How to Make a Priest Biretta {Picture Version}

Papi had his heart set on being St. John Bosco for All Saints’ Day.  I guess he didn’t get the memo that mama was out on pregnancy leave.  He rallied the troops and collected money for me to take a trip to the nearby fabric store, at 8 pm no less.  It took me another week to muster up the energy to begin my costume making sweat shop boutique.  That week was last week, two weeks before the beautiful feast day celebrations.  Praise God, I’m ahead of schedule.  

I desired to piece together his cassock costume in the wee hours of the night so I could have uninterrupted sewing bliss but he had other plans.  He urged me to get moving so he could sew his cassock.  By sewing I mean pressing the foot pedal and supervising my fabric feeding.  The cassock was completed within minutes.  It has plenty of room for improvement but has been given the seven year old stamp of approval.  Papi was so giddy with his work that he allowed me to start the biretta the following day.  Such a generous boy is he.

Good thing Melody finally got around to sharing her biretta making tricks.  (Love ya, Melody.)  I had planned on making birettas for the boys’ Christmas presents and was excited to use the pattern and tutorial that she provided.  (I can now check off birettas from the Christmas list.)  I stared at the pattern for a good part of the day then finally built up the courage to get to work.  My courage faded after step 3.  Turns out that the pattern was not intended for placenta brain.  I contacted Melody out of desperation and she walked me through the process.  She also talked me off the cliff on numerous occasions.

It’s far more simple than you realize….Focus.  Reread my last instruction.  It’s not as hard as it seems…Yes!  that’s it!…Maybe put it down and finish tomorrow.  You sound crafted out…It looks great, btw.

Praise God for  fellow mamas waist deep in the trenches who seek to counsel the doubtful.

Here is my photo tutorial for the DIY Biretta for the simple minded mamas.  Be sure to check Blossoming Joy’s post, How to Make a Priest Biretta for All Saints’ Day, for a full description, link to the biretta pattern, and link to the pom pom tutorial.

  Biretta

The biretta is a tri-cornered or square-shaped hat with silk trim, tuft (except for the birette of seminarians and cardinals) and three raised wings, called “horns,” on top at three corners (the side of the hat without the horn is worn on the left side of the head). It is made of scarlet silk for cardinals, violet silk for bishops, and black merlino for priests, deacons, and seminarians.  ~ Fisheaters

 

 Presto!

Now mama can get some rest.