Dying Easter Eggs
This manual is to show and explain to mothers, fathers, and young adults who have not dyed Easter eggs since they were children, the preparation, set up, and action of dying hard boiled eggs. This way they can dye Easter eggs with their children, stress free.
Before we begin there is some materials you should have:
1. A Carton of 12 - 18 White Eggs (more if you'd like).
2. Egg Dye Kit with food safe dye tablets, egg stands, magic crayon, and egg dippers.
3. Vinegar (you can use water instead)
4. Newspaper and/or Cardboard
5. 1 Cup for each color tablet you have (I had 9 color tablets - therefore I needed 9 cups).
6. Water
7. A medium sized pot to boil the water
8. Crayons
9. A big bowl of ice water.
10. Paper Towels
Before we begin there is some materials you should have:
1. A Carton of 12 - 18 White Eggs (more if you'd like).
2. Egg Dye Kit with food safe dye tablets, egg stands, magic crayon, and egg dippers.
3. Vinegar (you can use water instead)
4. Newspaper and/or Cardboard
5. 1 Cup for each color tablet you have (I had 9 color tablets - therefore I needed 9 cups).
6. Water
7. A medium sized pot to boil the water
8. Crayons
9. A big bowl of ice water.
10. Paper Towels
Preperation
Purchases
- Purchase a carton of 12 - 18 white eggs. However many you would like to dye. I used 18. *Caution: the brown eggs will not dye correctly.
- Purchase white vinegar, if you do not already have it. *Note: a lot of the dying kits specify with Heinz White Vinegar but, I used store brand it works just the same.
- Purchase the Egg Dying kit. There are many different types of dying kits, chose which ever one you want, as long as it has the egg dippers, the color tablets, and the drying tray.
- Purchase crayons, if you do not already have them. The crayons work well to draw designs on your eggs before soaking them in the dye. *Note: Crayola Crayons work the best.
Household Items You Will Need
- Grab a medium sized pot for boiling water. I say a medium sized pot because you need something big enough to boil all the eggs at the same time, but you do not want to use a pot that is too big.
- Also grab some old newspaper and/or cardboard you have lying around somewhere. You can use anything that will cover your table to avoid staining. An old beach towel also works!
- Pull out a number of cups for they dye. You are going to need one cup for every color tablet that is in your dying kit. The kit I used came with 9 color tablets, I had to use 9 cups. Although, I had egg shaped plastic cups for dying eggs, I only had five, and I used coffee mugs for the rest. Coffee mugs and/or plastic cups will do just fine.
- You will also need a big bowl to fill with ice water when it is time to remove the eggs from the boiling water.
- Make sure you have paper towels handy.
- Purchase a carton of 12 - 18 white eggs. However many you would like to dye. I used 18. *Caution: the brown eggs will not dye correctly.
- Purchase white vinegar, if you do not already have it. *Note: a lot of the dying kits specify with Heinz White Vinegar but, I used store brand it works just the same.
- Purchase the Egg Dying kit. There are many different types of dying kits, chose which ever one you want, as long as it has the egg dippers, the color tablets, and the drying tray.
- Purchase crayons, if you do not already have them. The crayons work well to draw designs on your eggs before soaking them in the dye. *Note: Crayola Crayons work the best.
Household Items You Will Need
- Grab a medium sized pot for boiling water. I say a medium sized pot because you need something big enough to boil all the eggs at the same time, but you do not want to use a pot that is too big.
- Also grab some old newspaper and/or cardboard you have lying around somewhere. You can use anything that will cover your table to avoid staining. An old beach towel also works!
- Pull out a number of cups for they dye. You are going to need one cup for every color tablet that is in your dying kit. The kit I used came with 9 color tablets, I had to use 9 cups. Although, I had egg shaped plastic cups for dying eggs, I only had five, and I used coffee mugs for the rest. Coffee mugs and/or plastic cups will do just fine.
- You will also need a big bowl to fill with ice water when it is time to remove the eggs from the boiling water.
- Make sure you have paper towels handy.
Boiling the Eggs
- In a medium sized pot, fill warm water 3/4 of the way up. Add some salt and place on the burner at medium-high heat. Bring the water to a boil. *Note: this will take about 10 minutes.
- While you are waiting for the water to boil it is a good idea to place your newspaper and/or cardboard (or whatever you have chosen to protect your table) on the table, covering the majority of it.
- Once the water is boiling, add the number of eggs you would like to dye. *Note: Save the carton your eggs came in. You are going to need this to store your beautifully dyed eggs once you are finished.
- Let the eggs boil for 10 - 18 minutes depending on the number of eggs. (10-14 minutes for 12 eggs. 14-18 minutes for 18 eggs).
*Note: Set a timer - this is the best way to keep track of the time that has passed.
- When there is about 2 minutes left of boiling fill your large bowl up with ice cold water.
- When the timer has gone off, and your eggs have finished boiling, turn off the stove, remove the pot from the hot burner onto another burner that has not been on, and remove the eggs from the boiling water. *Caution: the boiling water, and pot will be very hot! Be careful to not burn yourself.
