How to Make a Nun’s Habit

Good Morning,

In response to your request for patterns, fabric and the like, I can only say that the market is an extremely narrow one, and the makers of habits are quite reluctant to divulge/share their knowledge. As a member of the Secular Franciscans, I and others are pursuing the quest to resurrect the original habit of the Brothers and Sisters of Penance of St. Francis, namely, a simple tunic and cord, without the cowl and hood. At http://www.glenfont.com/ they’ll make you any habit you’d like, dating as far back as four centuries. They will not sell patterns, fabrics or other secrets of the trade, as it is their primary business in assisting to sustain themselves. I’ve found other manufacturers of religious habits to respond in like kind. In short, if you have business for us, we’ll talk to you. Otherwise, don’t bother us. Thanks. Many contemplative nuns/monks sew religious habits to sustain themselves as well. All I can say is,” pray on it, and the Holy Spirit will lead you to your source. When you do, contact me at the internet address, above.

Pax et bonum,
Dennis,sfo

I have bent myself to the task of sewing habits. My advice is to spend a lot of time looking at images of traditional nuns in habit, then spend an equal amount of time scouring pattern catalogues and used pattern sites like http://www.oldpatterns.com . Choose a dress pattern, or skirt and bodice pattern, that most closely resembles what you are aiming for in your size or larger.
Sewing is a creative process, very few people adhere absolutely to the pattern details, this is the fun of sewing your own, so with forethought you can adapt these regular patterns to other designs…what is a habit but a certain style of dress? (and this goes for male habits too).
My own habit is “Linen”, actually a 100% polyester linen lookalike that is machine wash and wear. my scapular is broadcloth. cincture is cotton rope dyed blue. I also have an underskirt that is heavy cotton twill and brushes the tops of my shoes, black as a cassock as this is the purpose it serves. It hides my legs and adds a more formal look when serving or preaching.
I suggest plain heavy fabrics, cotton twills, linen if you can afford it, or lookalike linen if you can’t. Fancy design or close tailoring is not needed, and is to be avoided. Look at Mennonite women for another example.
Whatever you do, use top quality thread and do a good job of stitching. Treat the Habit just as you would a vestment such as a chasuble or cope etc. Durability is essential and it is easier to spend an extra 20 minutes sewing carefully than hours later mending seams that give out.
I’ve never tried making a veil and “appurtenances thereto” – for obvious reasons – monks wear a hood.

Er, SCA chapter, that is. Teach me to comment without finishing my coffee…

Sr Julie,

I came across one of your blog entries from awhile back where a woman was looking to help sisters make their habits.

I have a similar problem, but it’s on a smaller scale. The Sisters of Notre Dame in Covington are looking to have a doll in their archives with their habit. The problem is, they don’t know anyone who can make a habit for this doll that would be able to make it without a pattern. Where might I look to find a pattern for a doll habit that is exactly the same as the SNDs? They don’t even have a pattern for the original habit that the Sisters wore anymore, so they can’t look at that and make it smaller.

Do you know anyone who can make this for us by looking at a doll that has on what we’re looking for?

Peace,
Anne
To Jesus Through Mary

to K. Edwards:

I can help you with habits for sisters of the Civil War era. The archives of the Daughters of Charity is closed at present and they get so many requests they are unlikely to respond. You can email me at katie.carroll (at) comcast (dot) net .

With regard to Cistercian community in need of habits or patterns. We make our own and if you wish you may pass along our e-mail and we will do what we can for them.

Always In Christ

I have an extensive “convent sewn” pre-Vatican II nun doll collection and have studied the techniques and details of each nun doll.

If you use white linen for the coif (material around the face) and guimpe (collar), it will look “authentic”.

The best method of making the coif is to make a “hood” with a drawstring in the back. This will keep the coif snug and secure. It will not slip.

For the habit dress such as the Sisters of Saint Joseph, Ursulines, Sisters of Mercy wore — make a bodice with very wide sleeves. Onto the bodice sew a pleated dress — 6 pleats would be enough on each side — a center with 3 pleats on each side — I would make the pleats deep so they keep their shape.

Measure and hem before you set the pleats.

The veil should have a casing and I used a piece of thick black elastic to structure the veil.

The veil should always have a casing and be structure — you could also use black cardboard that is wired with black tape the shape the veil.

If you look at photos of pre-Vatican II nuns, you can get further details.

But I think with the information I gave, you could make a creditable habit.

Nun’s habits were fashioned after mourning clothing, or so I have read. The headgear was also fashioned after the time in which the community came together. Besides the linen around the face and hair, the outer headpiece was frequently fashioned to block peripheral vision. Check out “The Nun’s Story” on DVD – very nice habits, indeed!

