Worn over a choir robe, a choir stole drapes across the shoulders. Two styles of choir stole are common. One style resembles a scarf and hangs down the front of the body. This style also can be reversed so that the long ends hang down the back and the stole looks like a triangle at the neck. The other style is known as the pennant style. It is diamond shaped and features a triangle in the front and a longer triangle that hangs down the back. Use a polyester, satin or cotton fabric to make the choir stoles.
Prepare to Make the Stoles
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To determine how many stoles to sew, consider that one stole is needed for every member of the choir but that it is also a good idea to have a few extras, in case other people join the choir or someone loses his stole.
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About 1 yard of fabric is needed for each stole. The stoles will be reversible. You can choose two contrasting fabrics for each side if you like.
Make the Stoles
Begin making the stoles by cutting the fabric. If you make the scarflike stole, cut out four strips of fabric, 36 inches long and 6 inches wide, for each stole. To make the pennant stoles, cut out four triangles about 20 inches wide for each stole. The peak of the triangle should be about 9 inches high for the front and about 15 inches high for the back. If you make stoles with contrasting fabric, cut out two strips or triangles from each fabric for every stole.
Start sewing the stoles by stitching two strips together to make one long one, or stitch two triangles together so that you end up with a diamond shape. Repeat with the other two strips or triangles of fabric.
Next, attach the two long strips together or the two diamonds together, sewing along the edges of the stoles. It is important that the right sides of the fabric face together so that when you finish, the raw edges of the seams are tucked inside the stoles. Leave a small opening along the edge so that you can turn the stoles right side out, and then close up the opening.
The pennant stole then needs an opening cut in it that is big enough for a head to fit through. You can finish the neck opening using a zigzag stitch, binding tape or by hemming.