How-To: "Sunprint" Easter Eggs

Inspired by classic sunprints, this Easter we tried our hands at sunprint-style designs on dyed eggs. With a few sprigs of fresh green and a batch of natural cabbage dye, we crafted these simple, indigo silhouettes using an even simpler how-to. 

What You’ll Need:

White eggs
Lightweight nylon (we snipped squares from white nylon stockings)
String or twine
Small leaves, petals, or fern fronds
Purple cabbage

1. Choose a selection of small, flat leaves, petals, and fronds from your garden.

2. To reuse your eggs in future years, blow them out first to create hollow shells. (Here’s an easy how-to.) If you prefer whole eggs, wait to hard boil them in the cabbage dye.

3. Place plant clippings on the eggs, wiping the shell with a damp cloth first to help the clippings adhere. Press the leaves as flat as possible to avoid dye seeping below.

4. Snip a square of nylon large enough to cover the egg from a white or neutral nylon stocking, avoiding any seams.

5. Secure clippings by wrapping each egg with nylon as smoothly and snugly as possible. Tie the nylon on the opposite side of the egg with string.

6. Chop a head of purple cabbage and boil in water until the water is a deep purple. Strain out the cabbage.

7. If using blown out eggs, soak in the cooled dye until the desired color is reached. (Our eggs were dyed for three hours.) If using whole eggs, hard-boil in the dye then leave to soak as the dye cools.

8. Remove the eggs from the dye and place on newspaper. Once dry, unwrap and remove all plant material.

9.  Place on your Easter tabletop or hide for a natural hunt!