Bio Coloured eggs

This instructable will show you how to color your easter eggs without using chemicals

Step 1: Materials

For this you will need:
1. Eggs
2. Onions
3. pantyhose
4.small leafs, grass

Step 2: Preparing the eggs

Take some small leafs and use water to stick them to the eggs. This will hold the leafs in place while you insert the eggs into the pantyhose. Be sure to strach the panthyhose as much as you can before you make a knot. This way the eggshell is better exposed to the colour.

Step 3: Prepare the colour

Peel off some red onions. If you can't find red onions then the brown ones ar also ok. I used red because I wanted a more intense colour. You could also mix them. But be sure only to use the dryed out outer skins. There is no exact quantity that you need to use, the more the better.
 After you've peeled the onions, put the onion skins in watter and let them boil. The quantity of water should be enough to cover the eggs.

Step 4: Boil the eggs

Gently insert the eggs into the boiling coloured water. Let them boil like ordinary eggs.

Step 5: Clean the eggs

Remove the eggs from the pantyhose and clean them. You must do this before the eggs are cold because some leafs during the boiling process, dries out and stick to the eggs. They are easy to remove while the eggs are hot.

Step 6: Make them shine

Use some bacon fat to give the eggs a shiny look. After you've done this they will be a little greasy and shiny but don't worry, after they sit for a day the fat will be absorbed.

Step 7: The finished product

Comments

[Frederbee]

Do you think if I took small leafs and waxed them, I would be able to use them during winter for the same kind of design? Also, can I wrap the eggs in cheesecloth instead? I only want to make 2-3 at a time, to put in my lunch

[ZoDo]

I think you can use cheesecloth but I never tryed it myself. So I don't know what the result would really be. I use pantyhose because it's elastic and it keeps the leafs in place better. As for the waxed leafs...I don't know what to say. I never thought about this. I only make this kind of eggs for Easter and in that period you cand find all kind of leafs. But if you whant to make this in the winter why not use leafs from flowers/plants that you have in the house. Anyway, if you decide to try this out, let me know about the results.

[kbales]

Alcohol helps leech the color out of dry herbs like cinnamon and turmeric . Makes a paste of the plant matter and cheap vodka, let sit over night and then put it in a coffee maker and run hot water through it. The colors are so deep you may need to dilute further

[ToolboxGuy]

Question - Do the eggs wind up having an onion taste or smell?
- that would be a compost pile moment for me....

[ZoDo]

The onion leafs don't influence the taste or smell of the eggs. They are edible and taste like normal boiled eggs. The color is only on the surface. In fact, when cleaning them, if you rub too hard or too much, you could scratch the color.

[duodreamer]

To be fair, this isn't coloring eggs without chemicals. You're just getting your chemicals from the onion skin, as opposed to concentrated colors in a bottle that were generally derived from plants to begin with. The idea of coloring eggs this way, however, produces quite a beautiful result.

[copilarim]

YEY!!! congrats :D!!!!

[ZoDo]

Thanks. It's my first prize :D Can't wait to get my hand on it

[copilarim]

Yup not to mention that you made well known these traditional onion leaves painted eggs (with patterns from other leaves:D)!!!

[janedoemn]

This is super freaking cool. I wish I had seen it before Easter. I hope you win the contest!!

~J

[dismissie]

your eggs are really lovely- voted for you!

[mary candy]

to the favorites added.

[M.C. Langer]

Beautiful!!!

[capricorn]

And you, you Sir just got my vote!

Thanks for sharing, I will test with beets though....

[thepelton]

Turmeric will give you a yellow, and try working with woad, that should give you a blue.

[patricia_lidya]

voted!

[copilarim]

:D I am soooo happy to see these eggs:)!!!!! I wanted to this also but i had no onion leaves :(!
This is by far my fave way to "paint" the eggs, in a natural way and ornate it !!
(BAFTA!!!!:D)

[Houdinipeter]

Nice! Could you use any color heavy food? For example cooked beets?

[ZoDo]

To be honest I don't know. I only used onions. But if you try and it works, let me know.

[xjiao]

They are so pretty! But are they still edible?

[ZoDo]

Of course they are edible, the colour doesn't influence the egg. They taste the same.

[jessyratfink]

These are beautiful! So much nicer than the pastel colored ones. :D

[ChrysN]

They're gorgeous! I love the natural look.

[Supernewby]

Love these. Very earthy and elegant!

[ilpug]

amazingly creative. 5 out of 5.

[zomfibame]

mighty cool!