These No-Mess Easter Eggs Start With A Menswear Staple

Maybe we’ve seen Steel Magnolias a few too many times, but we always think about that scene where Ouiser crushes all the eggs in Truvy’s trunk when it comes time to decorate eggs for Easter. We also can’t help but shudder when we consider the mess that’s likely to ensue from cracked eggs, dyed fingers and countertops that make the ultimate sacrifice (despite our best efforts to cover the entire thing in newspaper). But what if we told you there’s a way to decorate your eggs with some of the most fabulous patterns and colors you can think of without all of that mess and worry? Consider this your introduction to Silk Tie Easter Eggs. It’s a technique where you take a silk tie, cut it, wrap it around an egg and let it boil in a water vinegar mixture to create some of the most vibrant eggs you’ve ever made. 

To learn more about this technique, we asked fiber artist Annette Browning of the blog FiberArtsy to fill us on on this trendy technique. The Kentucky-based crafter explains that she found this style of decorating while doing research for her website. She took a particularly deep dive into learning more about the magic that is silk tie transfer. “It is possible to transfer the pattern from silk ties to silk fabric but I was intrigued by the bold, clear prints that you can get on eggshells,” she explains. She has a full tutorial on how to make these beautiful eggs on her website. 

Growing up in Germany, Browning usually dyed her eggs with natural materials like onion skins or dye tablets (you know the ones), but she shares that this technique is just as simple. You might just want to put pause on your KoolAid, dye tablet and natural dyeing techniques and try your hand at this instead. Browning shares that even your kiddos can do it. “You just need to help them with securing the fabric around the eggs and of course, watch them with the boiling water,” she says. 

What You’ll Need

To make these eggs, you’ll have to track down a handful of items that you likely already have in your home. You’ll need: Raw eggs, a 100% silk tie (it should tell you what percentage of silk it is on the label), light colored (preferably white) scrap fabric from an old pillowcase or tablecloth, scissors, thread, a pot, white vinegar and water. Browning recommends that you use an old pot or saucepan that you no longer use for cooking since this project includes dyes that should likely not be ingested. If you do not have any worn out or out-of-style silk ties in one of your clostests, your local consignment store will likely have a tie or two available.

How To Make

Take your egg and wrap the tie and the scrap fabric around it. Secure your project with thread and then place the eggs in a pot and cover with ¼ cup of white vinegar and enough water that the egg is totally submerged. Let the eggs simmer for 20 minutes and then cool completely. Then all that’s left is to unwarp your eggs and enjoy!

Some Tips And Tricks

The most challenging part of this technique is wrapping the egg. “The one trick to getting bright, bold patterns is to make sure you have good contact between the silk tie and the egg. That means you have to tie the fabric very securely to the egg so there are no gaps.” Browning shares. “If the fabric is too loose, you may get some color but you won’t get the bright, clear patterns.” 

Additionally, the color and pattern of your silk tie play big roles in how successful the transfer onto the egg will be. For softer, more pastel shades Browning says you should use white eggs to ensure that the soft color is as vivid as possible. Brown eggs lend themselves better to darker colors. She also shares that striped patterns do not easily lend themselves to the round shape of the egg.