Traditional Czech Easter egg decorating: storytelling with straw

A collection of eggs decorated with straw. Photo by Jan KameníčekMarcela Hrabovská is an artist and expert from the Czech Republic in traditional egg decorating with straw.

In the following 11-minute video with English subtitles, she discusses the history, symbolism and cultural significance of eggs carefully adorned with barley and oat straw. As she speaks, she demonstrates the process of selecting, splitting and curling the straw, as well as cutting lengths into tiny pieces and using a needle-like tool to glue them to an  egg for intricate, meaningful patterns.

Hrabovská reveals the inspiring and sometimes naughty messages the eggs could communicate. She also discusses how some Czech women once relied on the export of their decorated eggs as a way to produce income.  

Another video, this one shorter at just over 2 minutes and without discussion, features Hrabovská demonstating various steps of the straw decorating process for Czech Easter eggs. Notice that for all her expertise, she still makes wise use of resources with the small amount of glue she needs poured into a bottle cap. 

For those interested in learning more, The Straw Shop, a California company that sells supplies for a variety of straw-based crafts, has a page showing many examples of straw-covered eggs. They give the  names and show examples of work from several straw-egg artists working in a variety of styles.