Holidays & Entertaining Easter Easter Eggs & Easter Baskets How to Dye Easter Eggs with Silk Ties for a Pretty Patterned Display Make patterned Easter eggs with the help of a few old ties. Learn how to dye eggs with silk ties in just three steps. By Sarah Martens Sarah Martens Sarah Martens is the Senior Editor overseeing food at Better Homes & Gardens digital. She has been with the BHG brand for more than 10 years. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on March 27, 2024 Project Overview Working Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes Skill Level: Kid-friendly Estimated Cost: $5 These silk tie Easter eggs give new meaning to the term "tie-dye." You won't believe how easy it is to transfer patterns from the fabric onto plain white eggs. Wrap eggs with 100% silk ties (or any other 100% silk material), then boil them in vinegar to set the design—it's that easy! Jacob Fox Before Getting Started Use this technique for dyeing Easter eggs with silk ties that have sentimental value (like Grandpa's old ties), or have fun thrift shopping for inexpensive silk material. When choosing your fabric, look for bold patterns with many colors. Darker shades of purple, red, blue, and green transfer best, while pastels and light colors will give you a more subtle design. Add the finished eggs to your Easter basket or use them as part of your annual egg hunt. What You'll Need Equipment / Tools Stockpot Baking sheet Materials Uncooked white eggs 100% silk ties or silk fabric White cotton fabric Plain white string or rubber bands White vinegar Paper towels Vegetable oil Instructions How to Make Silk Tie Easter Eggs Follow our simple how-to instructions for silk tie Easter eggs that are ready in less than an hour. Cut Fabric Cut your silk ties into large pieces to cover eggs. You'll need approximately one tie for every three eggs. (We found the bottom third of the tie was large enough to cover one egg.) Cut the tie down the middle and remove the inner fabric or foam from the tie and trim piece to cover the egg. How to Dye Eggs with Shaving Cream for Pretty Marbled Easter Eggs Jacob Fox Wrap Egg with Silk Tie Wrap the tie tightly around the egg, careful not to crack the eggshell. Try to smooth any wrinkles or creases. The tighter you wrap it, the clearer the pattern will be. Jacob Fox Wrap Egg with Cotton Fabric Cut a slightly larger square of white cotton fabric and wrap it around the tie-covered egg. This will help keep the dye from transferring to the other eggs as you boil them. Secure with plain white string or a rubber band. Cook Eggs Gently set your wrapped eggs into a low stockpot and cover them with cold water. Be sure there's at least an inch of water covering the top of the eggs. Add 6 Tbsp. of white vinegar. Over medium heat, slowly bring water to a boil and cook for a minimum of 20 minutes. Remove from Water and Let Cool Remove eggs from the stockpot and place them on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to cool. Jacob Fox Remove Fabric Once the eggs are cool, cut off each egg's cotton and silk fabric. Don't reuse the silk fabric on another egg—the design has already been transferred. Gently wipe the eggs dry of any excess moisture. Shine with Vegetable Oil (Optional) and Store If you want to add shine to your silk tie Easter eggs, rub them with some vegetable oil. Store in the refrigerator until ready to add to your Easter centerpiece or basket. These eggs are for decorative uses only. We don't recommend eating the finished silk tie-dyed eggs.