What type of jars should be used to store pysanka dyes and how big they should be?

Answer 1

It really depends to some degree upon what sort of eggs (and how many of them) you will be dyeing. GLASS JARS: If your dyeing will be limited to an occasional chicken egg, then pint-sized Mason jars might be all you need. They will hold a cup or so of dye and an egg without a problem, and you can buy a dozen of them in a box for $10 or less. This will give you enough jars for all the dyes you'll probably want or need, and a good place (the box) to store them. If you will be working with a variety of egg types, wide-mouth quart size Mason jars would be better. They can handle eggs up to the size of a goose egg. The metal lids that come with the mason jars should be replaced, if possible, with plastic lids. The metal ones rust and the rust gets into the dyes. If you are on a budget, or ecologically minded, you can recycle old jam, jelly or pickle jars for this purpose. The lids, if metal, will eventually rust, at which point you'll need to find new lids or simply recycle some more jars. Remember, though, that pouring boiling water into a glass container can cause it to crack and shatter. I've been told that this can be avoided by having a spoon in the jar (to absorb the heat?), but I prefer to mix up the dyes in a Pyrex measuring cup instead, and pour the cooled dye into the jar. PLASTIC: If you make lots of pysanky, or may be teaching classes (or hosting "parties") where lots of pysanky will be made, you'll want larger jars (quart) and you'll want plastic ones. Eggs are less likely to break in a plastic jar, as being bounced against a plastic wall or bottom is less traumatic than a glass one. You can use plastic peanut butter jars (or other similar jars) to store the dyes. They normally come with a plastic lid, which obviates the concern about rust. Not all plastics can stand up to boiling water, so I would suggest mixing the dye in a Pyrex measuring cup (or other heat resistant vessel) and pouring it in only after it has cooled. Another source of great containers is a Chinese restaurant or the deli counter at your supermarket -- start saving these containers! Soup is sold in heavy-duty plastic quart jars which are not just water tight, but also heat resistant, meaning you can mix up the dyes right in the jars. These are great for storing dyes and have the advantage of being absolutely free, assuming you like Chinese food and/or deli products! You can also buy quart-sized plastic storage containers (e.g. Glad-ware) that are jar-shaped with screw-on lids these are very nice and, like the soup containers, are water tight and heat resistant. NOTE:Very large eggs--emu, ostrich--require either special large containers, or they can be dyed in zip-lock plastic bags. If using the bags for dyeing, you should store the dyes in a more sturdy container.