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How to Make Confirmation Stoles

A confirmation stole is used in the celebration of spiritual affirmation in many Christian churches. Young people begin a lengthy study of their religious beliefs and begin to understand what membership in their church will mean to them. As a rite of passage, they go through a confirmation ceremony and usually wear a silk or linen stole that goes around their neck and hangs to mid-thigh. Many young people decorate their own but parents can do individual ones for their children. There are some ways to make this stole special.

Things You'll Need

Measuring tape
Linen or silk material
Scissors
Liner material
Fringe (optional)
Iron
Iron-on letters
Iron-on decals or designs (optional)
Embellishments such as sequins, rhinestones (optional)
Rhinestone setter (optional)
Fabric glue
Quilted strips (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Measure from mid-thigh, around the neck and down to the other mid-thigh. Cut a strip of fabric 6 inches wide by that length. Cut a liner fabric the same length and width.
- 2
  Place the fabric and liner strips right-sides together and seam the long sides but leave a 6-inch opening at the back of the neck. Do not sew the short ends. Turn the stole right-side out and hand-stitch the neck opening shut.
- 3
  Decide if you want the ends of the stole to be pointed, straight across or fringed. If the stole will be pointed, fold the ends in half and make a mark on both sides 4 inches up from the point. Seam to the marks for a nice point. If you add fringe on the end, cut the length of fringe, sandwich it between the fabric and liner ends of the stole and sew the seam shut.
- 4
  Add your first name down one side of the stole with iron-on letters. Find a fancy script you like and trim around the edges. Place the iron-on transfer in position on the stole with the paper side facing up. Press with the iron on the fabric setting for your stole for about 12 seconds. Turn the stole over and press the wrong side about 5 seconds. Allow to cool and then peel away the paper side. Other decal iron-on designs can be added in the same way.
- 5
  In addition to your first name, consider attaching rhinestones or sequins as embellishments. Use a gem setter or fabric glue to attach most embellishments. Any other embellishment you like can be glued to the fabric.
- 6
  Many quilt designs are appropriate embellishments to the stole. Use the front of the stole as the base and sew or glue quilted strips in an attractive pattern.

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