Pleasantly Yours,: Easter

Tuesday, April 3

Silk Tie-Dye Easter Eggs!

This is one of the most clever crafts my Mom and I have ever done... and that's saying something!!!

Every Easter millions of little munchkins gather 'round the kitchen table ready to dip dye freshly hard boiled eggs.

And every Easter millions of Moms and Dads wait in a sprinter's stance ready to catch the inevitable spilled bowl of red food coloring.

Boy, do we have a solution for you!

Ladies... does your husband have a collection of out dated silk ties,

handkerchiefs or even boxer shorts?

I thought so!!!

With Spring cleaning in full swing, save anything and everything that is made of 100% silk!

You can even head on over to your local thrift store for some great finds!

A few things to look for... the uglier the better! No, really!

The darker and more patterned the ties are, the better your end product will be!

The dark colors will transfer onto the egg in a much lighter and pastel palette.

Just make sure they are 100% silk.

Our good friend Fran, who introduced this project to my Mom, found ties with Mickey Mouse all over which she will use for her grand kid's Easter eggs! So cute!

For our eggs, Mom and I emptied out my Dad's tie drawer gathering paisleys and psychedelic geometrics!

Here's what else you will need:

-Small- to medium-size raw eggs, or blown out eggs to keep for years to come
-Big boiling pot
-Silk ties, blouses, or boxers, cut into pieces large enough to cover an egg
-White Cotton Shirt, Sheets, Pillowcases or Old Tablecloths, cut into pieces to cover silk wrapped eggs
-Twist ties/Twine
-3 tablespoons of white vinegar
-Warm water
-Vegetable oil
-Paper towels

-Scissors
-Tongs or spoon

Step 1:

Deconstruct the ties and cut into pieces large enough to cover the entire egg with room to tie off at the end.

Step 2: Wrap the egg in the silk making sure the printed side is facing the egg then tie off the ends.

Step 3: Wrap the egg in a piece of white cotton and again, tie off the ends.

Step 4: Carefully drop the eggs into the boiling pot. Pour in a few tablespoons of white vinegar and crank up the heat bringing the water to a boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat, cover with a lid, and set the timer for 15 minutes.

Step 5: Beep Beep! Time to remove the eggs! Place them in a colander (or your sage green berry bowl from willow house!) to drain and cool for about 10 minutes.

This gives you time to start cooking the next batch.