Elegantly Decorated Easter Eggs

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Fully lacquered, decorated Easter eggs in a wide assortment of colors.
Fully lacquered, decorated Easter eggs in a wide assortment of colors.
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Fives decorated eggs, emphasizing yellows, reds, and black.
Fives decorated eggs, emphasizing yellows, reds, and black.
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A collection of eight decorated eggs.
A collection of eight decorated eggs.
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A decorated egg using predominately red dye.
A decorated egg using predominately red dye.
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Three decorated eggs.
Three decorated eggs.
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A kiska might look something like this.
A kiska might look something like this.
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The proper grip for holding the kistka.
The proper grip for holding the kistka.
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Stages of the Easter egg decoration process.
Stages of the Easter egg decoration process.

For over 2,500 years, the art of egg decoration known as pysanky (pronounced “pee-sahn-kee”) has been practiced in the Ukraine. Originally, this craft formed an integral part of that culture’s religious tradition, since the egg was a pagan symbol for the rebirth of spring. When the Ukrainian people were converted to Christianity, they simply incorporated the new religion’s various motifs into their traditional ones and continued to practice this delicate art.

Today the craft is dying out in its home country, but pysanky is still kept alive by small groups of Ukrainians in the United States and Canada. I have always loved the art, and–once I mastered the technique — I discovered that such eggs (which cost me 11¢ to decorate) could sell for anywhere from $2.50 to $15!

The Materials

It only takes about $5.00 worth of materials to get ready to make decorated Easter eggs. All you need are some intact eggs (raw or blown hollow), a few ounces of beeswax, a supply of fairly tall, thin candles, a set of prepared dyes, and a small stylus known as a kistka–the one tool that’s essential for this craft.

The kistka is just a tiny funnel set into a hole in the end of a short stick. To make the funnel, simply twist a small piece of brass or copper foil into a hollow cone with a 1/4″-wide base and a minuscule hole at the small end. Remember that, although the funnel doesn’t have to be structurally strong, it does have to hold heated wax. Coil it as tightly as possible.

  • Published on Mar 1, 1979
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