Nancy S Montgomery (–2008)

Washington Cathedral is the national cathedral as well as the cathedral of the Diocese of Washington, D.C. and the home church of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. This guidebook traces the history of the building from first thoughts in 1891 to completion of the building in the 1980's, although work still is being done in the interior, This book gives a good overview of the Cathedral and its many chapels, important persons buried in the building, furnishings, and grounds.

The book has numerous photographs (some in black and white) as well as plans of the two main floors along with a map of the grounds, a timeline, and a glossary of terms. There are other books which cover aspects of the Cathedral in more detail, such as the stained glass, the rare books, the silver, the needlework, the herb garden and much more. There are services held every day to which the public is invited. The times listed in the guide are dated; check the internet for times and days before travelling to the cathedral.

I have been to Washington Cathedral several times, the most memorable being a guided tour to see the needlepoint kneelers. The guidebook serves as a reminder of those trips.… (mehr)

Stitches for God is the story of how the Washington National Cathedral formed a committee and began stitching kneelers and hangings for the beautification of the new structure. Some of the most creative designers of the day and many stitchers participated in the creation of these works of art. Nancy Montgomery, the communications director of the Cathedral at that time, describes various areas inside the cathedral with the types of needlework and the symbolism involved. There are also photographs of some of the pieces. However, except for the cover photo of the rug in front of the high altar, these are in black and white. The designers are listed in an appendix, both professional and amateur.

It must be noted that there are no instructions for needlepoint techniques or the finishing of the kneelers. (However, the author does discuss briefly the difficulties in finishing the rug at the high altar.) This is strictly a cursory inventory of the pieces stitched through the early 1970s along with their liturgical significance.

Although a lovely souvenir book, it is not a substitute for visiting the Cathedral and seeing the work. Plan on spending several hours with just the stitchery and a whole day to see the building and grounds. It is well worth the trip.… (mehr)