The Lelitky Collection

 After more than a half a century of adorning my Family Christmas Tree in Michigan, I finally got my treasured white satin ornaments returned to me in Toronto.

Even the white curly ribbon hanging bows were pretty much intact! The satin ornaments held up very well after 50 years decorating our family tree and three years of being smushed in a box. Apparently the shimmering decor bothered the cat, so the new tenants tossed all the ornaments into a box and banished them to basement.

Being a savvy designer now, I chose to call them my LELITKY COLLECTION. ‘Lelitky’ is a Ukrainian term for sequins, much nicer sounding than ‘payetky’. Since I created the sequins-studded satin ornaments in the 1970s, I put my maiden name on the hang tag. The snowflake is mine from my Fanwheel Snowflake Collection and is the perfect touch for an ornament collection!

Satin thread-wrapped balls first emerged in the 1960s to stand out on the aluminum trees which came into vogue then. At first satin threads were wound onto styrofoam balls, but later were also available on hollow plastic forms. The best way to secure the sequins to the ball was to use fine 1/2” straight pins, the kind which were used for putting up decorations on bulletin boards (my other afterschool activity). I bought myself a box of pins and have vivid memories of very sore fingers pushing pins into hard plastic just to get my embroidered designs right!

I bought a few boxes of white satin balls and was on the lookout for unusual shapes. I found a box of three bell-shaped ornaments and then two different sizes of squished saucer-like balls. 

For me, the satin balls provided a blank canvas for creating embroidered designs using sequins for each cross-stitch. I used charted Ukrainian embroidery books and plates for reference and had an artistic license for changing sequins colors for festive ornaments.

I would work on them in the evenings during my later high school, early college years. I enjoyed the creative process because each ornament was different. It was a perfect opportunity to adorn our family tree with contemporary Ukrainian-inspired ornaments.

There was no end to the creative possibilities until I ran out of satin balls.

I have fond memories of Christmases in Detroit. My embroidered satin ornaments were always on the family tree. Here’s a photo of the one and only Christmas my uncle and godfather from  Rome managed to join us for Sviat Vechir, the Christmas Eve meal. We dropped him off at the airport on Christmas Day.

Fr. Lubomyr Husar is home visiting our family, 1983

Here’s my mother Martha decorating her tree in her condo with granddaughters Katya and Lesia.

Decorating the tree with granddaughters, 1996 

After a while, my mother wisened up and bought a faux tree. She decorated it with my white sequins-embroidered ornaments and a few other favourites. For the next few years, the tree was carried fully dressed up and downstairs in time for Christmas. Though she passed away in 2001, the tradition continued for decades. Instantly decorated tree always set in the same corner for Christmas = tradition.

Classic group photo by the Christmas tree, 2017

In the last two decades, this is the tree I remember when I visited my Michigan home for the holidays.

But not any more…

I am glad my ornaments look great after fifty plus years. Now, I refurbished them by cutting off the curly white ribbon, added a fine gold cord and LELITKY hang tag for a new life. Even bought a special TIDY stacking case to keep the ornaments safe off-season.

I would like to donate them to the UkrainianAmerican Archives and Museum in Hamtramck, MI, because I created the Collection while a student in Detroit. 

I would love to see a Christmas tree in the museum decorated with The Lelitky Collection of embroidered ornaments by Maria Wasylkewycz. It would be an great example of an Ukrainian Christmas Tree in the 1970s.  

Bonus days at Ukrainian Museum and Library courtesy of Hurricane Sandy

The Museum was celebrating it's 75th Anniversary inside as Hurricane Sandy created a foreboding atmosphere outside

The calm before the storm... Ukrainian Museum on Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012, 3:30 pm

These leaves are from a tree near the chateau, but ended up at the far end of the property after Sandy's fury

Marian and Maria dressed for the 75th Anniversary celebration.

Luckily, the College and Seminary, Museum and Library were spared the worst. Stamford was other side of Manhattan from New Jersey. 

However, Hurricane Sandy did leave it's mark on the property. It also gave me extra days as my flight was delayed three times. BONUS!! I devoted this time to researching the vast collection on books on my favorite subjects. Monday was spent in the Library.

 

The Library is located in the former college which my uncle, Lubomyr Cardinal Husar, attended in the 1950's. This is Monday and it's stormy outside. The wind was blowing hard. A fine rain was being whipped around all day. 

Monsignor John Terlecky, the Director and Librarian, catalogued a few more books while there was still power.

A full collection of magazines about Kyivan Rus. Brilliant artwork on the spines.

A magazine issue from the series

 On Tuesday, the Library lost power along with the rest of the neighborhood homes and buildings. I was able to take the books to my "Gerdany" teaching room and continue my research.

Bishop Paul and Maria survey the damage after the Hurricane winds died down on Tues morning 

Library Assistant Anna poses for a photo of the toppled tree

Branches litter the grounds near the pavillion

Freshly split off branches litter the grounds

Other view of the Museum. More tree branches of every description

Monday we had a "Gerdany-making" evening with a free "Hurricane Special" kit for interested participants. I highly recommend such diversions if you're lucky enough to be in a safe building. The winds were whipping around, but our minds were on the beadwork.

Natalia beaded this Textured Net in three hours at our Hurricane Sandy beading night.

Taras, Natalia in her new Pearl Twig Willow and Marian with her Byzantine Cross

I even renamed my INDO Netted X's and O's "Sandy" as I beaded it Monday, Tuesday while on the phone for 1.5 hours trying to change flights, and at JFK on Thursday evening.

"Sandy" Netted X's and O's" with Indonesian lampwork beads