Dying easter eggs with natural dyes is simple and most of the ingredients are already found in any kitchen. This tutorial uses red cabbage and turmeric for colour and flower petals and leaves for pretty little prints.
Ingredients
7 eggs, cooked (ideally white and without the date stamp, brown work as well but the colours aren't as vibrant)
4 tbsp vinegar plus more for cleaning the eggs
3 cups water
¼ head red cabbage or 6-8 tbsp turmeric for dying
Fresh cut flowers, herbs, bits of house plants, etc. to create the print
Steel or aluminum pot for boiling dye liquid (ceramic will stain)
cheese cloth or old pantyhose
elastics (the little clear disposable ones for hair work well)
1L mason jar
Instructions
Boil eggs so that they are hard cooked. Let cool completely.
Pour a little vinegar on a cloth and use this to rub the eggs clean. The vinegar also helps the dye to penetrate the eggshell.
Bring the water to a boil with the dye ingredient of your choice. Leave it on a hard boil for 3-5 minutes and then let simmer for 15-30 minutes.
Add the 4tbsp vinegar to the mixture. Let cool and strain.
While the mixture is cooling, cut up the flowers, leaves or herbs you’d like to use to create the print on the eggs.
Cut the cheesecloth or pantyhose so that it easily covers an egg.
Place the flower or herb you’d like to use to create the print on the egg and cover with the cheesecloth or pantyhose. Use the elastic to tie the cloth tightly. Pull the cloth against the elastic to make it as tight as possible.
Place each egg in the mason jar. Fill the jar with the cooled dye liquid. Cover with a lid and leave overnight to dye. In the morning remove the elastic and cloth, rinse the eggs and let them dry on paper towel.
Notes
Tips To get other colours just mix different ingredients. For example, turmeric and red cabbage make a green dye. Natural dyes don’t always result in the same intensity. One time your yellow may be much deeper than others. It’s part of the surprise that comes with dying with natural dyes.
Other natural dye options: Orange: Onion skins- 8-9 onion skins Jade Green: Red onions, 8-9 onion skins Pink: Hibiscus tea - ½ cup Brown: Coffee, ½-1 cup (more coffee creates a darker shade) Light Pink: Beets, 1 beet cut in cubes (don’t simmer)
Recipe by Roasted at https://www.roastedmontreal.com/2015/04/naturally-dyed-easter-eggs-with-floralia.html