1Inflate a balloon.

Inflate an oval balloon to the approximate size that you want your eggs to be. You can make smaller Easter eggs that you can hold with one hand or make oversized ones for some funky Easter décor.

2Choose the yarn.

Cotton yarn or cotton crochet thread works best since the material absorbs the sugar water well. The size of the yarn or thread really depends on your preference. If this is your first time to try this craft, we suggest size 3 for crochet threads and medium weight (size 4) for yarns.

Pastel colors like light blue, pink, pale yellow, lavender and such, are great choices for any Easter project.

3Wrap the balloon with yarn.

Start wrapping the yarn tightly round and round the balloon. This step is probably the most challenging since the string tends to slip around the balloon's curved surface. Some suggest doing several vertical loops, then shift to horizontal loops, before making crisscrossing ones. We went with random directions and it still worked.

You don't need to cut the yarn, just go on wrapping until you're happy with how your Easter egg looks. If you find it easier to work with shorter lengths, cut yarn into several pieces, around 24 to 36 inches long. You can go with a single color of yarn or use two or more colors.

Wrap the balloon with as much yarn as you like for a more covered or solid look or use less yarn for an Easter egg with wider gaps.

When you're done, cut the yarn, tuck the end under some yarn loops.

4Make the sugar water.

In a bowl, mix 2 parts regular white sugar with 1 part hot water.

Mix until the sugar is completely dissolved. Wait until the solution is lukewarm or safe to touch before doing the next step.

5Soak the yarn in sugar water.

The idea is to soak all the yarn in sugar water. You can do this using either of these methods:

a.)  Use a sponge - as shown in the photo, you can use a sponge brush or an old kitchen sponge (cut into half or quarters) to soak the yarn by sections. Simply dip the sponge in the sugar water, then press it for several seconds onto the yarn to let the sugar water soak in. Do this until all the yarn is soaked.

b.)  Dip the balloon - fill a large bowl or a shallow container (e.g. tray or brownie baking pan) with sugar water. Dunk the yarn-wrapped balloon in the bowl or roll it around in the tray until all the yarn is soaked. Gently squeeze the balloon to remove the excess liquid.

As you take time making multiple yarn eggs, your sugar water may crystallize. If this happens, reheat the solution, then mix well to dissolve the sugar. Wait until the solution is lukewarm before you resume with crafting.

6Let the yarn dry.

Place each soaked yarn egg on top of a cup or bowl to let the excess liquid drip. Turn occassionally for even drying. It takes about 2 to 3 days for the yarn to dry completely.

If you live in a place where ants are a problem, place the cups in a tray of water to prevent the critters from getting to the sugar-soaked balloons. Just take care not to drop the balloons into the water.

7Loosen the balloon.

The yarn eggs will be hard once totally dry. Loosen the balloon from the yarn by pressing on the large gaps in between the crisscrossing strands of yarn. You can also use a blunt object such as the eraser end of a pencil to press through smaller gaps.

8Pop the balloon.

Use a pin or any sharp object to pop the balloon.

9Remove the balloon.

Remove the bits of balloon inside the yarn egg. Use a pair of tweezers for pieces that are hard to reach.