Notes From the Parsonage

Elizabeth Tiered Pants Tutorial

July 12, 2023 by notesfromtheparsonage 3 Comments

This tiered pants sewing tutorial is a step above a beginner, but still a simple pants pattern to make! The large ruffled tiers are make absolutely adorable palazzo style pants for little girls. Using quilting cotton, you can adjust this pattern to fit any size you need!

My niece is turning one! I couldn’t let the occasion go by without using the opportunity to make her some clothes to begin her toddling phase in. (Let’s just face it, if I’m your Aunt, you’re going to get homemade clothes. It is just life.) So, for outfit number one, I chose to make a reversible Smocket (find the free printable pattern here) and a pair of girly, tiered pants.

Free sewing tutorial for tiered girl's pants.

I loved making these pants. Cute. Girly. Comfy cozy. I cannot wait to give them to her!

What do you need to make these tiered pants?

Half a yard each of 2 fabrics. (Or 1 yard of a single fabric. You could also use some of your larger fabric scraps if you’ve got any of those lying around! Those would be fun!)

Elastic. (This is my go-to kid elastic.)

Your sewing stuff. (Sewing machine, thread, scissors, pins, ironing board, iron)

Cutting Your Fabric

First, I made my pattern. (I just drew it right on the back of my fabric. I’m fancy like that.) This is a size 18 months. If you need a larger size, add the inches as needed. (Don’t forget to add to the width and the length!)

Pattern Instructions for tiered pants tutorial

Okay, got it? Hehe. I’m just joking. This is my little sketch book drawing of what I made.

Piece 1: Cut 2 on fold: Fabric A: 6″ waist, 9″ crotch, 11″ outseam, 9″ leg width. (I used my Variform Curve ruler for the crotch. You can always eyeball it or grab another pair of pants and copy that pair.)

Piece 1A:Cut 2 on fold: Fabric B: 3″ tall by 9″ wide. (This is NOT a ruffle. It is just straight. You can omit this piece to make the pants shorter. Or you can add 1.5″ onto the length of pieces 2 and 3. Or you can add a third “crazy” fabric into the mix with this piece. It is up to you. You’re the designer. For my pants, I have it.)

Piece 2: Cut 2 on fold: Fabric A: 5″ tall by 12″ wide.

Piece 3: Cut 2 on fold: Fabric B: 5″ tall by 12″ wide.

Pieces of fabric laid out for tiered pants.

Sewing the Tiers

This is what you should have right now. (My pieces are still together. There are two of each piece, I swear!) (And they are still folded!)

With right sides together, sew piece 1A onto piece 1.

Now, on piece 2, you’re going to want to do a basting stitch (straight stitch, close-ish to the edge, as long as your stitch length will go) and gather the top of the piece. (The basting stitch should run down the LONG side of the fabric on whichever side you deem to be “top”.)

Once you’re all gathered up, pin piece 2 onto piece 1A with right sides together. You want the corners to match. Gather as much as needed to get the piece the same width. I gathered mine more in the middle and less on the ends. Why? The ends will be the inner leg. I wanted the ruffles to be more on the outside, with the inside of the legs being less ruffles. It’s a comfort thing.

After pinning, sew right sides together! (Sew with the gathered piece on top. Otherwise your straight piece will end up getting wonky.)

Do the same for piece 3. Baste. Gather. Pin with right sides together to piece 2. Sew.

Repeat for the other leg.

Finish the seams if you’re going to finish them. I serged mine because I have a nice serger and have to use it! If you don’t have a serger, don’t be jealous. Just finish your edges as you wish. (Clip them with pinking shears. Trim and zigzag. Do nothing. Whatever you want to do.)

Putting the Pants Together

Now, each pant leg should look like this. Fancy, huh? Take each pant leg and sew the inseam. (Put right sides together, matching up the outer edges.) Finish the inseam. (Serge. Pink. Zigzag.)

Now, you should have two pant legs. Do they look like pant legs? (You should answer yes. If you answered no, I think it is time to evaluate what went wrong before pressing on. Fear not. It happens to the best of us.)

Tiered Pant Leg inside other Tiered Pant Leg and Pinned with right sides together.

Flip one leg right side out and put it inside the other leg. Match the inseams. Pin around the crotch area. Sew. Finish the seam. (Serge. Pink. Zigzag.)

Waistband of the Tiered Pants with edge already finished.

Adding Elastic to the Waist

We’re moving on! Press about an inch of the waistband down. (Wrong side to wrong side.) If you didn’t serge the edge, you’ll want to flip about 1/4th of an inch under before you sew. Hide that unfinished edge! Sew around the waistband! Make sure you leave a little hole to feed the elastic through.

Putting pins on a piece of elastic to keep one end from following through the waistband channel and a pin on the other end to feed through.

I put a brooch pin on the end of the elastic I am NOT feeding through. It keeps the end from accidentally following the leader and ending up inside the casing. I use a safety pin to feed the elastic through the casing.

