Easy and Fun DIY Indigo Dyed Easter Eggs

Here’s a fun way to do some easy DIY indigo-dyed Easter eggs!

About Food says that “Easter falls in the spring, the yearly time of renewal, when the earth renews itself after a long, cold winter. The word Easter comes to us from the Norsemen’s Eostur, Eastar, Ostara and Ostar and the pagan goddess Eostre all of which include the season of the growing sun and rebirth. The ancient Egyptians, Persians, Phoenicians, and Hindus all believed the world began with an enormous egg, thus the egg as a symbol of new life has been around for eons.”

I have always loved Easter eggs and of course love exploring natural dyes on pretty much anything I can put them on… I couldn’t help it. I had a dozen pearly white eggs, some blue masking tape and an indigo vat.

Washed, dried and blown eggs
Washed, dried and blown eggs

First, the eggs.

I used blown eggs as I want to keep these.  You can also use hard-cooked eggs.

Then, either revive an old indigo vat or create a new (I started dipping them in my old of course!)

(Feel free to explore other colors as well.)

First dip in the indigo vat.  I dipped about 6 times to get a dark blue and 3 times for a medium blue
First dip in the indigo vat. I dipped about 6 times to get a dark blue and 3 times for a medium blue

Then I thought I’d try a simple pattern resist and using my trusty blue masking tape, taped on some patterns and kept dipping.

Blue masking tape makes an easy resist for indigo
Blue masking tape makes an easy resist for indigo
Use blue masking tape for simple resist patterns
Other simple resist patterns

Rubber bands make interesting marks, too.

Wrap rubber bands around the egg for a different pattern effect
Wrap rubber bands around the egg for a different pattern effect

Here are all the eggs, dipped and ready for the great unwrapping.

Dipped and ready for unmasking
Dipped and ready for unmasking
The solid colored eggs look like lapis lazuli.  The patterned eggs are wonderful.
The solid colored eggs look like lapis lazuli. The patterned eggs are wonderful.

After you’re done dipping, rub a tiny bit of salad or olive oil on the eggs which will wipe off any indigo spots and impart a lovely sheen to the surface.

This whole process is really so much for adults AND kids.

Indigo dyed eggs and naturally dyed eggs, too.  The instructions for the naturally dyed eggs are below.
Indigo dyed eggs and naturally dyed eggs, too. The instructions for the naturally dyed eggs are below.

 

EASTER EGG DYE INSTRUCTIONS

Click on the link below for a PDF of Natural Dye Instructions.

Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs 2015