Easter time has come, and the eggs are out. Dyeing of eggs is always a fun activity that everyone can enjoy, and the finished eggs can be used in so many ways. This year, we wanted to experiment a little bit more with natural dyes. The colors that you can achieve using the simplest of ingredients is always so surprising. All you need to do is make a visit to your grocery store or local produce stand and pick up some fresh veggies and flowers! Soft greens and flower petals can be used to make beautiful prints on the eggs. Here’s how you do it…
What you need:
Eggs — hard boiled or fresh (just be extra careful if you are using fresh eggs as they are easier to break!)
2 yellow onions
1 head of reg cabbage
Vinegar
Flowers
White or nude pantyhose
Twine or twist ties
First, you must prepare the egg. Take the pantyhose and cut a large enough piece from it so that it fully wraps around the egg with some to spare. Take a fresh flower petal or green and lay it face down on the egg. Wrap up the pantyhose around the egg so that it is fully covered.
Take your twine or twist tie and tie off the excess fabric by the base of the egg so it fits snug.
Continue this process on any of your eggs that you wish to be printed.
Next, we make the dye. Roughly chop up your onions and cabbage. Take two large sauce pots and fill each of them with about 4 1/2 cups of water. Place the chopped up onion and cabbage in separate pots and bring each to a boil. Continue simmering for 20-30 minutes. strain the dyed water into a separate container, big enough to hold a few eggs and drop in 3 tablespoons of vinegar.
Above is diagram to give you an idea of the color that will be achieved from the different dyes. The yellow onion dye will turn eggs a light brownish color, and the cabbage will turn them a pretty light blue.
Drop your plain and pantyhose-wrapped eggs into the dyes. The longer you let them soak, the darker the color will be. I let mine soak for about 30-45 minutes.
Once they are done soaking, take them out and cut away the pantyhose and peel off the flower petal or green. I love how soft of a floral print it makes. It’s sublte yet beautiful, adding in a bit more to the light, earthy color of the dyes.
You can give away your eggs as a gift, place them around your house, or arrange them with some other greens and lace to make a pretty centerpiece.
What other natural dyes have you experimented with?
More DIY ideas from the BLDG 25 Blog.
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Beautiful!
Tumeric (fresh root or dried powder) also makes a gorgeous and bright golden yellow dye – I’m planning to dye a quilt with tumeric this summer :)
These are BEAUTIFUL! I wonder if you could maybe use wooden eggs as a more permanent decoration?
<3
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I had a feeling FP would do a post like this, just in time! Thanks!
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These turned out beautifully, especially the cabbage ones. Love it!
Beets would make a lovely pink
So much better than store bought
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