Elastic fed through the waistband of the tiered pants.

Put the elastic into the casing. Feed it through. Don’t let the end follow! It needs to stay out.

Both ends of the elastic out of the waistband.

Now you have both elastic ends out. Yay!

Elastic ends sewn together with an elastic stitch.

Cross the edges over each other and sew. Use a zigzag or elastic stitch on your machine. A straight stitch will break when the elastic is pulled. (An elastic stitch looks like a wonky zigzag. See above.)

Trim the edges of the elastic.

Pull on the waist and pop the elastic inside the casing.

Sew up the hole!

Hem the Tiered Pants

Hem the bottom edge of the pants. (I serge mine, then flip them inside and zigzag them. I like the look of a zigzagged hem. It makes it different from things you can buy at the store. You see the zigzag and you know, those are special!)

Tiered Pants Tutorial Done

Completed outfit made with tired pants tutorial and smock top.

And you are done! Adorable little pants to toddler about in!

As always, this tutorial is yours to use as you wish. Make them to give, keep, or sell. Just do not sell the pattern. And when someone asks where you got the pattern, share the free!

** This post contains affiliate links. These links do not cost you more to use, but as an affiliate, I get a small commission from sales using these links. **

Large Print Single Column Journaling Bible Review

July 3, 2023 by notesfromtheparsonage Leave a Comment

Is the Large Print Single Column Journaling Bible the right Bible for you? Let’s look inside and find out!

Crossway was kind enough to send me this copy of the Large Print Single Column Journaling Bible to review. I love their journaling Bibles, but was pretty curious to see how the Large Print version would compare in both size and readability. I have the regular print Single Column Journaling Bible and the Interleaved Journaling Bible to compare.

Font and Paper

The Large Print Journaling Bible does not have a super large print. It is a 9.5 size font. I found it a readable size without being absurd. The paper is thin Bible paper, so there is quite a bit of ghosting, which I think impacts the readability even more than the font size.

Last page of the Large Print Single Column Journaling Bible

The lines on the wide margins are slightly further apart than the regular journaling Bible. It really looks like they took the regular print Single Column Journaling Bible and enlarged the page just a bit and you have the Large Print Single version. The margins themselves are really only the slightest bit larger than the regular print Single Column Journaling Bible.

Side by side image of the lines of a large print journaling Bible (top) and the regular print journaling Bible (bottom) to compare the line spacing and size.

Available Covers for the Large Print Single Column Journaling Bible

The cover is lovely and feels nice in hand. However, I do think if you’re going to use it for art journaling, the hard cloth covers make more sense. This is a nice cover for a note type Bible use. This is the Deep Brown Buffalo leather cover, which appears black in most lights. It also comes in a couple cloth board designs with the cute little patched corners, a bonded leather, a wrapped leather, and a few TruTone covers.

Deep Brown Buffalo Leather covered Bible on faded and stained blue wood table

Extras

This Bible doesn’t have many extras. It has a single ribbon marker and a Bible reading plan. That is pretty much it in terms of the extras. No maps. No study notes. Just Scripture and some space for notes or art.

Picture of two stacked Bibles with the large print journaling Bible on the bottom and the regular print on top to show the difference in thickness between the two.

Size Comparisons

The Large Print Single Column Journaling Bible is more of a typical Bible size and shape. The regular Single Column Journaling Bible is almost square. It is close to the same thickness, but a tiny bit taller and wider than the regular print version. The regular print Single Column Journaling Bible has 1,340 pages. The Large Print version has 1,547 pages. And just as an esthetic aside, the Large Print version ends at the end of a page, rather than the middle.

Font size comparison of the Large Print Single Column Journaling Bible (top) with the Interleaved Journaling Bible (bottom) with two columns.

Compared to the Interleaved Journaling Bible, it is smaller. The Interleaved Journaling Bible has every other page blank. So, even sizing up the font a little, it doesn’t make it the biggest journaling Bible.

Three journaling Bibles laid open on a blue stained wood table with the Single Column Journaling Bible on top, the Large Print Single Column Journaling Bible in the middle, and the Interleaved Journaling Bible on the bottom.

Is the Large Print Single-Column Journaling Bible Right for You?

I’m not entirely sure. The font is more readable, but the margins aren’t much bigger. So, if you’re looking to save your eyes a little, then yes! This is a great choice. But if you were hoping to maximize the space a little more, this isn’t going to make much of a difference. If you’re wanting to really maximize space for art or notes, check out the Interleaved Journaling Bible!

Journaling Bibles are great for Inductive Bible Study, Bible art, sermon notes, and keeping your own Bible study notes. You’re not going to get bogged down with notes and maps. But then again, you’re not going to be helped by notes and maps. I think it definitely has its place. I personally keep several Journaling Bibles. One is my church Bible and I write sermon notes in the margins each week. Another is my counseling Bible and I keep counseling notes and verses marked for counseling purposes. And a third is my art journaling Bible where I paint and draw as I meditate on the Scriptures. I have other Bibles for study.

