A Rainbow Pelican

Its been a while since I’ve posted. Last year at the end of the year I was the deputy event steward for a big event that took place right before the shut down events (yet again). The days/weeks/months leading up to the event were stressful and coupled with mundane problems, I felt burnt out afterward. But, the event was beautiful, the food was the best food I’ve ever had, and overall a success given the circumstances.

This year I’ve continued embroidering my brick stitch piece, with a little progress every month, chipping away at the stitches. Then in May I attended an embroidery schola, where I learned new stitches, saw old friends, and regained some of the inspiration that I was missing through the winter months.

I was reminded at this event, that I am a skilled embroiderer, a quick learner, and an important member of the community. All things I needed reminding of, but shouldn’t have needed it at all.

This Spring other important things happened (which will be discussed in greater depth in another post), including becoming an Apprentice, becoming a Minister of the Arts and Sciences, and assisting with the Vigil of a Laurel who became a Pelican.

I have long admired Baroness Sabine for her musical talent. She is someone who always looks as if she belongs in the middle ages, even when she is carrying a bagpipe made out of a trash bag. And during the great Plague, when I decided I needed to learn an instrument (as one does), Sabine was there, with sheet music and zoom calls, recommendations and encouragement. And, while my recorder playing never took off, it was something I enjoyed and a moment of the plague I treasure.

So when Master Rowen asked me, LITTLE ME, if I had the time to embroider a pelican/laurel for Sabine, of course I said YES! With only about a month before her elevation I began a journey to stitch up a pelican with a rainbow chick. Thankfully, I had some travel plans and vacation time, and enjoyed stitching while watching HGTV with my best friend, and stitching at the embroidery schola under the gaze of many talented embroiderers.

I based my design off of a few different illuminated manuscript images of Pelicans focusing on one in a Psalter from 1310 currently in the British Library. I transferred my design via light box and ink pen. I purchased silk from the Caron collection and a dark green from Splendor.

The piece is done entirely in split stitch using one thread of silk with the exception of the laurel leaves which are outlined in two strands of green splendor silk.

I have many people to thank for involving me in this fantastic project. Master Rowen who invited me to be part of this project, Adelisa Salernitana who made the beautiful Cote and sewed my pelicans on to it, my Laurel Elizabet for being endlessly encouraging, and all my friends who ooed and ahhed at my progress.

Most of all, I want to thank every single person who has complimented me about my work on this and other projects. Your encouragement and praise is what I needed over these past dark months to plow forward in the direction I want to go.

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