Part of my work in getting The Tailored Stole started has been interviewing clergy about stoles. I've had a lot of fun talking with priests who are only a few months into ministry and priests who are close to retirement.

As I talked with clergy, a few common themes surfaced. Stoles can, at times, be uncomfortable to wear -- sometimes creeping up your neck as you go through liturgical motions, sometimes pressing into your neck, sometimes shifting side to side.

After these themes kept cropping up, I went back to my stole pattern and began trying out some new things.

I'm so happy to say that I've come up with a new stole design that I think is far superior to the traditional stole cut! I call it The Tailored Stole Signature Cut. In essence, it is a design that has a narrower segment that wraps around the back of the neck, which allows the stole to be worn without pressing into the neck. It has a slightly different angling that ensures it won't creep up the neck, but will lie flat on the shoulder and base of the neck. And finally, the new design cut helps the stole stay in position, as it conforms so naturally to the shoulders and neck that it doesn't get shifted side to side as the priest goes about their work.

In the Patron Saints Collection, you can see The Tailored Stole Signature Cut on the Lucy and the Bede. And here's a comparison photo of the two Style Cuts side by side.

I'll offer both the Classic Cut and The Tailored Stole Signature Cut for all of my stole designs.

Do you have something you'd love to change about stoles? Let me know!