Transitional Deacons
Deacons who may become priests:

Deacons in this situation often contact me about stoles that can be worn both as a deacon stole or as a priest stole. The simplest solution is is the cross-over deacon stole. This can be a straight stole or a mitered-neck stole (without shaping around the neck). For a deacon it is worn over the left shoulder and pinned at the hip so that the end of the back of the stole hangs over the front of the robe, and the end of the front drapes over the back of the robe. These can be made 3 or 4 inches wide. Some simple designs may work for these stoles, or they can be made plain. Contact me if you are interested in this type of stole.
Other options for deacons who may become priests
Some deacons will purchase a regular pulpit stole and wear it as a cross-over deacon stole. This does not look quite right due to the neck shaping of the pulpit stoles, but if that does not bother you, that is an option. Other deacons will purchase very simple, inexpensive regular Western Deacon stoles while they are serving as deacons, with the intention of sharing those stoles with cohorts of similar size. After they become priests they purchase more elaborate pulpit stoles.