Make Batik Eggs
Batik eggs are an ideal craft at Easter time. Children as young as seven can make these with help, and no matter what your age, you'll be delighted with the resulting designs.
Note: If children are helping with this activity, they should be supervised by an adult at all times due to the use of hot wax.
Steps
- Decide whether to blow the egg or simply use it hard boiled. If blowing the egg, do so by making a small hole both ends of the egg, using a pin. Blow out the content (use some strength) and keep the egg and yolk for cooking.
- Bear in mind that blown eggs are a lot more fragile than whole boiled eggs.
- Make the dye. If you're not using food dye, you'll need to make your own from crepe paper. Cut the crepe paper into strips about 1"/{{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} wide. Put them into a bowl and cover with hot water. This will release the dye.
- Pull out the paper and discard. Add one tablespoon of white vinegar; this sets the dye. Allow to cool before using.
- Draw or paint a design onto the egg with the crayon or hot wax. Any area of the egg where you don't want the dye to color should have wax or crayon on it.
- Drip candle wax for clear egg color to show through. The wax is hot, so take care using it and if working with children, do the hot wax part yourself and then let them use crayons on the egg if needed.
- Pour the dye into a small dish. Start with the lightest dye first, gradually building up to the darkest choice over subsequent layers.
- Dip the wax designed egg into the lightest dye. Leave it in the dye until the dye takes and is the desired color.
- Remove the dyed egg and dry with a tissue.
- Light a candle. Hold the egg to the side of the candle to melt off the wax. Soak up the melting wax from the egg with paper towels or a soft cloth. Be gentle so as to avoid scratching or marring the design on the surface.
- An alternative method to remove the wax is to place the egg in the oven at a moderate setting (350ºF/180ºC). The wax will melt in about two minutes and it can be quickly wiped off with paper towel on removing the egg from the oven.
- Continue with additional dyes and new wax areas if wished. Simply follow the steps outlined above up to five times (putting wax on, dipping in dye, removing wax with heat) and graduating from lightest to darkest dye colors.
- Put the batik eggs on display. They make wonderful additions to Easter baskets, Easter displays or simply added to an Easter table for a quick decoration.
- Be aware that with each subsequent layer, it may take longer for the darker dyes to take; just be patient.
Tips
- Do not remove the wax by holding the egg at the top of the candle flame; this will result in soot damage on the egg.
- Also you can use the dye tablets for a good color.
Warnings
- Ensure that a responsible older teen or an adult supervises the craft and is in charge of the flame/wax removal and any use of hot water.
Things You'll Need
- Wax crayons; or, melt a crayon or candle for its wax and dip a paintbrush into the hot wax
- Plain hard boiled or blown egg; some people even use unboiled eggs; over time, provided that the egg does not crack, the insides simply dry up odorlessly
- Food dye or crepe paper turned into dye - select colors that you like the most
- Hot water for releasing dye
- White vinegar to set crepe paper dye (if using crepe paper)
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