Craft-a-long: Annual Pysanky Egg🥚

Live: Saturday, April 5th @ 12:00PM CST

It's time for our annual pysanky egg! There are a few categories of craft-a-long that I think we will make into traditions, and our pysanky egg decorating sessions is one of them. This will be our third year we will add to our collection, so join me as we explore the delicate process of creating intricately patterned eggs using wax-resist dye techniques.

This hands-on session will guide you through the steps to transform a simple egg into a beautiful keepsake adorned with patterns and vibrant colors. Whether you're new to pysanky or looking to refine your skills, this craft-a-long is the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in the joy of this timeless art form. Here is my egg from the last Pysanky craft-a-long

🥚What to Expect:

-A step-by-step demonstration of wax application, layering dyes, and revealing your design.

-Tips for creating clean lines, symmetrical patterns, and vibrant color schemes.

-The process for removing the wax from your egg when you are done.

-A fun, interactive crafting experience in a supportive, creative community!

📌 What you will need: Tools and Resources: Links provided are for product information and not a direct endorsement of the vendor.

If this is your first time trying pysanky, I suggest buying a full kit. It is the cheapest option and provides you with everything you need, except for the eggs. Most kits come with traditional design templates you can try! Here is a good starter kit for around $20: https://a.co/d/g6qiylf

Essential Supplies:

• Eggs – Large, white, raw or blown eggs with smooth, uncracked shells. I use goose eggs because they are bigger and slightly better for camera/demonstration purposes. There are two methods to choose from concerning when to blow the guts out of your egg. I prefer leaving the guts in until after the egg is done, but both methods will end in the same result. If you aren't sure, here are some pro's and con's

  • Pros/cons of leaving yolk in:

    • Pro: Your egg will sink into the dye, ensuring an even coating of dye

    • Pro: Less likely to crack your shell while working with it

    • Con: High potential to destroy your egg while blowing it out AFTER you are done designing it. Especially if you have never blown an egg out before... if you chose to work with your egg yolk in, I suggest making your holes using a very fine, pointed, rough sanding drill tip on a Dremel tool. This requires EXTREME caution.

  • Pros/cons of working with a blown-out egg: Here is my video on how to blow out an egg without using an egg blowing kit: https://www.patreon.com/posts/pysanky-craft-to-64559382?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

    • Pro: You don't have to worry about destroying several hours of work, the blowing out part is already done.

    • Con: You have to be very careful while working with your egg during the entire process

    • Con: Your egg will float on top of your dye so you have to move it around to get a good coating.

    Con: Dye will seep into your egg holes so it takes a lot more handling to get the dye out of the inside of your egg after each dye bath

  I will be using a pre-blown egg because I purchase larger goose eggs. Here is a supplier for blown out eggs: Goose Egg for Pysanky Art - Etsy

• Kistka (Wax Pen) – Traditional or modern tool for applying melted wax to the egg. At the beginning of the craft-a-long I will demonstrate how to use the traditional kitskas using a candle, then switch to using my electric Kistka because fire around my camera equipment is a terrible idea...

  • Traditional kistka with 4 sizes (not in a kit): https://a.co/d/cd0QU6Z

  • Electric kistka, FYI these are expensinve...: https://a.co/d/6yAbici

• Beeswax – You will likely receive a small yellow/clear wax block in your kit. I use a black tinted beeswax sheet because the black is easier to see against the eggshell. Here is a link for the wax I use, it's a stack of sheets, so maybe a little pricey, but I bought in bulk for yule ball stocking gifts, this is a good option if you are going to make this craft-a-long a family event: https://a.co/d/e3IEYmy

• Dyes – Pysanky-specific dyes in a variety of vibrant colors (e.g., red, yellow, blue, green, black). Pysanky kits come with several colors but if you want/need more here is a resource: https://a.co/d/6zmfUjk

• Vinegar & jars – White vinegar for preparing the dye baths and cleaning the eggs. A wide mouth jar for each color you are going to use. You need a wide enough jar to safely get your egg in and out of the dye, and with enough room around the egg to allow for it to be fully coated with dye. You can reuse the dye if your jars have lids, and you store them in a cool place away from sunlight.

• Candles or Wax Heater – A steady flame or electric heater to melt the wax during the process. A tealight candle works just fine

• Spoons – For carefully submerging and removing eggs from the dye baths.

• Pencil – For lightly sketching designs on the eggs before applying wax.

• Soft Cloth or Paper Towels – For cleaning off wax and buffing the egg after finishing.

• Rubber Gloves – To protect hands from dye stains.

• Plastic Table Cover – To protect your workspace from dye spills/drips.

Optional:

• Egg Blower or Syringe – If you are going to blow out your eggs, a kit will help make the process a little easier: https://a.co/d/c4PZoDN

• Shellac or Varnish – To seal and preserve your design, available in matte or glossy finishes.

• Templates or Stencils – Pre-made patterns for inspiration. Usually comes with your pre-made kit, but you can find lots of designs online. I make a design up on the spot, and usually end up with some weird :D

• Egg stand or Holder – You will see me using a wonky egg holder, this is mostly to keep my hands out of the way for filming purposes, but here's a link to the one I have in case you want to look into it, you might find it cheaper elsewhere: https://a.co/d/1Z8s81k

Finishing Touches:

• Shellac/Varnish/polish – To seal and preserve your design, available in matte or glossy finishes. I won't be applying varnish during the livestream, but this step is done after the egg has dried for about 12 hours and will add an extra layer of protection. I use Minwax polyurethane clear which can be bought at any hardware store. Shellac can tend to yellow over time, so keep that in mind when choosing what to coat your egg in.

Once you are done with your egg be sure to show it off along with the rest of your collection! 🌼