If you have a really good eye, you won’t need to use one of these.  But if, like me, you only have a reasonably good eye, it’s nice to have one around.  I can usually divide band into halves or even quarter without much difficulty.  But fifths or sixths?  There’s not a chance I can do that evenly.  So I get out my measuring tape and use math (and sometimes a calculator) instead.

I don’t use a full-length tape–that would be quite awkward.  Instead, I use a sort six-inch segment that I cut off of the end of a measuring tape from my sewing basket.  SIx inches is long enough to go around the center of a chicken egg (in an equatorial fashion), and to measure a chicken egg from top to bottom.  If I worked with larger eggs (goose, say, or ostrich) with any regularity, this might not work for me, but I don’t.  (and I do still have the other half of the measuring tape should I need it........)

You can see my tape where I usually keep in, in a Soviet era Ukrainian vase that I keep on my work table. (I keep a lighter and my cleaning wires in here as well.)

It is quite simple to use.  I measure the length of the line I need to divide into sections, do the math1, and then mark the line at the appropriate intervals.  The measuring and marking part is a bit easier said than done–eggs are rounded and like to roll away.  I find it helpful to put the egg onto a piece of an egg carton or some other holder to stabilize it:

I usually measure from the one inch mark, as the metal tab at the end is harder to hold against the egg accurately.

Measuring and marking around the middle of the egg is best done in halves, unless you’re good at balancing an egg and marking it at the same time.  You could, alternatively, measure it while it’s stabilized in a craft lathe.

To create even bands, including diagonal bands, you would measure a set distance away from a line at intervals, and then connect the marks. 

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1. 1.Most chicken eggs are about 6.5 inches in longitudinal circumference, or 3.25 inches from top to bottom, or 26 eighths. If you needed 5 sections, then each section would be just a tiny bit more than five eights long.
   Or you could use the metric side of the measure.  The length would be about 8.3 centimeters, which means that each segment would be about 1.7 centimeters long.
   You just might want to keep a calculator around as well!!!!!
   
   

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