This is a great Bible! If you’re looking for a Journaling style Bible– definitely check this one out.

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** I was sent this product for free in exchange for my review. My review is my own and I am under no obligation to give this a favorable review.**

Child’s Ruffled Half Apron Sewing Tutorial

May 23, 2023 by notesfromtheparsonage 3 Comments

This sewing tutorial for beginner’s will make this adorable ruffled half apron for a child. It is super easy and uses only two fat quarters!

Pink Ruffled Half Apron on a girl with a blue floral dress

My little princess is always wanting to play “hostess.” Even when it is just our little family around. So, I designed this quick little ruffled hostess half apron for her. She NEEDED it! (My poor boys rarely get Mommy made stuff. But they don’t NEED this kind of cuteness.)

Cutting the Fabric for our Ruffled Half Apron

Fabric pieces needed for half apron sewing tutorial

You’ll only need two fat quarters (and you’ll have some scraps leftover) to make a child’s size half apron with a long ruffle.

With your “main” fabric, you’ll just want to cut your fat quarter in half (making it 18″ wide by 11″ long). The other half of that fat quarter is scrap.

Take your contrast fabric, and cut it as follows. You’ll cut three 3″ strips (3″ x 18″). (If you would like a wider waistband, you can cut 4″ strips if you wish- you’ll have enough fabric for it.) Then you’ll cut two 5″ strips (5″ x 18″)- those will make your frilly little top!

Sewing the Ruffled Half Apron

Sew the 3″ strips together end to end (you can sew them on a diagonal if you are concerned with bulk- I just sew mine straight). You now have one long 3″ strip that will be your waistband and ties.

Sew the two 5″ strips together. This seam will not be hidden, so you’ll need to finish it. I did a french seam. It just “seamed” like the right thing to do. (ba- dum- ching!) Now you have a 5″ strip that is twice the width of your apron front. Finish the side and bottom edges of this strip. (Either do a double fold hem or serge and sew them to a nice finish.)

Picture of finished edge of the half apron

Finish the sides and bottom of your main skirt body. Do it in that order- sides then bottom. You can do a nice double fold hem. I serge my edges (because I have to use my serger for something) then fold the under and sew close to the edge.

Ruffling the Ruffle

Sewing a basting stitch on a large ruffle

Put a basting stitch into the top edge your ruffle (that 5″ strip that now has finished sides and bottom) so you can gather it.

If you’re new to sewing and don’t know what I’m talking about- a basting stitch is just a temporary stitch. Set your straight stitch on your sewing machine to the longest length you’ve got. You want to put it about a quarter of an inch from the top edge of the ruffle. Leave a long “tail” of thread at each end of the stitch. Pulling on just one string, slowly pull the thread to gather the fabric.

Add the Ruffle to the Body of the Half Apron

Ruffle added to the top of the half apron

Pin your ruffle to the top on the apron body and sew together. You want your ruffle the same width as your apron body. This top unfinished edge will be encased inside the waistband- so don’t worry about finishing the edge.

Sewing the Waist and Ties

Take your 3″ strip and press it in half (long ways). Tuck the unfinished edges into the center and press again. (Think- double fold bias tape.) In the picture above, I am opening the creases so you can see.

Sewing the narrow waistband onto the ruffled half apron

Line the apron body up in the center of the waistband/tie. (You can use your seams as guides. The middle section should be about the right size for the apron body.) Pin the top of the apron body to the waistband. You’ll slip the upper unfinished edge of the apron body into the middle of the waistband, sandwiching it inside. Sew close to the lower edge (the one toward the apron body) of the waistband. Sew past the apron body to the end of the tie. Flip your apron over and finish the tie on the other side.

Tie a knot in the end of the tie.

Your Ruffled Half Apron is Done!

Picture of a girl in a blue floral dress wearing a pink floral half apron with ruffle

As usual, you can do what you like with your finished product of my design. Sell it. Swap it. Gift it. Keep it. I don’t mind. Just don’t take credit for the design itself. And for the love of free- share the design!

Church History Study Bible Review

March 30, 2023 by notesfromtheparsonage Leave a Comment

A Church History Study Bible is right up my alley! This review of the Crossway ESV Church History Study Bible will give you a good look into this new Bible to see if it is the right Bible fit for you.

Church History Study Bible Box on wood table

First Impressions of the Church History Study Bible

Crossway sent me their new ESV Church History Study Bible to review. You have no idea how excited I was about this one! I expected rich timelines, thoughtful articles, quotes and study notes from church fathers, maps of different areas as the church grew and changed, charts of denomination as they veered off (or kept on track)… I expected a lot.

And I wrote this full review very soon after receiving the Bible. However, I sat on in for quite some time thinking that with use, I might like this Bible more. As it turns out, my initial impressions ending up holding true. If anything, I came to like it less.

