Easter Egg Coloring 2

NATURAL EASTER EGG COLORING

Make your own natural Easter egg dyes using garden vegetables and spices for color.

Boil vegetables and spices to create egg dye.

Homemade Easter-Egg Dye Recipes
Select a dyeing agent, and place it in the pot using the amount listed below. Add 1 quart water and 2 tablespoons white vinegar to pot; if more water is necessary to cover ingredients, proportionally increase the amount of vinegar. Bring to a boil, then lower heat. Allow the ingredients to simmer for 30 minutes. Strain dye into a bowl.

Red-cabbage dye: 4 cups chopped cabbage
Turmeric dye: 3 tablespoons turmeric
Onion-skin dye: 4 cups onion skins (skins of about 12 onions)
Beet dye: 4 cups chopped beets
Coffee dye: 1 quart strong black coffee (instead of water)

Color Glossary
Natural dyes can sometimes produce unexpected results, so don't be surprised if, for example, your red-cabbage dye yields blue eggs. Use the following guide to help you achieve the colors you desire.

DEEP GOLD: Boil eggs in turmeric solution, 30 minutes.

SIENNA: Boil eggs in onion-skin solution, 30 minutes.

DARK RICH BROWN: Boil eggs in black coffee, 30 minutes.

PALE YELLOW: Soak eggs in room-temperature turmeric solution, 30 minutes.

ORANGE: Soak eggs in room-temperature onion-skin solution, 30 minutes.

LIGHT BROWN: Soak eggs in room-temperature black coffee, 30 minutes.

LIGHT PINK: Soak eggs in room-temperature beet solution, 30 minutes.

LIGHT BLUE: Soak eggs in room-temperature cabbage solution, 30 minutes.

ROYAL BLUE: Soak eggs in room-temperature cabbage solution overnight.

LAVENDER: Soak eggs in room-temperature beet solution, 30 minutes. Follow with room-temperature cabbage solution, 30 seconds.

CHARTREUSE: Soak eggs in room-temperature turmeric solution, 30 minutes. Follow with room-temperature cabbage solution, 5 seconds.

SALMON: Soak eggs in room-temperature turmeric solution, 30 minutes. Follow with room-temperature onion-skin solution, 30 minutes.


MATERIALS

• Natural dyeing agents (red cabbage, turmeric, onion skins, beets, and coffee)
• 3-quart pot (or larger)
• White vinegar
• Strainer
• Small bowls
• Eggs
• Large metal spoon
• Paper towels
• Drying rack

STEPS 

1. Remove eggs with spoon, pat dry with paper towels, and let dry on a wire rack. The cold-dipping method produces subtle, translucent shades, but can result in uneven coloring unless the eggs are rotated vigilantly while in the dye. For hollow eggs that will last indefinitely, cold-dip raw eggs, then blow them out after they are dyed.
2. With this method, the eggs and the ingredients for the dye are boiled separately. Using a metal spoon, lower cooled hard-boiled eggs into a bowl of cooled dye, and let them soak for as little as 5 seconds or as long as overnight, depending on the depth of color you desire. Remove eggs with spoon, pat dry with paper towels, and let dry on a wire rack. The cold-dipping method produces subtle, translucent shades, but can result in uneven coloring unless the eggs are rotated vigilantly while in the dye. For hollow eggs that will last indefinitely, cold-dip raw eggs, then blow them out after they are dyed.
3. This method involves boiling the eggs with the dye; the heat allows the dye to saturate the shells, resulting in intense, more uniform color. Set raw eggs in a pot of strained dye; bring to a boil for the amount of time specified in our color glossary (see below). Remove and dry eggs as with the cold-dipping method.
4. Natural dyes tend to fade over time, so finish any eggs you plan to keep with a matte or gloss acrylic spray varnish. To create an egg-spraying stand, stick a 6-inch length of wire into a block of Styrofoam; prop a hollow egg onto the wire through one of its holes.
5. Spray egg with a coat of varnish in a well-ventilated area, and let dry.

Natural dyes tend to fade over time, so finish any eggs you plan to keep with a matte or gloss acrylic spray varnish. To create an egg-spraying stand, stick a 6-inch length of wire into a block of Styrofoam; prop a hollow egg onto the wire through one of its holes.
Spray egg with a coat of varnish in a well-ventilated area, and let dry.

Source: Martha Stewart