location: environment: basement suburbs
Coloring Eggs with Natural Dyes Bluish-Gray: Mix 1 cup frozen blueberries with 1 cup water, bring to room temperature, and remove blueberries. Blue: Cut 1/4 head of red cabbage into chunks and add to 4 cups boiling water. Stir in 2 Tbsp. ...vinegar. Let cool to room temperature and remove cabbage with a slotted spoon. Jade Green: Peel the skin from 6 red onions and simmer in 2 cups water for 15 minutes; strain. Add 3 tsp. white vinegar. Faint Green-Yellow: Peel the skin from 6 yellow apples. Simmer in 1-1/2 cups water for 20 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar. Simmer 4 oz. chopped fennel tops in 1-1/2 cups of water for 20 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar. Orange: Take the skin of 6 yellow onions and simmer in 2 cups water for 15 minutes; strain. Add 3 tsp. white vinegar. Faint Red-Orange: Stir 2 Tbsp. paprika into 1 cup boiling water; add 2 tsp. white vinegar. Rich yellow: Simmer 4 oz. chopped carrot tops in 1-1/2 cups water for 15 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar. Mustard-yellow: Stir 2 tsp. turmeric into 1 cup boiling water; add 2 tsp. white vinegar. Various shades: Steep 4 bags of chamomile or green tea in 1 cup boiling water for 5 minutes. Pale yellow: Chop 4 oz. goldenrod and simmer in 2 cups water for 20 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar. Faint yellow: Simmer the peels of 6 oranges in 1-1/2 cups water for 20 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. vinegar. Brown-Gold: Simmer 2 Tbsp. dill seed in 1 cup water for 15 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar. Brown: Add 1 tablespoon vinegar to 1 cup strong coffee. Faint pink: Chop 4 oz. amaranth flowers and simmer in 2 cups water; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar. Simmer the skins from 6 avocados in 1-1/2 cup water for 20 minutes; strain. Add 2 tsp. white vinegar. Mix 1 cup pickled beet juice and 1 tablespoon vinegar. Dark pink: Cut 1 medium beet into chunks and add to 4 cups boiling water. Stir in 2 Tbsp. vinegar and let cool to room temperature; remove beets. Lavender: Mix 1 cup grape juice and 1 tablespoon vinegar. Red: Try various combinations of: Lots of Red Onions Skins (boiled) Canned Cherries with Juice Pomegranate Juice Raspberries Orange: Try various combinations of: Yellow Onion Skins (boiled) Carrots (boiled) Paprika Chili Powder Yellow: Try various combinations of: Chamomile Tea Orange or Lemon Peels (boiled) Celery Seed (boiled) Ground Cumin (boiled) Ground Turmeric (boiled) Green Tea Carrot Tops (boiled) Green: Try various combinations of: Spinach Leaves (boiled) Fresh Basil (boiled) Blue: Try various combinations of: Canned Blueberries Large Amount of Purple Grape Juice Red Cabbage Leaves (boiled) Violet Blue: Try various combinations of: Violet Flowers (no lemon juice) Red Onion Skins (boiled) Red Wine Hibiscus Tea Lavender: Try various combinations of: Small Amount of Purple Grape Juice Violet Flowers + 2 tsp Lemon Juice Red Zinger Tea bags (Celestial Seasoning brand) Supplies ■ About one dozen whitish eggs (depending on how many you want to dye—be sure to include extra for experimentation purposes!) ■ Dye ingredients (see above) ■ Large, nonaluminum pan for boiling ingredients and eggs ■ Wax crayons and rubber bands & stickers (for optional designs prior to dyeing) ■ 2 tablespoons white vinegar per quart of water ■ Rubber gloves to avoid having Easter egg-colored hands! ■ Slotted spoon for handling the eggs in hot water ■ Strainer ■ Egg carton(s) for drying ■ Recycled paper towels or cloth towels ■ Vegetable oil (optional) Generalized Instructions: Method 1— Hot Place eggs in a single layer in a large, nonaluminum pan. Add the dyeing ingredient of your choice—it’s best not to mix until you are comfortable with experimenting. Cover the eggs and other dyeing “agent(s)” with one inch of water. Add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar per quart to help the color adhere to the egg, and bring to a boil. Next, simmer for 20–30 minutes or until the desired shade is achieved. If you cook the eggs longer than 15 minutes, they will become rather tough. Method 2 — Cold The cold method is the same as the hot method with the following exception. Once ingredients have simmered 20–30 minutes (depending on desired shade), lift or strain the ingredients out of the water and allow the water to cool to room temperature though you may wish to try keeping the ingredients in the colored water to give the egg more texture as the dye will become concentrated in areas where the vegetable touches the egg. Submerge the eggs until the desired color is achieved. You may keep the eggs in the solution overnight as long as it is refrigerated.The longer the egg stays in the dye, hot or cold, the deeper the hue will be. Using vinegar will also help the color deepen. (If time is short, you can use fresh and frozen berries as “paints,” too—simply crush the berries against dry, boiled eggs!) Once satisfied with your creation, place the eggs in an egg carton to dry. If you like, rub vegetable or mineral oil onto the dried egg to create an attractive sheen. Sources: Better Homes and Gardens http://www.bhg.com/ http://ecocrazymom.com/natural-easter-egg-dye/ Photo by EcoCrazyMom ~ KatharineSee More
