 2024.

The crossed Keys design was taken from a stained glass window in the Deanery.  The keys and sword are cut out from gold and silver leather and mounted onto a red velvet background. The gold decoration on a blue background is machine stitched and all mounted on a gold coloured brocade.

Commenced April 2021 and finished August 2022.

The frontal was found stored in the North Transept Triforium, it was too wide and too short for the current Altars so the Broderers re shaped it! Blue velvet, which matches the blue in the “IHC” was sourced. We took off the braids, the fringe and removed one panel from each end. All the stitching was repaired and covered with conservation net, the braids and fringe replaced then the blue velvet along the top and bottom was added.

Two of the “IHC” are upside down, we do not know why!

Commenced September 2023 and finished August 2025.

First worn, as far as we know, at the coronation of King George V1 in 1937 by Bishop  Garbett. It came to us in a poor condition. First we traced the gold cord of the Orphrey then removed the Orphrey from the Cope and then the gold cord from the Orphrey.

The gold of the Cope was repaired and painstakingly covered in Conservation net which took many weeks. At the same time the Hood was repaired  and also covered in Conservation net. New lining fabric was purchased and stitched into the Cope.

The multi coloured fringe is no longer available so we purchased the fringing in the 5 colours that were originally used, cut them into  15 cms lengths and stitched them, by hand, onto a new braid. This new multicoloured  fringe was then stitched around the hem of the Cope and around the edge of the Hood.

Blue Brocade was sourced, with difficulty as the original colour is no longer produced. Next the pattern traced from the Orphrey was tacked onto the new Orphrey and then the original gold cord was stitched onto the Orphrey.

The Morse was also repaired, with new blue Brocade and the same gold cord.

New buttons were covered with fabric and stitched to the back of the Cope.

Commenced  April 2023 and finished October 2024.

A solution of water with tea bags was used to dye the fine linen fabric, this was done so that the linen was a more subdued white colour. Then the two Patee crosses were plotted and stitched using a pulled thread technique and outlined in chain stitch, all worked in two strands of purple stranded cotton. The top part of the Pulpit Fall was worked in white stranded cotton.

Commenced October 2017 and finished December 2026.

There are over 100 cushions in the Quire and the Broderers are gradually, one by one, restoring them all. Each one was taken apart from its backing and  the interior cushion removed, both would then be cleaned of decades of dust as far as it was possible.

The canvas work has been repaired, matching the colours of the threads as closely as possible then taken to the upholsterer along with the interior cushion for them to add a new backing fabric and reassemble the cushion.

We are now working on the last few.

Commenced October 2022, finished April 2024.

When Tracy Chevalier was researching for her book, A single Thread, which was inspired by the pattern on these cushions, she came to visit us a few times to see the cushions close up and the back of the stitching as well.

During  Tracy’s research she discovered a design that had not been used so we were commissioned to make it. One of our Broderers, Margaret Bingham, created the new cushion from this design, choosing all the stitches and the colours so that it fitted in with the existing cushions.

Commenced April 2025

This is to fit into the alcove behind the High Altar. The design needs to blend with the stone of the Screen and to be such that it will not detract from the Altar Frontals that will be used through out the year. We are working on a geometric pattern using a selection of silks that blend with the stone.

So far we have worked on many repairs, the corners of the Green Laudian Throw by Belinda Scarlet which goes over the Nave Altar.

Lady Chapel Frontal has been repaired and covered with Conservation net.

Repairs to several stoles.

Regular repairs are needed for the flags the Cathedral flies.