This project is great for decorating eggs with marker or plotting out straight lines with pencil for creating pysanky designs. I created this as an easy (and cheap) solution to the challenge of creating straight appealing lines for egg decorating. This guide will show you the process in how to build your own.

Step 1: Make the Base

Assemble rods and clips to form this rectangular base. Lay out eight grey clips beside the finished base, as we will be using these later.

Step 2: Make the Sides

Use joints, clips and rods to assemble the side shown in the picture. You will need two of these so once one is completed, make an exact copy for the other side. You will notice that part of the side is slightly off-kilter, this is normal as it will keep the egg holders angled slightly upright.

Step 3: Make the Egg Holders

Use K'nex ball halves to act as the holders for either side of the egg. Stretch a small tire over top of the three pegs on the ball half to give better grip on the egg. To connect together the rest of the parts for the holder, use a dark blue rod and wrap an elastic over the end several times until it is tight and prevents the one end from sliding through the hole in the ball half. Behind the ball use a small tan clip followed by a small wheel. Make sure to make two of these!

Step 4: Make the Pen Holder

This step is fairly self explanatory, as shown in the pictures, just make sure that the top can slide back and forth along the yellow rods and that the small white rods are pushed all the way to one side.

Step 5: Connect the Sides to the Base

You will have to lift two ends of the grey rods out of the corners in order to slide the sides onto the rods through the holes of the green joint pieces. After you have done this, attach the grey clips on either side of the green joint pieces to hold the sides in place.

Step 6: Connect the Egg Holders

Slide the ends of the blue rods through the hole in the orange connecter and white circular connecter. After you have done this ensure that the holder is firmly secured by pulling lightly on the end of the blue rods, and then adding blue spacers as needed until it is reasonably tight when capped off with a tan clip. (Generally you will need only 1-3 spacers depending on the size of the elastic used earlier).

Step 7: Connect the Pen Holder

Attach the red corner joints to the ends of the red rods, so that the blue triangle runs over top of the opening between the egg holders.

Step 8: Attatch a Pen

Set up the pen between the two small white rods and stretch an elastic (may need to be doubled over) around the side of the pen and hook on the smaller ends of the white rods behind the yellow joint. Now use another elastic to stretch over the top of the pen and around the white rods, so as to keep firm downward pressure on the pen.

Step 9: Decorate Your Egg

Place an egg in the structure so that both ends are secured in the holders. Adjust the pen as needed so that it is firmly resting on the egg and then simultaneously turn the tan clips and watch as straight decorative lines appear on your egg. Slide the pen holder along the yellow rods to a new location on the egg. Replace the pen with a pencil for pysanky Easter egg line plotting.