Ukrainian Egg Ornament

By: Susan Hill for FaveCrafts.com

By: Susan Hill for FaveCrafts.com

"Ukrainian Eggs are made by using a wax-resist process, much like batik. Designs are applied by using a stylus, 'drawing' with wax, then dip into dye, each color done separately. After design is complete, the wax is melted off, revealing a bright colored egg. Varnish is applied at the end. It's a timely craft, I usually work on two or three at a time. A fixing is glued to the top for hanging. Very unique!"

Estimated CostUnder $10

Time to CompleteWeekend project

Primary TechniqueDIY Craft

Intermediate

HolidayChristmas

Project TypeMake a Project

Materials List

Eggs
Beeswax
Analine dyes
Stylus
Household candle
Polyurethane
Hanging fixing
String or ribbon

Instructions

Clean egg shell, either full or with contents emptied. If it is already empty, take a bit of wax and mold a piece over the 'blow holes' to prevent dye getting inside the Egg.
Pencil design guidelines with pencil
Apply all areas in design that is to be white with wax, dip in first, lightest color dye
Apply all areas in design that is to be yellow with wax, dip in light green dye
Proceed as above using dyes in this order after light green: light blue, orange, red. Then darker colors, ending with the background color.
Melt off the wax using the candle flame and a piece of soft tissue. After wax I'd melted and wiped off, clean with a bit of lighter fluid and another clean tissue. This removes any wax residue and any blackening from the flame.
Dip into polyurethane to seal the dyes. Let dry completely.
If the Egg has not been emptied, blow the contents out and rinse and dry completely. If the Egg is already empty, apply the hanging fixing to the top with Tacky Glue, add string or ribbon and hang!
All supplies can be found online. I use the Ukrainiangiftshop.com

NotesBe sure and lay a mat on work surface with a piece of paper towel to rest the Egg on while working on it.
Always do the dyes in the order described, especially the green, blue orange order....if any seepage of blue and green, the orange washes it away.
After dying and emptying the Egg, do not eat the contents, these dyes are not for consumption. Do not use these dyes to dye eggs to be consumed