I am Nathan Brinklow.  I live on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, a First Nations community in South-Eastern Ontario.  Since 2004, I have been studying on and off at Wycliffe College in the Toronto School of Theology at the University of Toronto.  If you know anything about Wycliffe, you'll no doubt appreciate the historical irony of a vestment maker attending that particular college.  I intend to offer myself for ordination to the Anglican priesthood after completion of my studies in April 2009.

In December 2006, I decided to take a year off from school to focus on my own well-being.  The development of this business was part of that process as I tried to find a place in the the church.  Getting this project underway gave me hope for the future and that is the broader meaning behind the tagline, 'I lift up my heart.'

The first vestment I ever made was a wrap around alb.  To put it simply, I needed one and I didn't have the money to buy anything good.  I am a third generation quilter, following my mother and her mother before her, so I was no stranger to a needle or sewing machine.  Making my own alb seemed to be the obvious solution so I borrowed one from a friend and my grandmother and me proceeded to make a copy.

From that time I have made other items for friends who wanted something special, well made and reasonably priced.

I can offer the personal touch often missing from the company which sells pre-manufactured items in a one-size-fits-all style.  One of the most stunning vestments I have had the honour of making was a cope for a good friend who found a beautiful Damascus Silk while on pilgrimage in Israel.  Having this vestment custom made was the only option and I was privledged to fashion the material into the cope.  If you have a fabric that you would like to use, let me know and I'll try to work with it.

I can't offer the huge selection or overnight delivery available from a larger company, but I can make something that will last for years and reflect the person for whom it was made in every detail.  I make the standard vestments in regular sizes using traditional designs and fabrics, but if you're looking for something longer, shorter, thinner, or wider than usual, or maybe just something a little different, drop me an email and we can talk about what you'd like to see.  Since everything is made from scratch in any case, alterations in the design are no problem.

About Me & SCC

What I Have to Offer