Angled view of the gilded spine of the ESV Church History Study Bible on wood table

This Bible did not deliver. At all. I’m ridiculously disappointed in it. The ESV Archaeology Study Bible was so thorough and the ESV Prayer Bible was surprisingly unique and wonderful. I’d just set my expectations so high on this one and it fell so very short.

Second view of the spine and cover material of the ESV Church History Study Bible on wood table

Physical Features of the Church History Study Bible

The genuine leather cover on this one feels different than other Bibles I’ve received from Crossway. It is thinner and has an almost paper-like texture to it. Only one ribbon marker– which I expect from non-super-high-end Bibles (though I wish they’d change that).

Interior view of the page layout of the ESV Church History Study Bible on wood table.

“Extra” Content of the Church History Study Bible

The content is what is supremely lackluster. You have the Scripture, which is good and perfect. That is about half of each page. Underneath, you have study notes from different “voices” throughout Church history. It also has extensive cross referencing, which I can appreciate. The “voices” they chose are mostly modern and from commentaries readily available. (If I wanted Matthew Henry’s Commentary, I’d pick that up easily or download it on Bible Gateway.) Most of the “voices” are unknown. Not many of them are ancient at all. As an example, for Genesis 1, the chosen “voices” are: John Calvin (1509-1564) four times, Matthew Henry (1662-1714) three times, Henry Ainsworth (1571-1622), Horatius Bonar (1808-1889) twice, Edward Leigh (1602-1671), John Trapp (1601-1669), Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109), and Thomas Manton (1620-1677). I think it is clear this is a “History of the Reformation” Study Bible and not a Church History Study Bible.

Another annoyance is that the index of authors contains no page numbers. You have no idea where or how often they were quoted. So if I wanted to see how many times Anselm of Canterbury is quoted and find quote from him specifically, there is no way to get that information other than combing through every single page and looking at every single note.

Open page view of the Church History Study Bible on wood table.

No charts. The maps pretty much have the basic Bible maps and then to the second century. Nothing beyond that. There is a “modern Middle East” map but it has no demographics– just basic country names and borders. The articles are sparse and incomplete.

Final Thoughts

So, if you’re looking for a Bible with a bunch of quotes from Reformers with some others tossed in there sparingly– maybe this Bible is perfect for you. But it is certainly not a Church History Study Bible. And not sure what is up with the leather quality on the cover. It is not Crossway’s usual standard.

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Cowboy Bib Sewing Tutorial

March 9, 2023 by notesfromtheparsonage 2 Comments

This cowboy bib sewing tutorial is perfect for beginning sewers! These make excellent gifts! They are made using a fat quarter and some backing material. Let’s get to making!

Once my children got the concept of “baby” and “big boy (or girl)”, bibs were out the window. The thing is, toddlers still need bibs! Our many Sundays with Imogene eating egg drop soup at House of Lu can attest to that! But try to get a bib on her and she’s in the floor, because you’ve offended her. You have just called her a baby without words! We were eating out one day, and Aidan really needed a bib (spaghetti!). He refused to wear a bib, but happily wore the cloth napkin tied around his neck, because he said he was a cowboy! *Lightbulb!* So, that is how we accomplish this?! The cowboy bib is born!

Toddler wearing a rainbow cowboy bib with little dog in the background.

Now, this bib is multi-functional. If your kids are like mine, meal time is not the only time they’ll want to wear this bib. They’ll want to wear it ALL THE TIME! You’ll have to pry it away for washing when they go to sleep! You’re going to need several of these babies, so go ahead and cut out a few! (An added bonus, if you use a warm lining fabric, you’ve got a built in neck warmer when they refuse to replace it with their scarf.)

Sewing Your Own Cowboy Bib

You can easily make a cowboy bib out of fat quarters! (I love things that can be made with a fat quarter! You can avoid buying full yards of that oh-so-cute-but-expensive designer fabric!) One fat quarter is enough fabric for two bib fronts. If you are using yardage, you need at least half a yard of fabric, which will make 4 bib fronts. For the bib back, you’ll need half a yard of something nice for backing. You can use flannel, chenille (my personal favorite), minky, terry (my least favorite option), or fleece. A half yard of backing fabric will make 4 backs.

You’ll also need closure of some sort. I use plastic KAM snaps. If you are not so fortunate to own a snap press or pliers, you could do a button closure or velcro. You could also add some ribbon into the ends to make it tie. I like snaps because they are easy for a kid to use. Easy on and off. And in the event their sister traps them by the bib in the door jam of the closet, they can get free. (Velcro would have a similar advantage, only with the added disadvantage of being velcro and snagging everything in reach.)

