Egg Coloring

Spring Equinox (- threads, 41 posts)
...

Egg Coloring

General Thread

Here we have some nice fresh eggs from Mac's Chicken Farm (designs by Cari Buziak) that you can copy to your hard drive, decorate, and show them off to everyone on this thread. Also, below are instructions for natural egg coloring that you can try at home. Then come back and tell us how these methods worked for you, or better yet post photos of your colored eggs.

NATURAL EGG COLORING

METHOD 1: Can boil the coloring medium together with eggs dye at one time using different pans for different colors. Boiling with vinegar makes deeper colors but don't use vinegar if coloring with onionskins. The obvious disadvantage to this is that most stovetops only have 4 burners which limits the amount of different colors and takes more time.

Wash eggs and put eggs into pan, single layer. Cover with water.

Use about a teaspoon of vinegar.

Add natural dye material. Add more for more color.

Bring water to boil, reduce to simmer for about half an hour.

If you like the color, take out the eggs. If you want a deeper color, take out the eggs and strain the dye through a coffee filter, then cover the eggs with the filtered dye and let them set in refrigerator overnight.

METHOD 2: Make the dye ahead of time by putting dyeing material into a pan and covering with water at least one inch above the material. Bring to boil, reduce and simmer 15 mins to 1 hour until you like the color. Remember, the dyed eggs won't get as dark as the color of the dye. Strain dye into bowl or cup, add 2 - 3 teaspoons vinegar for each cup of dye liquid. Dip the egg into liquid with slotted spoon. Let set until you get the color you want. Turn the eggs frequently for more even coloring.You can leave the egg in for several hours or overnight (in refrigerator) for a deeper color.

Let the eggs dry on a rack or in an egg carton. Handle with care because some of the color may easily come off before it dries. Dab with a sponge for a textured look. For glossy eggs, rub with cooking oil.

Keep in mind that the egg may take on the flavor of whatever you dyed it with, so the eggs might not be good to eat after dyeing!

WHAT TO USE FOR COLORS:

Lavender: purple grape juice; violet blossoms plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice; Red Zinger tea tea

Violet: violet blossoms; skins of red onions; hibiscus tea

Blue: Canned blueberries; 4 cups of shredded red cabbage leaves (boiled for half an hour)to a quart of water; purple grape juice

Green: boil 4 cups spinach leaves (fresh or frozen) to a quart of water

Greenish Yellow: Boil peelings of Yellow Delicious Apples

Yellow: Orange or Lemon peels; carrot tops; ground cumin or ground turmeric; celery seed; chamomile tea or green tea

Brown: Boil eggs with one quart of strong coffee or (black) tea in place of water; instant coffee or black walnut shells

Brownish gold: dill seeds or chili powder Orange: 4 cups Yellow onion skins, boiled, paprika (4 tablespoons to a quart of water), or carrots

Pink: 4 cups shredded beets or radishes to a quart of water; cranberries or cranberry juice in place of water; raspberries; red grape juice; juice from pickled beets

Red: 4 cups of red onionskins boiled; or pomegranate juice in place of water.

You can use fresh or frozen berries to paint the eggs. Crush the berries against the dry boiled eggs.

For designs, mark eggs with crayons before dying or wrap the eggs with string or elastics.

POST YOUR PHOTOS OR TALK ABOUT EGG COLORING ON THIS THREAD. HAPPY SPRING!!