Pysanka: Artful eggs

You need:
• Egg rack, made by hammering small-headed 1-in nails, 3/4 in apart, into a 1-in-thick board (see Photo 1).
• Clean, white, unblemished raw eggs that are free of cracks (at room temperature; you can blow out insides if you wish, but it's not necessary)
• White vinegar (called for in some packaged dyes)
• Soft tissues or a soft lint-free cloth and paper towels
• Fine rubber band
• Hard lead (H) pencil
• Kystka or tjanting tool with a medium point (stylus with a small bowl for writing with wax – available at Ukrainian stores and craft supply shops)
• Beeswax
• Candle
• Powdered or liquid aniline egg dyes (yellow, green, orange, red, black)
• 5 wide-mouth pint jars with lids
• 5 tablespoons
• Toothpicks
• Small soft paintbrush
• Cleaning fluid
• Urethane varnish

To make:
Notes: Be sure hands are clean and free of perspiration or grease before beginning. Always work from light to dark dyes. Use rack to hold partially decorated eggs and to allow varnished eggs to dry. These eggs are not edible.

1. Place rubber band around egg, dividing it in half vertically. Using rubber band as a guide, lightly draw a straight line around egg with pencil. (See Diagram 1)

2. Repeat step 1 to draw the following lines:
(i) a second vertical line to divide egg into quarters. (See Diagram 2)
(ii) a horizontal line around middle of egg. (See Diagram 3)
(iii) Two diagonal lines through centre, dividing egg into 16 equal parts, eight on each side of egg. (See Diagram 4)

3. Make a pencil dot in centre of each section and on each line. (See Diagram 5) Join points to form a star. (See Diagram 6) Repeat on other side of egg.

4. Add short strokes around star. (See Diagram 7)

5. Draw smaller star in centre, using same method as for large star. (See Diagram 8 and Photo A)

Note: Pencil lines will not show on completed egg. Do not erase them, as the dye will not adhere properly to the erased surface.

6. Heat kystka head in candle flame. When hot, scoop a little beeswax into funnel and retrace all pencil lines with wax. (The heat of the kystka will melt the beeswax. Be careful -- overheating the kystka will cause the wax to form blobs. Check for the right temperature by running the stylus over a paper towel to make sure the wax flows evenly.) Hold kystka as you would a pencil, at right angles to egg. To steady your hand, rest your little finger or your last two fingers on the egg. As soon as kystka stops writing smoothly, reheat, add wax and continue. Be sure lines of wax are unbroken. Rotate egg toward you and write away from you.

The egg is now ready to be dipped into the first colour.

7. Prepare dyes according to package instructions; fill pint jars at least half full.

8. Place egg on spoon and carefully lower it into yellow dye. When desired color is reached, remove egg. Pat dry with tissues or soft cloth. Do not rub; wax lines are easily broken.

9. Cover alternate sections of the small star solidly with wax. Dip toothpick in green dye and apply it to unwaxed sections of small star. Blot dry. Photo B)

10. Repeat this wax-and-dye sequence as follows:
(i) Using kystka, cover small star solidly with wax. Dip egg in orange dye. Pat dry. (See Photo C)
(ii) Draw wax dots on each side of lines leading away from large star. (See Photo C) Dip egg in red dye. Pat dry.
(iii) Cover large star with a solid coating of wax. (See Photo D) Dip egg in black dye. Pat dry (See Photo E)

11. To remove wax from egg, hold egg in side of candle flame for a few seconds until wax starts to melt. (See Photo 2) With tissues, gently wipe away melted wax. Do not attempt to heat too large a portion of egg at one time. To remove any remaining carbon residue, gently wipe egg with a tissue dipped in a small amount of cleaning fluid.

12. With paintbrush, apply a thin coat of varnish to egg to give it a lustre and prevent colours from fading. (See Photo F) Place on rack to dry.

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