Cutting Fabric for the Cowboy Bib Sewing Tutorial

Wood grain fabric ready to be cut to sew a cowboy bib

The first thing you are going to do is cut your fat quarter in half. You’ll end up with two rectangles that are 18″ x 11″. (If you are using yardage, you’ll need one 18″ x 11″ rectangle for the front of the bib. I cut my yardage into fat quarters, then go from there.) **If you’ve never used a fat quarter before or have no idea what I’m talking about, a fat quarter is a piece of quilting fabric (usually cotton) sold at fabric and quilting stores. A fat quarter measures 18″ by 22″. It is half a yard of fabric, cut halfway between the selvedges- thus it is the amount of fabric in a quarter of a yard, but in a more usable amount- since it isn’t a long, thin strip.**

Measuring the edge of fabric using a clear ruler

Pick one 18″ side to be the top of the bib. (If you’ve got a directional pattern, this will be important.) Fold the bib in half (right sides together). From the top, on the open edge, mark 3″ down. (Just a little line at the 3″ mark.)

Square of fabric with ruler sitting on top

Now, use a ruler (or straight edge) to draw a line from your 3″ mark to the center bottom of the fold. (In the picture above, my top is to the left and the folded edge is to the top.)

Cowboy bib sewing tutorial fabric is marked and ready for the final cut

Cut along the line from the 3″ mark to the corner.

Cowboy bib shape of fabric is attained (looks kind of like a home plate in baseball).

Open it up and it looks like this! Go ahead and press it to make it look all nice and get that center crease out as much as you can.

Backing and more bibs are cut to make plenty of the Cowboy Bib Sewing Tutorial

Cut your backing fabric to match. (You can either mark and cut as you just did, or you can use your bib front as a template.)

Sewing the Cowboy Bib

Sew fabric right sides together and leave a hole

With right sides together, sew around the edges- leaving a hole to turn the bib right side out. Trim the corners, so when you turn it they’ll be corners, not rounds. Turn your bib right side out, using a pointy object to push your corners out. (If your using ribbon to close your bib, you’ll want to pin it in place between your front & back and sew it in during this step.)

Cowboy Bib has been flipped right side out and has been topstitched around the edges.

Topstitch around the edges, overlapping at the ends.

Add Closure to the Cowboy Bib

A snap is added to the top back corner of the cowboy bib

Add your snap (or button closures) and you’re finished!

Toddler girl in pink shirt with rainbow cowboy bib is smiling with play kitchen and small dog in the background.

This pattern was made by me. You may use it if you want, but don’t sell the design- that’s just wrong. You may sell bibs you make from this tutorial, I just ask that you give me credit for the design. Thank you. And you’re welcome!

ESV Interleaved Journaling Bible Review

January 16, 2023 by notesfromtheparsonage 5 Comments

Is the ESV Interleaved Journaling Bible right for you? Let’s find out!

The ESV Interleaved Journaling Bible was a joy to review! Crossway sent me this beautiful journaling Bible to review. I have had this Bible before. I have personally purchased a different color version of this Bible myself several years ago as my first journaling Bible.

ESV Interleaved Journaling Bible with leather cover and strap on a table.

It comes in a box, so it is really nice for gifting. This cover is the Natural Brown Leather (Amazon) with flap and straps. It also comes in a leather-look cover with a cross (Amazon). They don’t make the plain natural cloth cover that I purchased years ago.

The box of the ESV Interleaved Journaling Bible on a table

When it arrives, the strap is not on the cover. No worries! The strap is in a plastic bag under the Bible. It is super simple to put on.

Opening the box of a new Bible with leather wrap around cover

This cover also features a pen holder on the inside of the flap! You can easily place you pen or highlighter for grab and go study!

Close up of pen loop on the inside of the leather cover.

My favorite feature of this Bible is that every other page is completely blank! This is my preferred style of journaling Bible for artistic Bible journaling. You’ll never have to worry about covering or not being able to read the Scriptures! You get a full page (the front and back are blank) to create without having to cover the Scripture. It is also great for journaling your Bible study or taking sermon notes.

Now, this Bible is quite thick. Since every other page is blank– that is double the Bible pages! The paper is a standard Bible paper. For that reason, I only paint on one side of mine and leave the other side completely blank. You’d get a lot more use if you use both sides, but I didn’t want to obsess about ghosting and bleed through since I usually Bible journal with watercolor or India ink –which does work perfectly fine on this paper– you just have to be a little water conscious with your watercolor and not go too wet. I also place a blank sheet of printer paper behind the page I’m painting so if there is bleed through, it doesn’t get on the Scripture pages. (Here is a link to my Amazon Idea List for Bible Journaling.)

ESV Interleaved Journaling Bible strap and leather cover close up

This is an example of painting in this Bible. This is from my previous ESV Interleaved Journaling Bible that I have had for a few years. (And I do not claim to be an artist, but I find art Bible Journaling fun and find it helps me meditate on Scripture in quite a different way.)

Art Bible journaling entry for the book of Nehemiah

You can see that if you aren’t water conscious when using watercolor, you can ripple the paper a bit. However, with every other page blank– this literally only effects this page. No Scripture is distorted since the back is a blank page.

