A rushnyk is a Ukrainian ritual cloth––it is long and covered with ancient symbols, sometimes embroidered, sometimes woven.  It is an integral part of many rituals, from birth to marriage to death. 

I’ve seen “rushnyk” motifs on pysanky throughout the years.  In recent years, I have spotted several such designs on goose eggs. I adapted one of these designs and wrote two such pysanky.   The first such pysanka was a gift for my mother on Mother’s Day; it was written on a regular goose egg.  It is the first pysanka below.

In 2014 I was given several very long goose eggs as a gift: in 2015 I wrote this same rushnyk design on one of them.  This pysanka was given to my good friend John Sonego on the occasion of his marriage. 

  Sofika Goose Egg Pysanky        Birds Goose Egg Pysanky