Violet Stays Over, Making Pysanky

   

Tess' first egg and Violet's jellybean egg.

Granddaughter Violet came for a sleepover last Friday! We met Tess at church and the three of us enjoyed a fish fry dinner at the Knights of Columbus fundraiser. Then Violet and I came home and made a blueberry pie for tomorrow's dessert. While the pie baked, we got into our pajamas and settled in with one of my absolute favorite movies, The BFG.  It is a wonderful children's story written by Roald Dahl. The BFG is a Big Friendly Giant who speaks in funny, invented words that still make perfect sense. He captures and befriends an orphan girl named Sophie and she helps him, with the help of the queen of England, defeat the mean giants. It is a clever, creative story with a happy ending.

     The following morning, we had a breakfast of biscuits and berries. Then Violet and I gathered jars from the basement and mixed up all the dyes to color pysanky eggs. I taught Violet how to play Battleship while we waited for Aunt Tess to come over. We spent the rest of the late morning into early afternoon making a dyed egg. It is a long, slow process and Violet displayed great patience. She nipped off to the other side of the table to draw when she needed a break from waxing her egg. Tess' husband, Blake, arrived midday and Violet's parents arrived mid-afternoon. We had chili for a midday meal followed by the blueberry pie and coffee. We sat around and visited, catching up on things. With all the sickness the kids caught after our Vermont trip, this was the first chance we have had to get together. After everyone left, the house felt very quiet again with just Steve and me here.

    Tess and Blake came back over on Sunday evening. Tess dyed another egg while I cross stitched and we visited. The next day I took some time to dye an egg for myself. I haven't made one in a few years and my hand is a bit shakier nowadays. Even still, I find waxing the eggs to be extremely peaceful and calming. The beeswax candle that is kept burning during the process and the beeswax that melts in the waxing tool (kistka) smells so good. The sound of the tool scritch-scratching on the eggshell is also a soothing sound. At the very end of the process, the waxed and dyed egg is held next to the candle flame in order to melt the wax so it can be wiped off. This step is the big reveal when the dye colors finally pop into view. I felt that this first egg was somewhat of a success and it gave me confidence to make another, when I get a chance.

Many designs start with dividing the egg in segments.

A kistka tool and a partially waxed egg. Yellow was the first of three dye colors for this design.

The final color, Huron Blue, with the wax still on the egg.

Holding the waxed egg next to the flame to melt the wax and wipe it off with a tissue.

The finished egg after the wax is melted and wiped off. Every stroke of the wax application is revealed. This is where a steady hand is appreciated. Even an amateur egg is pretty! Google "Pysanky eggs" you will see incredible works of art!