Curled pages of interleaved journaling Bible from artwork done with watercolor

slight page curling with watercolor and washi tape

This Bible does not have any extras. It has one ribbon marker (super sad face). It is a pretty basic Bible. No notes, maps, study guides, etc. Just Scripture and blank space to create or write.

Picture of the strap and flap closed on interleaved journaling Bible

Would I recommend the ESV Interleaved Journaling Bible?

Yes! For art Bible journaling– I HIGHLY recommend this Bible! If you’re wanting to take huge amounts of study notes– I HIGHLY recommend this Bible! People who take extensive sermon notes– I HIGHLY recommend this Bible for them! But as a daily study Bible, this would likely be a bad choice. It also would make a pretty terrible preaching Bible with the size, layout, and the cover and straps would be cumbersome.

ESV Student Study Bible Review

October 5, 2022 by notesfromtheparsonage 2 Comments

Is a Student Study Bible the right choice for you? If you’re a preteen, teen, or young adult looking for content that helps you understand the Bible as you read, then maybe!

Let’s look at this Student Study Bible!

Crossway sent me this awesome Student Study Bible to review. It comes in 14 different cover designs! I chose the Joshua Noom Artist cover because that is what appealed to my fifteen-year-old son. The hardcover versions are super pretty, but keep in mind they aren’t as durable as a leather cover (which isn’t available for this Bible) or even the TruTone covers. You’ll want to be a little more careful with it if you want it to last because they are not as sturdy in my experience as the real leather covers. If you usually replace yo u r Bible every couple years, this won’t be a problem at all. Though they do have a lifetime guarantee if something were to happen to your Bible.

Joshua Noom cover of the ESV Student Study Bible on a table

Student Study Bible Artist Series box on table

This student study Bible came in this slip box case, which makes it nice for gifting. (Different cover options have different packaging. So if the packaging matters to you, make sure you double check on the Crossway website what cover has what packaging.)

Opening a Bible to see the pages and study notes at the bottom.

Sadly, it has one ribbon marker. I prefer a lot of markers in my Bible, but the manufacturers aren’t in on that game just yet. The paper is thin, like typical Bible paper. I do find that it “sticks” together quite a bit, making one handed page turning a bit troublesome, especially at first. Once you use it a little bit, the sticking does stop as the pages get unstuck and then don’t restock. You can also see some ghosting through the page, but I don’t think it makes it unreadable.

Introduction page to Ecclesiastes of the study Bible

Each book in this study Bible has an introduction to the chapter with an outline and information about the book.

Some of the introductions include a small printed map.

There are 15 full-color maps in the back, as well. These are on thicker, slightly glossy, cardstock weight paper.

A Closer Look at the “Extras”

There are notes and cross-references throughout, making personal Bible study for young people much easier. There is nothing really in here that screams “teenager” to me. It all seems to be a pretty straightforward study Bible. Nothing seems to be written “down” to teens or focuses on teen angst, teen problems, etc. The notes are simply written in a way any lay person would better understand the Bible.

Articles in the back of the ESV Student Study Bible

Article "The Importance of the Church for Growing in Christ" in the back of the Student Study Bible

Close up of article printed on Bible paper

Article titled "The Authority and Reliability of the Bible" in the ESV Student Study Bible

Article "How to Apply the Bible in Daily Life" printed in the ESV Student Study Bible

Article about doctrine in the ESV Student Study Bible

There are several articles in the back to help understand the Bible, theology, and doctrine. All of these would be helpful to any student or new believer. I think there are books that delve into the topics deeper, but for an introductory note about how to study the Bible or the reliability of Scripture– this provides a great starting point.

There is also a rather large concordance and glossary in the back of this Bible. (And a page of weights and measures.)

Close up of the back of the Joshua Noom artist cover of the ESV Student Study Bible

Would I recommend the ESV Student Study Bible?

Yes, absolutely! I would feel comfortable putting this Student Study Bible in the hands of any middle school, high school, or college student. My fifteen-year-old has really been enjoying it. The translation is a good one for Bible study. The notes are helpful for self-study. This is a great Bible option for anyone, though since it says “students”, I’d likely just stick to teens and young adults. The Personal Study Bible would be a great option for non-students looking for something similar.

Back of the Joshua Noom cover of the ESV Student Study Bible on a table

Where should I buy the ESV Student Study Bible?

I highly recommend purchasing Bibles from Christian Book. Their prices are so much cheaper than everywhere else. Their shipping does take longer, though. So if you are in a hurry, Amazon may be a better option. You can also purchase directly from Crossway. If you purchase directly from Crossway, make sure you register for a free Crossway+ Membership to get 30% off.

Heirloom Bible, Heritage Edition Review

July 2, 2022 by notesfromtheparsonage 6 Comments

Is the Heritage Edition Heirloom Bible right for you? Let’s find out!

I received the beautiful Heritage Edition Heirloom Bible in English Standard Version to review from Crossway. This one only comes in black goatskin leather. Since it is the Heirloom line, it is quite a bit more expensive than other Bibles, but has some super nice touches that make it well worth the price.

