Making Traditions:Lithuanian Straw Ornaments

After many years of just not getting around to it, I attempted to make some Lithuanian Straw Ornaments for my son and daughter-in-law. She's a genuine Lithuanian/American who has been here since her 20's. We have often talked of making them, but the holiday season is always so busy.

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I am half Lithuanian and half Danish. Both sets of my grandparents were immigrants, they came here to make a better life. Chicagoland has a huge population of Lithuanians, while many Danes settled in Southeastern Wisconsin.  I have been to mass with my d-in-law when all said in Lithuanian.

I found some very basic directions---and from there had to improvise. The actual Lithuanian ornaments were made of bleached straw. But white plastic straws are used here. These were a little wide. I think thinner ones might work better.

The straws are connected by using a LONG darning needle with crochet thread to make a continuous loop through the entire ornament. This does involve some pre-planning. The only detailed instructions I could find were for the simple triangle based shape above. 

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The shapes can be very basic or very intricate. I'm not ready for three-tiered chandelier type ornaments, or the intricate snowflakes.  So far I have made ten, and maybe I can get a few more done before Saturday. 

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You cut the straws to equal lengths and then use geometry to create the 3-dimensional shapes.

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They don't show up that well on our sparse primitive tree. But the kids have 2 cats and do a minimalist approach on a thick pine tree. They will be perfect on there.

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A traditional 5-point star turned out well. Once my 68 year old brain traveled back to all those math classes I had through college, I began to see how there could be infinite patterns.

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The Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture  has an interesting post on their website about straw ornaments. They sponser a tree at the Museum of Science and Industry's Christmas Around the World  Exhibit, you can find out more here.

Whatever your background, culture, or neck-of-the-woods, 

we hope you have the 

Merriest Christmas!

Thanks always for visiting. 

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