How To Dye Easter Eggs

Do you need to know how to dye Easter Eggs? The tradition of dying eggs in the Spring time goes back centuries. If you don't want to buy an egg dying kit,  here is one method for dying Easter Eggs. Don't buy the already dyed ones; that's no fun, and you'll impress everyone if you do it yourself.

To dye Easter eggs, you will need:

1. Eggs
2. A bowl
3. Fabric cut into 8 inch squares (you can use an old, white T shirt)
4. Scissors to cut the fabric
5. A pot of water
6. Onion skins
7. Rubber bands
8. Vegetable Oil

1. The first thing you need to dye Easter eggs is some large, yellow onions. You want the skins to be as big as possible to wrap around the eggs. Take care when handling the onions because the skins are fragile.
2. Next, you'll need to buy the obvious - eggs. You might want to buy medium or large eggs, but avoid the extra large. Make sure you are buying white rather than brown eggs. Keep the eggs refrigerated until you are ready to dye them.
3. Take a bowl and fill it with water. Using the scissors, cut the T shirt or other fabric, or even an old leg of panty hose, into approximately eight inch squares. Dip the squares in the water and then wring the squares out until they are just damp. Then, take the onion skins and soak them in the water until they are soft.
4. The eggs go into the water next. Wet eggs are needed so the onion skins will stick to them.  Wrap the softened onion skins around the eggs.
5. Next, wrap the fabric squares around each onion skin draped egg. Make sure to have a snug fit.  Tighten the fabric at the top of each egg and secure them with the rubber bands.
6. Bring a pot of water to a boil and place the eggs in the water. Put a lid on the water, turn the heat down, and cook them for seven to ten minutes. Keep an eye on the stove so the pot doesn't boil over and the eggs don't boil too fast.
7. When the eggs are done, carefully pour off the hot water, and then you should rinse the eggs in cold water. Allow the eggs to cool so you can handle them. You don't want to burn your fingers.
8. Take the fabric off the eggs, and peel away the onion skins. Then, the last step in dying Easter Eggs is to take a paper towel, dip it in a little vegetable oil, and gently rub the eggs until they are as shiny as you want them to be. The eggs should be various colors of yellow, brown and green

An advantage with using onion skins to dye Easter eggs, is you avoid the food coloring used in coloring kits. Also, your eggs will look more original. Don't leave boiled eggs out in the open for long. If eggs get to room temperature, they can cause food poisoning. Hard boiled eggs kept in the refrigerator are good to eat for up to a week, and the onion skins will give the eggs a bit of their onion flavor. It might be a good idea to do a test run by dying just one egg first to judge the time and the other steps, especially if this is your first attempt with dying Easter Eggs.

Sources: http://www.eduref.org/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Process_Skills/SPS0027.html

http:://www.parentingideas.org/articles/crafts-and-activities/how-to-dye-easter-eggs-with-onion-skins-step-by-step/

http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/poison/hardboiledeggs.cfm