Black goatskin Bible with multiple ribbon markers on a red wood table

This particular Heirloom Bible is a slightly smaller size than the others in the line. It measures 5.5″ x 8.25″ which makes it very close to being “personal” sized. (I love the ESV Personal Size Study Bible! You can read that review here.) It is a little more compact than a standard size, but not quite small enough to be a compact size.

ESV Heirloom Bible Heritage Edition Box on red wood table

The goatskin leather cover is super soft and floppy right out of the box. The floppiness only increases as you use it. This one isn’t quite as plush feeling as the other Heirloom Bibles we’ve had. Some of the other have literally been a squishy texture. The Heritage Edition Heirloom Bible is more of a slick, textured leather feel.

The paper on this Bible is super crisp. It is thin, but not that super thin “this is going to rip at any second” type of thin. I do expect it to hold up quite well. It is also a very crisp white color with edges that are coppery gilded. (I’d say gold, but it has a definite red tint.) It has really high quality binding! And get this, these Heirloom Bibles come with a lifetime guarantee!

Lifetime Guarantee information sheet for Heirloom Bibles from Crossway

The layout is easy to read and easy on the eyes. The single column format with decent margins and line spacing make it easy to keep your place. It also has line matching from the left top right page. It reads very similarly to the Preaching Bible, but is a little smaller in size.

Features of This Bible

This Bible does not have red letters. There are small footnotes, but nothing extensive. There really isn’t much in this Heirloom Bible in terms of “extras”– no diagrams, study notes, cross references, glossary, concordance, etc. It does have some full-color maps in the back, a dedication page in the front, small marriage record (5) , small birth record (7), and small death record(7). Honestly, for an Heirloom Bible, I feel it should have much more space for births, marriages, and deaths or have none at all. It seems weird to have such a small space in a Bible intended to use forever for such monumental things. But overall it is a very simple, easy to read Bible.

Open Bible with four ribbon markers on red wood table

Of course, the best part of this Bible, like all the Heirloom Bibles, are the four ribbon markers! I think my ideal would be six ribbons, but only because I’m a little extra. Four ribbons allows you to mark the Old Testament, Psalms, Gospel, and New Testament Letters all at the same time. Such a great feature! All Bibles should have AT LEAST four ribbon markers.

Do I recommend the Heritage Edition of the ESV Heirloom Study Bible?

Yes! This is an excellent Bible for anyone looking for a simple Bible that isn’t massive and will last a lifetime. This will be the one you’d pass on to your grandkids. I’ve said it before, but anyone entering into ministry should be gifted one of these nice, lifetime legacy type Bibles for use during their entire ministry. It is so sad for a pastor to have his first preaching Bible fall apart and become unusable a decade into ministry– which is exactly what will happen to that thinline bonded leather one they’re usually gifted. Investing in an Heirloom Bible to last their whole ministry is such a thoughtful gift and testament to how far you think their ministry will go.

Heritage Edition of the ESV Heirloom Bible in the box with the velvet wrapping opened to reveal the goatskin leather cover.

Should you buy an ESV Heirloom Bible?

It is up to you! Do you need super expensive Bible? No. Absolutely not. We live in a time where we have access to different versions, different covers, and even different media of God’s Word to us. I consider myself so blessed and privileged to have so many options. Does this Bible have features and quality that make the price tag worth it? Absolutely.

ESV Pocket Bible Review

March 31, 2022 by notesfromtheparsonage 3 Comments

Is the ESV Pocket Bible the right choice for you? Let’s take a closer look and find out!

The ESV Pocket Bible might be tiny, but it is definitely a great Bible choice! The nice people over at Crossway sent me this tiny little Bible to review. It is tiny! It is 3.5″ wide and 5.5″ tall and an inch thick! Tiny! I have the deep brown buffalo leather cover (more about that later), but it also comes in several TruTone covers (chestnut, black, and turquoise). This Bible is smaller than my hand! (And I have small hands!)

This is an entire Bible in your pocket! It isn’t just the New Testament, as many pocket style Bibles are. It contains the whole thing! And the font is surprisingly readable! Six-point font seems so small, but I have had no problem reading the text. It is double column with no notes at all. The simplicity of the Bible lends to the readability at such a small size.

The paper is thin, but not so thin you see too much of the opposite side while reading. (There is a small amount of ghosting, but I find that true of all Bible paper.) This pocket Bible has zero extras. Zero frills. Just the entire Bible in a small, readable size.

The buffalo leather cover is really something to write home about! In fact, it is probably my favorite feature of this tiny Bible. So while you could go with a cheaper TruTone cover, the buffalo leather is truly impressive. The edges are raw and the leather does have a slightly embossed pattern. It isn’t floppy like real leather Bibles typically are because of the small size. This buffalo leather is going to weather so beautifully! With a Bible you can slip into your blue jeans pocket, it’ll definitely get some wear and tear and this leather is only going to look better and better as that happens!

