A Precious Parasol

Did I mention how tricky hand embroidery is? I was putting it off, but eventually I got started on the auspicious symbols which are featured to either side of the 4 gates of the mandala. The parasol is a symbol of protection ‘from the painful heat of suffering, desire, obstacles, illnesses and harmful forces’(1).

Just imagine how handy such a thing would be.

After a shaky start (I was using single stranded thread for the umbrella handle and it was looking a bit ropy but then I cottoned on to the three strand approach). Cottoned on. Get it? I am sure this is very basic stuff.

Anyway I copied the design from the book, but did it freehand. I have 3 more of these to do (plus 4 Victorious Banners) and suspect that making them look the same will be an arduous task. No wonder I got side-tracked this week, and abandoned embroidery in favour of my SECRET project. Which is a secret, so I can’t talk about it.

1. The handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols by Robert Beer ISBN I-932476-03-2 (a beautiful book that someone has splashed with tea. It wasn’t me.)