How to Make Tie-Dye Eggs for Easter with Paper Towels

These tie-dyed Easter eggs are pretty groovy.

Project Overview
  • Working Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Skill Level: Kid-friendly
  • Estimated Cost: $5-10

Tie-dye is back! This creative Easter egg idea will bring back memories of making T-shirts at summer camp. With just a few simple materials (you probably have them all in your kitchen right now!), you can make tie-dye eggs that will make a statement in any Easter basket.

We'll show you how to tie-dye Easter eggs with paper towels: It's easier than it sounds, and the result is bright and bold. If you're making this Easter craft with kids, help them wrap hard-boiled eggs with paper towels and use a mixture of vinegar and food coloring. Then, hide these colorful creations at the annual Easter egg hunt, or use the retro eggs as pretty Easter decor.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • 1 Clothespin
  • 1 Spray bottle

Materials

  • 1 Rubber gloves
  • 1 Eggs
  • 1 Paper towels
  • 1 Food coloring
  • 1 Water
  • 1 White vinegar

Instructions

  1. Wrap the Eggs

    jel coloring soaked into paper towel wrapped egg
    Jacob Fox
    1. Wrap a hard-boiled egg securely inside one paper towel. (We suggest keeping the project environmentally friendly by selecting a tree-free product to tie-dye Easter eggs with paper towels.)
    2. Once you've wrapped the egg in one sheet of paper towel, use a rubber band or a wood clothespin to secure the extra material at the top.
    3. Hold the egg by the clothespin and drop dots of liquid food coloring directly onto the paper towel. We used about 15 drops: You want about half of the white space to show through the dots to achieve the tie-dye look.

    Wrap and color as many eggs as you like.

  2. Spray with Vinegar

    spaying vinegar paper towel egg dye wrap
    Jacob Fox

    When your eggs are wrapped and you've applied the food coloring, fill a spray bottle with 1 cup of water and 1 teaspoon of vinegar and shake until the liquids are combined. Spray each paper towel-wrapped egg with the mixture. Once the paper towel is saturated, allow the tie-dye eggs to sit in for one minute while the food coloring soaks in.

    Related: The Secret to These Marble Easter Eggs is Hiding in Your Pantry

  3. Remove Paper Towel

    After allowing the eggs to soak, carefully remove the clothespin and paper towel. You may want to wear protective gloves to remove the eggs, as the dye can stain your fingers. Let the eggs dry thoroughly, then store them in the refrigerator for up to one week until you're ready to display them in your basket.

    Editor's tip: Remember your Easter egg safety: Hard-cooked eggs left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours should not be eaten.

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