Pysanky Dyes -These are specialty dyes that are available through Ukrainian sites online, like These dyes are toxic if consumed (so the finished eggs can not be eaten). The dyes are sold separately, and I suggest using only the basics to start. At the store (but I would recommend yellow, orange, red, green, black as the
basics), there are many other colors like scarlet, and dark red for example. Dyes can be saved and used again, however, they do not last forever. Yellow and orange tend to go bad quickly. We can usually use the dyes for two years before making new, however, by the second year, the colorsare less intense and the eggs require longer times in the jars. We usually make new yellow, orange, and black (because you want a strong black) every year. Be very careful when mixing the dyes - make sure the powder does not get onto your counter (if you are doing it at home) and mix with liquid as it will stain! Put newsprint or newspaper down! Also many times I double the packet to make the colors stronger.
Dyes- You need to mix the dyes ahead of time (they are made with boiling water) so that they are cold. You will need jars with wide mouths - pint canning jars work best. I have been collecting jars for pasta sauce. Don't use really big jars, as the dye doesn't create enough depth at the bottom of the jar to cover the egg. I wouldn't work larger than a regular pasta sauce jar.
My Blog entry on Storing Dyes:
Vinegar - The dyes need to be mixed with WHITE vinegar. Each dye takes one tablespoon. Eggs should also be washed in a vinegar solution (I do a bowl of water to 2 Tbsp. of vinegar for the kids) to remove any impurities from the eggs, allowing for better dying.
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Kistkas - These are the tools that are used to draw the beeswax onto the egg. These are available where ever you find Pysanky materials. They are usually a wooden handle, with a very small copper funnel tied onto the end of the handle with copper wire. They come in different sizes (I would not recommend extra-fine for students) and we usually use fine, medium, and heavy. You will need a quantity of Kistkas. Students will usually use fine for drawing of lines, and then either medium or heavy to fill in. If you are investing in a class set, purchase at least one fine per student, and then some medium, and some heavy (as these can be easily shared).
Traditional Wood-caution may catch fire
Delren-less chance of fire
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Beeswax - This must be pure beeswax. You can buy it where ever you are getting the rest of the Pysanky materials, however, is much cheaper if you can get in contact with a bee keeper. Buy a big block of real beeswax and then just chop it up with a really big knife! or melt it into small cupcake papers. Remove paper before using for safety.
Purchase Black Wax when you can I like
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Candles and candle holders - Try to get each student to bring their own!
You will need 1 for every two students at the least (it is better if they have one each, however.). Candle holders can be picked up cheap at dollar stores as well as candles. If you are buying the large taper candles, cut them in half, as the height does make it difficult to use. I recently bought the 'emergency home' candles from the dollar store which are about 6 inches tall. I got 8 for a $1 so it was very cost effective. You will need at least one candle per student, depending on how long you will be working on the eggs, you may need to replace candles as you go. No Tea Lights!
Paper Towels – Try to get each student to bring their own!
School grade paper towel is NOT advisable - it will scratch the beeswax on the egg. Purchase some good paper towel, I use VIVA, or have the kids each bring in a roll. 25 students, creating eggs for three days at 75 minutes each day, plus some who stayed over the lunch hour...used 10 large rolls of paper towel (I bought one of those bulk bags of 12 rolls at the grocery store).
Covering Tables - Cover the tables with newsprint (I use regular
school grade drawing newsprint). The working tables where the students sit should have 2 layers (students can actually 'draw' with the kistkas and beeswax onto the table for practice). The Dye station (I put all the dyes in one place for control) should have much more paper on the surface (I think I usually do 8 layers or so). Pysanky dye can stain tables! Warning: newspaper will transfer the ink onto hands and then eggs.
Spoons - You will need one large spoon (slotted is best) for every dye color. These should never be used for consumption again - Pysanky dyes are toxic!
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Eggs - White chicken eggs - be careful not to buy brands that have the 'stamp' on the egg. This can not be removed and will interfere with your design. Brown eggs do not work as well - difficult to get good colors. You can use blown eggs (but they need to sink into the dyes, and if not careful blown eggs will fill up with dye). I purchase my eggs at an Amish market. Should the eggs be drained or whole when teaching a class?
Blas-Fix Egg blowing device
- If you are shopping at a Ukrainian store which sells Pysnaky supplies, look for egg blowing devices. I recommend Blas-Fix, which contains a yellow pump with syringe tip, and a small green hand 'drill' which looks like a green piece of plastic with a nail type head in the one end). Drill one hole with the green drill, and then use the syringe to pump air into the egg which will force out the egg. Then pump water in to rinse, I use Monomect, an all-plastic syringe. I do NOT recommend mouth blowing, as the dyes are toxic!
Varnish - If you are planning on blowing the eggs - you need to varnish the eggs first (as the dyes will be damaged by water (and egg). You must use a oil based clear glossy varnish - water soluble ones will cause the dyes to run. You will also need drying stations All I do is push thumb tacks through a box lid (photocopy paper box lid works good) in groups of three, so that when the lid is sitting on a flat surface, all the tack points are sticking up). The eggs are then balanced on the points of the tacks. I would also recommend latex gloves to do the varnishing, so that you don't have to wash your hands in thinner (you put a little varnish into the palm of one hand, then roll the egg around in the hand to coat the egg with a very thin coat of varnish. I use Varathane Oil Based Clear Gloss Interior-it is excellent. It is sold in Home Depot in a ½ pint container.
Metal spring loaded egg holder Used when varnishing eggs; insert this into a styrofoam block while drying.
See my blog entry on Varnishing
Drying Board
To let eggs dry, I place them on a pysanky drying board; which is a board with a bunch of nails from the bottom in groups of three like little tripods. You could also use a cardboard and push thumb tacks thru.
See myBlog entry on Drying Board
MAGIC RUB ERASER is an eraser that can be used after all the wax is taken off, and you see pencil lines. Do not use this when working on waxing/dying egg.
See my Blog entry on White Erasers
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