Silk Dyed Eggs

Months ago, my neighbor, Mrs. Betty, told me about an egg dying technique called silk dyeing. After some additional research on the internet, I would love to show you how to do this super cool egg decorating method.

Go to your local thrift store and peruse the men's ties and ladies blouses for 100% silk fabrics. The slinkier and darker, the better. Stiff silk (like dupioni) do

not transfer color very effectively.

Here are the items you will need for this project:

Eggs

Silk

Scissors

White Cotton or Muslin (an old clean bed sheet that you do

n't mind cutting up works well)

String or Embroidery Floss

Pot

Water

Vinegar

Cut up your silk into large squares. Pull the center seam out of the ties to open them up. You should be able to make 2-3 eggs out of each tie.

Wrap your silk as tightly as you can around your egg and tie closed.

Cover the silk with a square of muslin, and tie closed.

Pour a 1/4 cup of vinegar into your pot of water and bring to a boil. Gently place your covered eggs into the pot and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.

Drain eggs and rinse in cool water. When cool to the touch cut the

ties and carefully unwrap your eggs.

The paler eggs were from "stiffer" silk. The more vivd eggs came from slinky soft silk.

This is one of my favorites! It's a tulip from a women's blouse.

Lookin' Good! And so fun! Also try them with Blown Eggs!

Jump in and make some silk dyed eggs!

Lucky Ribbon Shamrock Pin

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Today’s craft is a quick and easy ribbon pin.

You may even have all the materials you need laying around the house or in your craft area.

Supplies Needed:

Green ribbons (1 yard per color)

Scissors

Thread

Sewing Needles

Spare Buttons

Pin Backs

Fray Check

Chose your ribbons. I’ve chosen 3 ribbons of varying shades of green. Cut your ribbons to 1 yard (36 inches) in length.

Align your ribbons and hold them in the exact middle (18 inches)

Take the right tail of your ribbon set and flip it in a loop as shown. Do the same with the left tail.

Both tails should now be pointing down.

Repeat step 3, so that both ribbon tails are pointing up.

Secure the loops with a straight pin.

Using your needle and thread, secure all the layers of ribbon. Your stitches don’t have to be neat, they just need to hold all the loops and layers in place.

Without cutting your thread, sew your decorative button to the middle of your ribbon shamrock, covering your previous stitches.

Again, without cutting your thread, sew your pin back to the back of your shamrock.

Tie off your thread and add a dab of Fray Check to add strength to your knot.

Trim the ribbon tails at an angle and dab ends with Fray Check to keep ribbon from unravelling.

Viola! You have a beautiful Ribbon Shamrock pin!

Don't forget to put it on - you don't want to get pinched!