Family fun – How to make beautiful dyed Easter eggs

Want to try something a bit different with the kids this Easter holiday? Try these easy and fun ways to make spectacular decorated eggs – by naturally dyeing them with things you have around the house…

by Misti Traya

When I was nine, we had Ukranian neighbours who kindly invited me to decorate Easter eggs with them. We used wax and lots of bright dyes to create intricate designs. They were the most beautiful eggs I’ve ever seen. Later that day, while on the phone with my grandmother, I told her I’d made ovarian Easter eggs with my friends. She asked to speak with my mother.

Though I have never made eggs quite so pretty or as elaborate since, I still love decorating them at Easter. Eggs symbolise rebirth. In some Orthodox and Eastern churches, eggs are dyed red in memory of Christ’s sacrifice.

There are lots of ways to naturally dye eggs. I like to dye them with tea and turmeric because I’m not keen on vegetal smells filling my kitchen. If you’re not fussed, do try beetroot, red cabbage, or onion skins. The jewel tones you can get are amazing. Best of all, they’re easy to do and you needn’t buy anything special except white eggs.

Personally, my favourite way to decorate eggs is by dyeing them with silk. The brighter the colors, the better. Use old ties, scarves, skirts, shirts, whatever you have to hand. Just make sure the fabric is 100% silk. I often look in charity shops throughout the year for good patterns or colour schemes to buy on the cheap and keep just for Easter. There were only so many times I could raid my husband’s tie drawer. Also, dyeing this way yields the prettiest designs without the faff of coloured wax. It looks elaborate but actually it’s easy. Give it a go and please show us your eggs. Tag us in pictures of them – we would love to see!

For perfectly hard boiled eggs

1. Put your eggs in a saucepan and fill it with cold water. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Once it’s boiling, cover the pot with a lid and turn off the heat.
3. Allow the eggs to cook in the hot water for twelve minutes.
4. Finally, remove the eggs and place them in a bowl of cold water.

Method 1: Turmeric dyed eggs

You will need: already hard boiled eggs, turmeric, white vinegar, a mug or small bowl, and kitchen paper.

1. Mix together 1 teaspoon of white vinegar with 2 tablespoons of turmeric. Top up with hot water.
2. Place a boiled egg into the container and allow it to soak for half an hour.
3. After this time, lift the egg out of the mug using a spoon and gently pat it dry with kitchen paper. Take caution not to wipe or smear the egg as this will remove the colour.

You can experiment with all sorts of alternatives to turmeric for more colours.

Method 2: Tea dyed eggs with leaf and flower prints

You will need: already hard boiled eggs, 1 tea bag per egg, white vinegar, small flowers or leaves, tights/stockings, rubberbands.

1. Use small flowers or leaves to decorate the egg by placing them on the egg’s surface. Then wrap the egg with cut up stocking material. Tie each end tight.
2. Make a strong cup of tea. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to it.
3. Put the stocking wrapped egg into the mug and leave it to colour overnight. Fill as many mugs as you like. Different teas yield different colours. (We used Yorkshire Gold for ours.)

The following day, remove the egg and pat it dry with kitchen paper. Remove the stocking to reveal your botanical design!

Method 3: Silk dyed eggs

You will need: white eggs, white vinegar, rubber bands, a large pot, silk and cotton fabric.

If using ties, unpick them and remove the lining (I save the linings for later use – see step 2)

1. Cut the fabric into strips large enough to wrap around your eggs.  Be sure to make as much of the fabric touch the shell as you can. Wrapping rubber bands around the fabric helps.  Tie them tightly at the ends with more rubber bands or some string.
2. Wrap some white fabric around the colored fabric.  (This is when I use the tie linings!)
3. Place the eggs in a pot with cold water and a 1/4 cup of white vinegar.  Place a plate over the eggs to prevent them from floating to the top. Once they come to a boil, allow them to cook for 25 minutes.
4. Remove them from the pot and transfer them to a bowl of cold water.  Cool completely.

Then take off the rubber bands and material to reveal your lovely silk dyed eggs. Ta dah! Here’s some I made last year…

Misti Traya is a writer from London and mum to a 7-year old daughter.

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