An Egg-cellent Easter Activity

YAY! It’s spring break!  And what do the Manos’ do on spring break?  Chill out and get ready for Easter, of course!! 🙂

After seeing Hamilton (YES!  WE GOT TICKETS!!!), we headed to our Sunriver home Sunday morning.  Whenever we come to Sunriver, we have lots of together time: walking to the village, having hot cocoa at the lodge, playing board games, and hopefully get up to the mountain to ski.  I also like to bring at least one activity or craft.  This visit, I brought ingredients to decorate Easter eggs.

I brought one of the typical egg dyeing kits (with Emoji stickers, chosen by my 10 year old) and a few silk ties.  SILK TIES? you ask! 🙂  Oh yes!  A few years ago, I tried a really fun technique that I wanted to try it again and share with you!  It’s called Silk-dyed Eggs.  Here is what you will need:

• eggs
• silk ties
• vinegar
• water
• white fabric
• twisties or wire

The results of silk-dyed eggs are so uncontrolled, unexpected and always an exciting surprise when you unwrap those little bundles.  Let’s get started!

STEP 1: Find some ties

Throughout the year, (or, like I did, about a month before Easter), start hunting for 100% silk ties at garage sales, Goodwill, or better yet: your husband or dad’s closet!  You can tell they are 100% silk because the tag on the back side of the tie will say “100% Silk” or “All silk”.  If it doesn’t say 100% silk, then it won’t work.

Don’t be afraid if you find some “not-so-pretty” patterns.  Even the most gawd-awful 80’s patterns can result in beautiful imprints. While searching, keep in mind that you can get at least 2 eggs dyed per tie.  So if you want to decorate one dozen eggs, then you will need 6 ties.  I was able to stop in to our local Goodwill one day and I found the 5 silk ties that I used for this project.

STEP 2: Cut them up!

I know, it feels soooo rebellious but, cut that tie apart!  For this project, all you need is the silk fabric.  Cut off the tag, take out the liner, and cut off the skinny end of the tie.  (The end of the tie is too small to wrap around an average large egg.)

STEP 3: Cut silk pieces to fit around the egg

Once you removed the liner and have a flat piece of silk, cut the silk into sections big enough to wrap around the egg on all sides.  I was able to get two pieces out of each of my ties.

STEP 4: Wrap fabric around egg and close with wire

Put the egg in the middle of the fabric piece, gather all the ends together on one end of the egg, and tie them closed with wire.  I like to gather the fabric on the wide end of the egg, so when the egg lays down on a napkin or plate, the pattern is clean and even. If you plan on putting these in an egg cup that stands the egg on it’s end, I would gather the fabric on the pointy end of the egg, so the rounded bottom is displayed out the end of the cup and has the best, cleanest imprint.

Once all the the wrapping is done, you’ll have a bunch of little egg bundles.

STEP 5: Cut white fabric to seal in color

To keep the dyes from blending together, my handy-dandy assistant cut up a white valance from her old bedroom.  You can use any plain, white fabric you have laying around the house.  An old pillow case or sheet works perfectly.  Just like you did with the silk, place the silk wrapped egg in the middle of the white fabric piece, pull up the sides of the white around the silk bundle, and close up the bundle with wire.

Look at all our cute little ghost-like bundles!!!

STEP 6: Time to boil!

From here, put all the bundles in a big pot. Fill the pot with water till the eggs are completely submerged.  Add 1/4 cup of vinegar and turn the burner to high.  Bring the water to a boil and cook the eggs for about 20 minutes.

Once the 20 minutes is up, remove the pot from the heat, drain the eggs and let cool completely.  (To hurry this process, I put them on a plate and stuck them in the fridge).

STEP 7: Unwrap and VOILA!!!

Once your eggs have cooled, unwrap your bundles and see the surprise inside!!!!  Check these out!  Aren’t they just the most surprisingly gorgeous Easter eggs ever?  The best part: you don’t have to be Carl Faberge in order to create such beautiful eggs!  Who knew such works of art could be produced with the help of a few old silk ties!!!! 🙂

Now head to your husband or dad’s closet and try it out for yourself!!!!  It’s sooo fun!

Happy Easter, y’all!

xo, Melissa