String Easter eggs is a fun and simple project for the whole family that can brighten up your home for spring. Hop to it!
Materials
- Embroidery thread, yard or string in a variety of colors
- Small water balloons
- Elmer’s glue
- Water
- Tweezers
- Pin or scissors
- Length of string to tie up drying eggs
Directions
Start by covering your work surface – this can get messy! We used brown butcher paper, but you can use oilcloth, newspaper or whatever you have around the house.
Make a mixture of equal parts water and Elmer’s glue. We used a quarter cup of each and had more than enough for our five eggs. Stir until fully mixed.
Blow up the water balloons to your preferred size.
Remove the paper caps from the embroidery thread and find the end of the thread. Soak 6-12 inches of thread in the water/glue mixture, squeeze off any excess moisture from the thread, and then start wrapping it around one of your balloons.
Be creative and try different patterns! We randomly wrapped some and did a more linear horizontal pattern on others.
The amount of thread you use will vary depending on the size of your balloons; for reference, we used all of one color thread for a single egg. It’s up to you how densely covered you want the string eggs to be.
As you finish an egg, tie the knotted end of the balloon to the string, which should be suspended in a dry, well-ventilated area to allow for drying. Picture a clothesline, with your string eggs spaced a few inches apart. You may need to dab the bottoms of the eggs every so often, as glue may collect there. Allow 24 to 48 hours for the eggs to dry completely.
Once the eggs are dry, pop the balloons with scissors or a pin. Then pull out the deflated balloon with tweezers.
Voila – your DIY string Easter eggs are ready! Tie string or ribbon onto the eggs for hanging on our spring floral tree, or mix it up with personalized Easter egg ornaments. You can also re-string them on a line as a garland, or arrange the eggs in a festive bowl or clear vase for display.
For the advanced string egg maker, try putting candy or small trinkets inside the balloon before inflating; it makes for a sweet treat on Easter morning. Of course, you’ll have to break the eggs to get the candy out, but that could be part of the fun!
How would you use string eggs for spring? Any wrapping patterns or color schemes to share? Leave us a comment below. If you’re looking for more ideas, check out our list of 62 Easter crafts for kids!