psanky

[peeboo]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gtrgeorge/2354221530/

check out this link. It is just one more awesome thing you can do with chicken eggs. especially for all of you crafters out there. some of the designs are just mind blowing.

 

[debilorrah]

How the world would one go about doing THAT?

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I know I know!!! Being Ukranian, my dad taught us how to do that from a very young age. Haven't done it in years but always wish I had the time to get back into it.

You start by roughly sketching your design in pencil on the egg. Then, with a special pen (we always used the old-fashioned ink pens, the kind you dipped into the ink) and a beeswax candle, you draw over all the lines that you want to be white (or the natural egg color). Then you dip the egg into the lightest color of dye (has to be a special dye - not the kind at the grocery store for Easter eggs). Then you repeat - cover in wax everything you want to be that color, then dip again, etc. You have to be careful with your color combinations; can only use a few because if you dip the egg in blue after yellow, you'll end up with green.

Once your egg is completely covered in wax, you CAREFULLY poke a small hole in both ends of the egg. Stick the needle in and break up the yolk, say alot of prayers, and gently blow out the insides. You can leave it to dry up on its own, but if it breaks you end up with a stinky mess. Once you get the egg blown out, then heat up a metal frying pan (low heat), take a soft cotton cloth like a cloth diaper, and carefully melt away the wax by warming the cloth in the pan, then applying and gently rubbing the wax off the egg.

If you made it that far - congrats!!!! If not, cry alot like we have and start again. You can coat the eggs with polyurethane as added protection, but we never did and they have lasted forever.

Edited to add: each symbol that is drawn on the egg means something too, which makes the eggs all the more special.

 

[fizzy]

How do I view the photos??? I clicked on the link, but no photos showed up. I even signed on with Flickr, but still don't see the pictures. What am I missing???
I've always wanted to learn pysanky, so am excited to see examples!
Thanks
Wendy

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I clicked on the link and it took me right to the pic

You can probably do a google search of "pysanky" or "Ukranian Easter eggs".

You can find supplies online or alot of times the churches sell them. Check the Byzantine Catholic or Russian Orthodox churches.

 

[SewingDiva]

Thanks for that! I love pysanky; made some when I was kid. It's a lot of fun!

Traditionally they are always made with white eggs, I bet blue or green eggs could be cool too.

 

[newchickenfamily]

My DD made one of those last year in 2nd grade! We have it displayed in our curio cabinet. I'm not sure how it was done since I wasn't able to volunteer in her class that day. Pretty neat though!

 

[smom1976]

wow those are amazing and then the way you make them even more amazing...

 

[Dawn419]

Out of curiousity, I googled it, here we go: Learn Pysanky


Dawn

 

[BunnyLover44]

Is there a book I can buy to help me I am more of a visual learner?


Also

Once you get the egg blown out, then heat up a metal frying pan (low heat), take a soft cotton cloth like a cloth diaper, and carefully melt away the wax by warming the cloth in the pan, then applying and gently rubbing the wax off the egg.

Wont that just rub off all the paint?

BunnyLover44