Onion And Herbs Dyed Easter Eggs

Directions

1. 1
   For reddish brown color: Crunch the onion skins into a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and leave to steep until the water is a rich reddish brown.
2. 2
   For yellow color: prepare a solution with 1 teaspoon turmeric and 3 cups of water. Boil and keep aside.
3. 3
   Clip the herbs and leaves into small lengths and individual leaves. Dampen the egg and the leaves to help them stick firmly where you place them, and arrange a sprig or a few leaves on an egg to block the onion dye from reaching the area covered by the leaves.
4. 4
   Starting with one foot of the old nylons, stretch it around the egg and tie it tightly with a knot or twist tie to hold the leaves in place.
5. 5
   Cut the tied egg away from the empty stocking.
6. 6
   Tie another knot at the open end of the empty nylon leg, and repeat, tying off the nylon around each egg. By this time the dye water should be warm, not hot.
7. 7
   Load the eggs into the saucepan-they should be completely covered with water. If not, add just enough to cover them.
8. 8
   Bring the pot to a boil, cover, and remove from heat. Let the eggs soak in the dye until the whole pot comes to warm room temperature.
9. 9
   Fish out the eggs, snip off the knots and rinse off the eggs, discarding the nylons and herbs.
10. 10
    Pat the eggs dry, and rub them with a bit of vegetable oil to bring out the shine and brilliant deep reddish brown color.
11. 11
    For yellow prepare a solution with 1 teaspoon turmeric.
12. 12
    Additional colors: blue using red cabbage, brown with coffee, maroon with beets, bluish gray with blueberries, green with spinach boiled spinach leaves and the rust color with paprika.
13. 13
    Other technique: wax resist captured the underlying color.