Some of my favorite childhood memories revolve around Holidays and each little tradition they come with. Making Valentines for friends or remembering to wear green for fear of the dreaded pinch. A particular favorite of mine, though, was dyeing easter eggs. It felt like a magic trick to me! So, I wanted to come up with a cleaner, safer way to incorporate this tradition with your family.
Now is the perfect time to teach your kids about unique things nature can do. This activity will allow them to participate in a fun, holiday tradition and learn. Go ahead and grab your DIY Dye Kit, if you do not have one you can order one here and come back to this. We also have dye kits for dyeing your own Bandanas (or Market Bags upon request), grab that one here!
The Easter Egg Dye Kit comes with:
- 1 White Bandana to lay your finished eggs on
- 1 Packet of Organic Turmeric Powder
-1 Packet of Red Sandalwood Tree Bark Powder
- Rubber Bands (for the daring, to wrap around the egg for a pattern)
- Step-by-Step Instructions for each color dye pack
To complete this activity you will need:
- A Saucepan
- 6 Hard Boiled Eggs (or however many you plan to dye)
- 2 TBS White Vinegar (Apple Cider Vinegar works too)
- A cup for each color dye planned
- Tongs/ Spoons to retrieve eggs
First, fill a saucepan about a quarter of the way with cold water. Place the eggs in a single layer at the bottom of the saucepan. Add more water so that the eggs are covered by at least an inch or two of water. 6 eggs should be covered by at least an inch, 7 to 12 eggs, 2 inches.
Bring the water to a rolling boil. Turn off the heat, keep the pan on the hot burner, cover, and let sit for 10-12 minutes. Be careful not to overcook or they will turn green.
Remove eggs and gently place them in a bowl of ice water until fully cooled.
Next, we are going to boil the water for our dye. Boil 2 Cups of Water for every Dye Color you plan to make. I boiled 6 cups of water because I made 3 colors.
2 Cups Water + Turmeric = Yellow
2 Cups Water + Sandalwood = Pink
2 Cups Water + Indigo = Blue
Once the water is boiled separate it out into bowls and mix in your dye packets to allow your dye to dissolve while the water is still hot. Stir it occasionally to immerse all the dye.
After that, prepare your cups to hold your dye. Pour half of each color into your prepared cup. Only pour 1/3 of your turmeric mixture as it will be used to make 2 more colors if you desire to mix, and have indigo available. I ended up mixing colors to make 5 total. Pink, Yellow, Blue, Peach & Green. Half of your dye will be for a plain color and the other half is used to mix colors.
1C Turmeric + 1C Sandalwood = Peach
1C Turmeric + 1C Indigo = Green
Now that you have a cup with pink, yellow, blue, peach & green add the Vinegar to each cup. You will put 2 TBS of vinegar in each dye cup.
Pull your eggs out of the ice water and pat them dry. If you wish to use the rubber bands, now is the time. Put them around the eggs you wish to be BLUE or YELLOW. Both of these colors are resistant to rubber and will leave the egg white where the rubber band covers, making a cool pattern.
Use your spoons or tongs to insert the eggs into your dye cups, I recommend 1 at a time in the dye. You will need to leave the eggs in for an hour or so, stirring occasionally. Yes i know this is long & that kids are impatient, but natural dye is prettiest with patience!
Finally, prepare a platter with the bandana in your Kit laid out to catch all the color. Use tongs or a spoon to take your eggs out and lay them on the bandana. Allow them to dry for 5 Minutes before touching. Place them in a basket or bowl for all to see your Hand Dyed Happiness.
I hope you and your family or friends enjoy this alternative to your favorite Holiday Tradition. If you enjoy natural dyeing please check out the other dye kits available for $10 off during this time, here!
Until next time,
Kara Leake
Comments