Ever come up with what you think is a good, original idea, only to find out it’s been done… a lot?    For quite awhile I’ve envisioned making some church banners with batik fabric pieces against a black background, to make it look like stained glass.  Well, now that I know it’s been done, I can poke around for some more ideas.    Here are some links to stained glass quilting, banners, or other fabric art.  I’m not necessarily totally crazy about all of the projects I’m linking to, but it seems cooler to have stained glass fabric art in Lutheran churches, as opposed to hippy Pentecostal banner art. 

Very colorful series, with beautiful possibilities.  You can buy patterns from their website, too.

Some holiday banners from Poiema Banners.  Nice design.

Calling all Lutheran quilter ladies… someone make a Luther rose window with this idea, please!

Drool. This verse from the beatitudes is just great.

Okay, so this is not exactly stained glass quilting– they’re embroidery designs with some stained glass motifs, as well as various other Christian imagery.  Just ignore the first couple samples, as well as some of those saint invocations further down, and check out the good stuff–particularly, certain evangelists and saints, the Lord’s Prayer, and “Come Lord Jesus” (which should be awfully familiar to you Lutherans).

This isn’t a very clear picture, but apparently these “stained glass windows” at the front of the church are actually fabric.  The site involves an ELCA Lutheran/Presbyterian church combo in North Dakota; a page with more pictures, and some more stained glass fabric art, can be seen here.  (I’m still trying to figure out how the “Evangelical denomination” or the “Plan of Salvation” links made it onto the sidebar there.  Come to think of it, Alex and I have probably driven past this church before while cruising through Langdon.)

Just imagine… portable, less expensive, and yet relatively durable stained glass windows.  And I’m sure a similar technique could be used with paper.

A new blog has been created that is entirely devoted to the Weimar altar painting by the Cranachs.  Go here to check it out!