Friday, August 22, 2008

Quilted Eggs in Needlepoint

It seems that my friend - designer Anne Stradal - was way ahead of me, and thought of making a three inch design with 18 stitch quilt squares way before I did. I wanted to show these beautiful things, as they are quite remarkable. I have enjoyed designing on the egg shape for many years - so asked her why she does, as she calls hers "eggs for all seasons." Same reason that I do - she just likes the shape. I did some research into the symbolism of the egg, and it seems that it is a universal symbol for probably several thousand years in many cultures and religions, predating Christianity, of renewal and rebirth - or even the birth of the universe. (For a designer, the spheroidal shape is much more interesting than the circle.) Remember too, the Faberge' eggs made by Peter Carl Faberge for the Romanovs were gifts "for all seasons" as well - being for birthdays and Christmas as well as for Easter - and one to commemorate the coronation of Nicholas II.
This one is called the "Lelani Egg" and looks just like a tiny Hawaiian quilt - lovely thing. These would be so much fun to work out stitches and to use threads we already have in our stashes, as we do buy the ones we like best!

The breast cancer egg, of course, symbolises renewal and hope. It's new - and I think very special. It isn't a quilt pattern, but I wanted to show it anyway!




The blue and white is another version of the American Patchwork.

2 comments:

Love to Stitch 99 said...

I also love stitching eggs. Thinking of it, I think that I have only stitched one so far. It must be feeling pretty lonely. Will have to do something about it one of these days :-)

Pierrette =^..^=

Nina said...

I really like the eggs too; both the shape and the stitching. I think the breast cancer egg is special. Thanks.