I too am looking into Franciscan spirituality and a habit of sorts but one for Lay Associates. For me this has become a modest brown jumper, white blouse and black headscarf.
Pax et Bonum

Can anyone suggest the name of a fabric to be used for a simple veil? I am a hermitess and must sew my own habit.

About the veil, I was able to purchase one from Fitzgerald before they went out of business. It’s a black material, very thin, soft and fluid, and it attaches in the back of the head with velcro. I was told it looks like “crepe de chine” but that particular fabric is way too shiny.

Any suggestions?

Pax.

I think Fitzgerald’s is still in business, but limtited to a few days a week. One of our sisters just purchased veils forms from them. Maybe that helps!

Most of the original habits were made of fine wool serge, an expensive but practically industructible fabric. These habits might be cleaned only once a year with a soap and water shower and then allowed to drip dry. Think Woolite in a sprinkling can or garden bottle-type sprayer. Never scrub wool, friction makes it shrink. Dry cleaning was considered too expensive. Undergarments and dress shields were laundered frequently to keep outerwear clean. Some cloistered orders wore coarser fabrics. Fastenings were usually pins, hooks and eyes or ties. Undergarments were homemade of muslin in white or gray. A lighter fabric, literally called “nun’s veiling” was used for some of the sheerer veils.

Coifs, wimples, bandeaus and collars were made from linen, some items very heavily starched. In the 1950s and 60s, a substitute material manufactured from linen bonded to celluloid was very popular, since it held its crisp shape and was very easy to clean. Unfortunately, it was discovered that it was also highly flammable and so was abandoned. I don’t think the Cistercians were ever into heavy starch. In my dim recollection, their habit and accessories were soft looking.

In the spirit of poverty, most congregations of sisters made their own habits, and only ordered their distinctive white headpieces from a commercial manufacturer. Out of humility, no sister worked on the habit she personally wore, but sewed for another sister. Each motherhouse should have kept at least one habit and pattern of their traditional habit. Many of those habits changed several times over the years, even before the innovations of the 60s. If a pattern is not available, you might purchase a nun doll from a company like Blessings. Be quick, they are going out of business soon.

You might ask your library if they can obtain a copy of “Guide to the Catholic Sisterhood in the United States” by Thomas P. McCarthy. This was printed in several editions through the 1950s and 60s. It contains good photographs and descriptions of traditional habits with their details for over a hundred orders. No patterns, but if you sew, you might get a good grasp of the way these habits are put together from the pictures. If your library doesn’t have a copy, ask them if they can do an interlibrary loan.

As a last resort, you might visit a good nun doll museum and take plenty of photos. Good luck.

No, they don’t have a website. Believe me, I had looked.

I have also offered to make our sister their habits but would love to find a pattern somewhere it would save trying to make it from scatch.

If anyone can help I would be eternally gratefully.

God Bless

It looks like many have the same problem.
I’ve been asked to sew habits for our dispersed order and can’t find any premade.
The answer seems to be in simplicity; you might find a pattern for a Palestinian thobe, which is a plain long tent-dress with long sleeves. Some have gussets or frontal inserts but easy sewing. Adding pleats or extra width shouldn’t be a problem. Scapulas are very simple just long long aprons, some have side ties, some don’t. They may be held in place by a rope girdle, cincture, or belt. Material in these days of variable indoor preset temperatures (for those of us who work in the outside world), should be half poly, half cotton. Colour is your own selection but I’d keep away from white, no matter how neat it looks, we don’t have servants or time for extra washing! In winter we may wear warm track pants underneath, and thermals, with the option of a long cape and long dark scarf. In summer some tend to dispense with the heavier habit and retain the scapular with dark slacks and a white blouse as it can get very hot here in Australia. Footwear is flat, dark, and practical, closed for winter, sandals for summer. As I’m about to venture into the sewing for our order, feel free to enquire.

Sorry to hear that both Fitzgerald’s and Fitzpatrics have closed. Does anyone have any idea what type of metal that veil wires are made from? I remember them as being very easy to bend, so they were easy to make comfortable. I plan to start covering my head full time in accordance with 1 Corinthians 11, and the call to pray at all times. I think a veil wire would be very helpful in keeping the covering in place, and comfortable. I’ve tried a plastic hair band, and a springy wire hair band, but they both give me headaches as they are tight. Any info/advice would be greatly appreciated.

I’ve learned a lot reading about making habits! What a great discussion! I found the web site of old patterns very helpful. We are also looking for a company that sells habits. We are in the process of making our own, but not everyone has that skill. Thanks for your web site, Sr. Julie! It’s terrific!

Dear Sister Julie,
I notice that I did not write “sister” in my above post. Mea culpa.
Mother Alexandra