Going Courting in Toronto Easter Towel

This towel was created after a 1974 carpet woven in Canada by ethnic Ukrainian Olenka Frantsuz. Its image was born far from Ukraine, yet from a deep memory of home.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, more than 170,000 Ukrainians left their homeland in search of a new life. Along with essential belongings, they took much more with them — traditions, ornaments, crafts, and the memory of their native culture. In their new countries, this knowledge was passed on to children and grandchildren, allowing Ukrainian weaving to continue living even across the ocean.

The original carpet bears the historical title “My Sheep, My Sheep”. Today it belongs to the family of Tamara Ivanochko, director of the Ukrainian Museum in Toronto, which holds many unique examples of Ukrainian textiles from the diaspora.

We transferred this image to an Easter towel as a reminder that Ukrainian culture has no borders — it lives wherever it is remembered and cherished.

Like an Easter basket carried to church at dawn, this towel is a small sign of connection to home. Even when an ocean separates people, traditions can keep them close, like quiet threads in an old carpet.

Material: linen

Features: the item has two layers of fabric and is decorated with handmade pompoms