St. Martha's Guild

The Saint Martha’s Guild, an apostolate of the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius, is a
group of Liturgical needle crafters from St. John Cantius Church, the home of Biretta Books.

Chainstitch vesperale and Sister Mildred's Treadle

The mission of the guild is to revive the Ecclesiastical needle arts of the past. Members work on both the restoration of existing pieces and the production of new items made prayerfully and with great care out of a deep respect for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Much of the work is done by hand using traditional techniques and antique equipment. At the same time the guild allows newer technologies to contribute to the process if the integrity of the work is not compromised.

From altar linens, to lace making, to gold work, to silk shading embroidery and many projects in between, the guild endeavors to build a broad range of skills in its members as well as providing resources and encouragement to sewing enthusiasts from other parishes who are also on a mission to bring about this particular Restoration of the Sacred.

Completed velvet restoration and silk thread

In 2024 Elizabeth Morgan, of Churchlinens.com passed away and left her online business to the St. Martha’s Guild. Prior to this, the guild offered a handful of their creations here at Biretta Books. With the addition of ChurchLinens.com, the Guild has added liturgical fabrics, fine linen, patterns, and a number of instruction manuals. Visit the St. Martha’s Guild category for the full line of offerings.

Silk Cincture and travel stole

To learn more about the St. Martha’s Guild visit their website at StMarthasGuild.com.

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