Decorating Ukrainian Easter Eggs
By Guest blogger Annalise Gulstad
This post was previously published April 1st, 2020.
With spring around the corner, my family has been thinking about Easter crafts to do now that we are spending more time at home. One craft that my family has done since I was a kid is Ukrainian eggs, also known as “pysanky”. This type of egg dying allows you to use multiple colors and create fun patterns and drawings on the egg!
How to make an Ukrainian Easter Egg?
To make a Ukrainian egg, you first draw a pattern on the egg where you want it to be white. To draw this pattern, you use a tool called a “kistka” to scoop off a piece of bee’s wax, then you heat it up over a small flame to melt it so that you can “draw” it onto the egg. The bee’s wax protects the egg when you put it in the first color of dye so that anything you drew on stays white.
Coloring the Eggs
After you put the egg in the first color of the dye, you draw over anything that you want to stay that color. Then you dip it into the next color. Repeat this process until you have all the colors you want on the egg. Finally, hold the egg near a flame to melt and wipe away the wax (have an adult help with this step). Watch as the colors magically become bright as the wax comes off!
Be Patience
Ukrainian eggs require a lot of patience to create and gives you time to talk with family and friends while working on them. Some people make Ukrainian eggs as a form of meditation. Because they can take hours to make, they have been used as a gift showing how much you love someone.
History
Throughout history, people have given each other eggs for weddings, funerals, and other celebrations. They drew different symbols on the eggs for these different events; flowers, birds, and leaves are popular symbols to use. Maybe you could try making one for your next gift!
Annalise Gulstad is a graduate student studying psychology. She loves learning about animals and art in her free time and enjoys exploring the world and learning about different cultures. Follow her on Instagram for content related to food, crafts, and adventures.
