April 9, 2023How to Make Onion-Skin Dyed Nature Printed Easter Eggs
Author: Josée Bergeron, Backwoods Mama
Dyeing Easter eggs using naturally derived dyes is an age old tradition that has recently seen a recent resurgence. There’s something satisfying about creating a coulourful cast of eggs from things such as onion skins, purple cabbage, beets, turmeric and tea. While there’s a whole list of natural items that can be used to dye eggs, onion skin is a a traditional material that creates a beautiful deep orange-red hue on white eggs. When you pair this method of dyeing eggs with using bits of nature to create nature prints on the eggs the result is simple magical.
Disclaimer: This page contains Amazon Affiliates links and I may earn a small commission from your purchases made through them.
Onion-Skin Nature Printed Easter eggs
Making onion-skin nature printed Easter eggs is quite simple. Start saving up dry yellow or purple onions skins a few weeks before doing this project. Alternatively, buy a bulk bag of onions and rub off a bunch of onion skins. I like to fill up a gallon sized plastic bag with onion skins which is about the equivalent of about a dozen onions worth. If you’re worried that the onion skins will make your eggs taste onion-y, they won’t. Your eggs will still taste perfectly eggy.
When it comes to choosing bits of nature for printing the eggs, I suggest picking smaller items that will lay flat on the egg. Some popular options include: cilantro, flat parsley, strawberry leaves, cedar twigs, sage leaves, and violets. You can also experiment with things like lace, and string too.
Equipment
Medium pot
Sieve
Scissors
Bowl
Materials
1 dozen white eggs
1 gallon bag dry yellow or purple onions skins from (about a dozen onions)
Boil the onion skins: Place the onion skins in a medium sized pot and cover with approximately four to six cups water. This isn’t an exact science. Just make sure the water covers the onion skins. Bring the water to a boil and simmer on low for 30 minutes.
Prep the eggs: Place a piece nature flat on an egg and wrap the egg tightly in a nylon. This works best by tying a knot at each of the nylon.
Strain the dye: Pour the onion skin dye through a sieve to remove the skins. Place the dye back into the medium pot.
Add the vinegar: Add 1/4 cup vinegar to the dye and stir to combine.
Dye and cook the eggs: Place the eggs gently into the pot of dye. Bring the dye to a boil. Turn the heat off and let the eggs cook in the hot liquid. Remove the eggs from the hot dye at 6 minutes for a soft boiled eggs, 8 minutes for a medium boiled eggs and 10 minutes for a hard boiled eggs. Place the eggs in a bowl of cold water to cool the eggs.
Remove the nylons: Cut or untie the nylon from the eggs to reveal the beautiful nature print below.
Rub eggs with olive oil (optional): Rub the eggs with olive oil to give them a nice shine.
Boil the onion skins: Place the onion skins in a medium sized pot and cover with approximately four to six cups water. This isn't an exact science. Just make sure the water covers the onion skins. Bring the water to a boil and simmer on low for 30 minutes.
Prep the eggs: Place a piece nature flat on an egg and wrap the egg tightly in a nylon. This works best by tying a knot at each of the nylon.
Strain the dye: Pour the onion skin dye through a sieve to remove the skins. Place the dye back into the medium pot.
Add the vinegar: Add 1/4 cup vinegar to the dye and stir to combine.
Dye and cook the eggs: Place the eggs gently into the pot of dye. Bring the dye to a boil. Turn the heat off and let the eggs cook in the hot liquid. Remove the eggs from the hot dye at 6 minutes for a soft boiled eggs, 8 minutes for a medium boiled eggs and 10 minutes for a hard boiled eggs. Place the eggs in a bowl of cold water to cool the eggs.
Remove the nylons: Cut or untie the nylon from the eggs to reveal the beautiful nature print below.
Rub eggs with olive oil (optional): Rub the eggs with olive oil to give them a nice shine.
0 Comments