The Inspiration: Panoramic Sugar Egg

Posted by: Coral & Tusk

When we recall holiday memories from our childhoods many special objects come to mind, from passed-down pop-up books read only on Christmas Eve to special decorations we anticipated unboxing year after year. One special object we remember from Easter is the panoramic sugar egg. Did you find these sweet, handmade treasures in your Easter basket? If you’re unfamiliar with these exquisite creations (or you do and want to take a walk down memory lane!) read about our favorite Easter treat on the blog!

Get inspired! Sugar eggs from D. Blumchen and Co., House & Parties, and Pinterest

Panoramic sugar eggs are candies that date back to the 1800’s, their exact origins are unknown, but they are often attributed to the Victorians. The confections are made of molded pressed sugar and feature intricately iced details on the exterior of the egg. The interior of the sugar egg is hollowed out and inside are splendid miniature dioramas. Sugar eggs are edible, but they are often too beloved to be eaten! They can last for years (even decades!) under the right conditions.

Sugar eggs are so ornate and detailed that they can only be made by hand, which has contributed to their decline in popularity. While reading about the history of panoramic sugar eggs online we unearthed an article from The Chicago Tribune published in 1987 titled “Panoramic Eggs Nearly a Lost Art.” That was almost 40 years ago! In recent years the few retailers that still sold sugar eggs have since stopped stocking them due to suppliers no longer producing them.

The original drawings for our Sugar Egg Pocket Pillow by Stephanie.

We hope that the legacy of panoramic sugar eggs can live on! This season we created an embroidered design that is an homage to the sugar egg. We created a pocket pillow that is embroidered on two layers of fabric. The outer layer includes a chain of daisies and resembles the iced outside of a sugar egg. Inside the egg, a springtime world unfolds: butterflies flutter by and flowers bloom. An embroidered fox, bear, bunny, chick, and fawn welcome us into the Easter wonderland. Our Sugar Egg pocket pillow is complete with a removable lamb pal.

Left: Our Sugar Egg pillow with the inspiration material! Right: Sugar Egg pocket pillow details.

Creating our sugar egg design of course made us want to find some just like the ones we remembered! We searched Etsy and ordered stunning creations from CraftingSimpleJHD based in Ann Arbor, MI. We also found a fun how-to guide if you’re interested in creating your own sugar eggs via Flour Arrangements, read their DIY here.

May we all make new memories this Easter whether it’s with our sugar egg inspired pocket pillow or creating your own confectionary creation!

Stunning sugar eggs by CraftingSimpleJHD via Etsy.