- After removing the eggs from the boiling water place them in the ice cold water and let them cool for about 20 minutes. *Note: once the eggs are in the ice water, you can put the bowl of eggs in the refrigerator to let cool for the 20 minutes.
- Once the eggs are finished chilling, remove them from the ice water and place them back into the carton.
- While you are waiting for the water to boil it is a good idea to place your newspaper and/or cardboard (or whatever you have chosen to protect your table) on the table, covering the majority of it.
- Once the water is boiling, add the number of eggs you would like to dye. *Note: Save the carton your eggs came in. You are going to need this to store your beautifully dyed eggs once you are finished.
- Let the eggs boil for 10 - 18 minutes depending on the number of eggs. (10-14 minutes for 12 eggs. 14-18 minutes for 18 eggs).
*Note: Set a timer - this is the best way to keep track of the time that has passed.
- When there is about 2 minutes left of boiling fill your large bowl up with ice cold water.
- When the timer has gone off, and your eggs have finished boiling, turn off the stove, remove the pot from the hot burner onto another burner that has not been on, and remove the eggs from the boiling water. *Caution: the boiling water, and pot will be very hot! Be careful to not burn yourself.
- After removing the eggs from the boiling water place them in the ice cold water and let them cool for about 20 minutes. *Note: once the eggs are in the ice water, you can put the bowl of eggs in the refrigerator to let cool for the 20 minutes.
- Once the eggs are finished chilling, remove them from the ice water and place them back into the carton.
Setting Up the Dye
- First, place the cups you are going to need around the table on top of the protection layer.
- Second, open the egg dying kit, remove the color tablets, and place one color tablet in each cup.
- Next, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar (or water, if you chose not to use vinegar) to each cup.
- Then, let the tablet dissolve. This should take about 5 - 10 minutes.
- As you wait for the tablets to dissolve, set up your drying stand, and egg dippers.
For the drying stand: on the back of the egg dying kit there should be perforated discs, punch them out. *Caution: be careful not to rip beyond the discs.
For the egg dippers: simply bend the neck of the dipper straight up so that you are left with a ladle shaped dipper.
- Once the tablets have dissolved, add 1/2 cup of room temperature water to each of the cups. *Note: this is a 1/2 cup per cup. For example, I used 9 cups, I had to use 4 1/2 cups of water total.
- Second, open the egg dying kit, remove the color tablets, and place one color tablet in each cup.
- Next, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar (or water, if you chose not to use vinegar) to each cup.
- Then, let the tablet dissolve. This should take about 5 - 10 minutes.
- As you wait for the tablets to dissolve, set up your drying stand, and egg dippers.
For the drying stand: on the back of the egg dying kit there should be perforated discs, punch them out. *Caution: be careful not to rip beyond the discs.
For the egg dippers: simply bend the neck of the dipper straight up so that you are left with a ladle shaped dipper.
- Once the tablets have dissolved, add 1/2 cup of room temperature water to each of the cups. *Note: this is a 1/2 cup per cup. For example, I used 9 cups, I had to use 4 1/2 cups of water total.
Dying the Eggs
The Dye is now ready to go and you begin dying your eggs!
- Before you place an egg into the dye you can create fun and cool designs on your eggs with crayons if you please. *Note: White crayons are awesome because you can write messages that you cannot see at first but once they are dyed the message appears!
- Place an egg on an egg dipper and place into a dye cup. Pick your favorite color! *Note: if you are feeling even more creative you can do different colors, for example hold half the egg in one color, and the other half in another color.
- Once an egg is in the dye, let the egg sit. *Note: the longer the egg sits the darker the color.
- To check the color of your egg you may use the egg dipper to remove your egg and check, and then place it back in if you would like for a darker look.
- Once the egg is finished in the dye, remove the egg from the dye, and place on a paper towel and gently dry off the egg.
- Once the egg is dry you may place on the egg drying rack or back into the carton.
- Repeat these steps for each egg and get creative!
The best part is when you are finished dying the eggs, the night before Easter, the Easter bunny will hide them, and Easter morning you can go find them! But, my favorite part is once you have found the eggs, you can eat them! Yum!
- Before you place an egg into the dye you can create fun and cool designs on your eggs with crayons if you please. *Note: White crayons are awesome because you can write messages that you cannot see at first but once they are dyed the message appears!
- Place an egg on an egg dipper and place into a dye cup. Pick your favorite color! *Note: if you are feeling even more creative you can do different colors, for example hold half the egg in one color, and the other half in another color.
- Once an egg is in the dye, let the egg sit. *Note: the longer the egg sits the darker the color.
- To check the color of your egg you may use the egg dipper to remove your egg and check, and then place it back in if you would like for a darker look.
- Once the egg is finished in the dye, remove the egg from the dye, and place on a paper towel and gently dry off the egg.
- Once the egg is dry you may place on the egg drying rack or back into the carton.
- Repeat these steps for each egg and get creative!
The best part is when you are finished dying the eggs, the night before Easter, the Easter bunny will hide them, and Easter morning you can go find them! But, my favorite part is once you have found the eggs, you can eat them! Yum!