Close up of the inner paper book lining and the unfinished leather edge of the pocket Bible

It has one single ribbon marker to mark your place. While I’m usually a fan of tons of ribbon markers in a Bible, the single marker is really all you could reasonably put into a Bible this small. I mean, I would have tried to get at least 3 more in– but I understand their restraint in that area.

Pocket Bible next to a highlighter for size comparison

It does have a “presentation” page, so it would be great for a gift. And it comes (at least the buffalo leather version) in a small box. It is perfect for gifting!

View of the page side of closed leather pocket Bible

This is a great Bible for pastors. It is small enough to tuck into a pocket for ministering on the go. Easy to take to the hospital, the jail, or just to someone’s home on visitation. I’m not sure they’d like preaching from this one, but it is great to have on hand for those “on the go” pastoral needs. It would also be a great Bible for counselors, lay ministers, chaplains– basically anyone ministering on the go.

Close up of buffalo leather and ISBN numbers in gold on the outside of the Bible

Do I recommend the ESV Pocket Bible?

Yes! I highly recommend it! It isn’t flashy. There are no extras. It is just such a well made Bible at such a convenient size! And it is super affordable!

ESV Women’s Study Bible Review

November 29, 2021 by notesfromtheparsonage 4 Comments

Let’s take a look at the ESV Women’s Study Bible and find out if it is the right choice for you.

Crossway sent me the ESV Women’s Study beautiful Bible to review. I’m usually not a “women’s Bible” kind of gal (with the exception of the She Reads Truth Bible), so I was pretty surprised to love this study Bible. The ESV Women’s Study Bible comes in a slipcase box.

Brown leather Women's Study Bible on a wood table

Can we start with this beautiful cover? It is absolutely magnificent. This cover is the Genuine Leather in British Tan. Crossway needs to make this a regular cover option. It is such a beautiful shade of brown. And it feels so nice and luxurious. There are a few other cover options, as well. You can get the leather-look deep brown, leather-look teal, teal cloth board (probably my second favorite option), and hardcover. It has gilded pages and spine. The artwork on the cover and throughout the Bible is the same as the ESV Illuminated Bible by artist Dana Tanamachi. It is simply gorgeous. It makes you want to spend time with this Bible.

Gilded spine of the ESV Women's Study Bible

The actual Bible pages are rather thin. I couldn’t find information on the actual paper, but it tends to stick together a little more than the ESV Study Bible paper. I tabbed this Bible (with Salt and Charm Bible tabs) and the pages were noticeably thinner and the gilding was a little stuck together. It wasn’t a big deal and fixes itself as you use the Bible. (Once you get the pages are unstuck, they don’t restick together.) It also only has one ribbon bookmark, which is such a bummer since they went with such luxurious options on the Bible as a whole. (A Bible should definitely have at least 4 ribbons, in my opinion.)

Let’s look at the features!

The Women’s Study Bible features a double column style with footnotes and additional devotional readings. These are not fluffy footnotes. These are good, scholarly footnotes. Each book of the Bible has an illustrated title page from the ESV Illuminated Bible. It also has a full book intro. It is like the ESV Illuminated Bible and the ESV Study Bible had a beautiful baby. The intros include maps, diagrams, key places and people, key themes, historical background and an outline. They are extremely helpful in your Bible study give quite a bit of context to what you’re reading.

Introduction page to the book of Obadiah in the ESV Women's Study Bible

This Bible also includes beautiful gilded Bible artwork inside the Bible. The artwork is from the ESV Illuminated Bible and are by artist Dana Tanamachi. They’re beautiful.

Gilded Bible Art in ESV Women's Study Bible

There is a hefty “Articles and Resources” section at the back of this Bible. It has a plan of salvation, articles about theological concepts, and more. The focus of this Bible, unlike other women’s Bibles, is not on motherhood. The focus is on God. The layout and theme just appeal more to women. There are articles about singleness, motherhood, raising children, adoption, caring for children with disabilities, eating disorders, and more. The articles in this Women’s Study Bible cover a variety of circumstances a woman may find herself in. It also contains a reading plan, a glossary, a concordance, and some full color maps.

Box of the ESV WOmen's Study Bible on a wood table

Do I recommend the ESV Women’s Study Bible?

Now, I personally do prefer the ESV Personal Size Study Bible for my own personal Bible study. But this one is really great, too. It is really personal preference on if you want all the fancy gold and such or if you prefer a more simple Bible. The Personal Size Study Bible is also a bit more narrow and a bit thicker. I think my preference is one of size. This Bible measures 6.25″x9″– which I kind of feel like is a standard sized Bible.

Absolutely! This is a lovely Bible. It would make a fantastic gift for you mom, wife, best friend, whomever. It is beautiful and has so many study helps.

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Tiered Pants Tutorial Done

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Font and Paper

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Extras

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