This pair of spoon rests comes with a matching pair of chopsticks rests. They are embroidered with Chinese auspicious motifs of butterflies, phoenix and peony and embellished with sequins. Butterfly symbolises conjugal bliss, the phoenix is a mythical long tailed bird that symbolises beauty, grace, high virtue, the bride and the Empress while the peony symbolises spring, love, beauty and good fortune.They were made using satin stitch, where stitches of varying lengths are densely sewn onto the base. Cardboard or layers of paper were sometimes pasted with starch to the reverse of the embroidered objects as interlining and to help the objects maintain their shape and durability. Satin stitches are then deftly employed over raised cardboard cut-outs for added textural relief and to give a satin-like sheen.For the Peranakans, chopsticks and spoons were usually used for ceremonies and rituals during festive occasions like weddings.
