Dyeing Eggs Naturally

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1. Start with hard-cooked (boiled) eggs and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. The longer you soak the eggs in the following dye liquids , the more intense the colors will be.
3. If desired, before dyeing the eggs, draw shapes, pictures or inspiring words on them with crayons(preferably white) or a piece of wax. The wax or crayon won’t absorb the color so the designs will show through. Using a crayon, simply draw a design onto your eggs and then dye as you would any other Easter egg.
4. Rubber bands are all you need to make tie-dyed eggs. Use a collection of different sized rubber bands. Wrap the rubber bands, one at a time, around the eggs. Make sure to leave some of the egg shell exposed so it can be dyed. I have also used waxed string with the same results.
5. Once the eggs are dyed to the color you like, remove them from the water and let them dry. Once dried completely, pull the rubber bands or string off to reveal your banded design.

How to make natural egg dyes

*Wash hard-cooked (boiled) eggs in warm soapy water to remove any oily residue that may stop the color from sticking to the eggs. Let eggs cool.

*You need to use your own decide about exactly how much of each dye stuff to use.  Place a handful (or two or three handfuls) of a dyestuff in a saucepan.

*Add tap water to come at least approximately one inch above the dye materials.  NOTE: This will usually be about 1 cup of water for each handful of dye materials.

*Bring the water  to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Let simmer about 15 minutes or up to an hour until you like the color. Keep in mind that dyed eggs will not get as dark as the color in the pan. Remove the pan from the heat.

*Pour mixture into a liquid measuring cup. Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of white vinegar for each cup of strained dye liquid. Pour the mixture into a bowl or jar that is deep enough to completely cover the eggs you want to dye.

*Use a slotted spoon  to lower the eggs into the hot liquid. Leave the eggs in the water until you like the color.

*When eggs are dyed to the color you desire, lift the eggs out with the slotted spoon. Let them dry on a rack or drainer. NOTE: An egg carton works great as a drying rack. Be careful to handle the wet eggs gently and carefully as some of the colors can easily be rubbed off before the egg has dried.

NOTE: Eggs colored with natural dyes have a dull finish and are not glossy. Use a little oil (like cooking oil) to shine them up.

NOTE: Allow the egg to sit in the tea or spice for several hours or overnight. The longer the egg soaks, the deeper the final color will be. If you plan to eat the eggs be sure to do this step in the refrigerator.

Natural Ingredients Chart