Going to the Chapel....

....Not *me*! I've already been there! *grin* My Mom's getting married! Yay!

If there's time, I'm planning on making her a stole ("rectangular wrap") for her to wear on her big day. They are planning to keep it small and simple, so my sister and I may not be present (and my brother will probably not be on parole yet).

I've looked at a lot of the patterns up on Ravelry (I think I'm about halfway through the search results for "stole"). I love a lot of what I see, but it's not really my Mom's style. I'm debating designing a stole for her, if she likes the idea.

My mother and her betrothed are... hunts for appropriate, non-laden word quiet examples of Christianity. My Mother has lived her life as close to Christ-like as she could at each point in her life. If I were ever going to become a believer myself, I think it would be because of her example of Christian behavior. Her betrothed, studied at the seminary (did I get that right Ron?) to become a pastor. He didn't finish---life throws us all curve balls, eh?---but he's very knowledgeable and secure in his faith as well.

I would like to incorporate some motifs or symbols which signify their commitment to each other and to God into this stole's design. I've already had a number of thoughts on what I'd like to do. At this point, what I need are end-panel designs, edgings and maybe something to go along the top and bottom of the long sides.

Here's some basic PNG images to show the "border" breakdowns I'm looking at:

This is the first idea I had. The end panels would be independent from the center panel, which has it's own border (top and bottom).

This is a less complex design, with the border being the same all the way around (maybe garter stitch or moss stitch?). I could do something more complex, but most of the embellishments I've seen are shown in a heavier weight yarn---and I'll be working in laceweight. I don't know how well something like "embossed twining vine leaf"[1] will work in laceweight.

Depending on the answers I get from Mom about what she wants (a surprise, a custom-designed stole, a pattern she picks out or a combination of things), I'll post more of my ideas for the stole and add to the PNG images above.

In the meantime, can anyone suggest some good stitch patterns for embellishing the ends? I'd like ideas which reference my Mother's faith, the Christian symbols of marriage, the Trinity.... and yet, I'm trying to avoid using the Cross and the Fish. Anyone have any ideas? What about organic motifs? Is there a vine pattern which might make a good border? What about a leaf edging? Is there a flower pattern which could be connected to Scripture?

One last question for any lace knitters out there: should I design this to work from short end to short end (knitting the length up as I go)? Or should I design it to knit the width up as I go (which would make for very long rows!)?

Thanks for thinking on this. Even if my Mother decides on a different pattern/design, I'm still thinking about working this idea up specifically because of the dirth of symbolic designs for weddings.