CRAFT PROJECT: Bath Salt Bags

To Make the Bag:

1. Cut 7" by 11" strips of muslin cloth. Fold the 7" side and sew a 1/2" seam. This should leave you with a 3" wide, 11" long tube.
2. Fill tube with between 1/4 cup and 1/3 cup of bath salts or other filler. Fold in half and shake the salts down.
3. Fold the open ended side into envelope corners (forming a point) and then fold that section down to seal the open ends of your bag. A portion of the raw edge may show through and I've used my serger to finish these off after folding and filling the bag which also helps to seal the salts in. There are several ways to secure the top. I take a piece of jute string or twine about 2 feet long if I'm making a bath bag, shorter for hanging potpourri, and tie a knot in each end. I then use my sewing machine on the setting for attaching buttons and secure the twine to the bag and seal it up at the same time. I've been told you can use fabric glue as well, but I haven't tried it. I have stapled the bag to close it but wasn't happy with the results.
4. If the bag is not going into water, glue small silk rosettes and/or bits of lace and/or trim. I don't add other embellishments if the bag is going to be used in water since I want to keep everything as pure as possible and I haven't investigated what types of glues and embellishments might work without adding impurities to the water.

Bath Salts Recipe

In a large bowl, mix well: 3 cups of Epsom Salts, 1 cup of Borax and 1 cup of oatmeal. This is the basic recipe. To this, add the scent or essential oil of your choice and mix well again. If the salts are going to be given and used from a jar, instead of using regular oatmeal which will not dissolve in water, use colloidal oatmeal. Food coloring can also be used for salts to be presented in a bottle or jar. Glass should be used to store salts made with scent as the aroma will dissipate over time in plastic.

Muslin Angel Ornaments -- An Inexpensive Way to Trim Your Tree -- Free Tutorial

 
Instructions:

   1. Tear strips of muslin into pieces approximately 9" by 6". This doesn't have to be exact. The 6" (or so) measurement will be the height of your angel. You can use scissors but the finished angel looks better (in my humble opinion) if the fabric is torn.

   2. Taking the right and left corners of one 9" side, tie a knot in each of these two corners. This creates the arms of your angel as well as a pocket to make the head.

   3. Using a cottonball and some sewing thread or string, center the cotton ball in the fabric pocket between the two knots, pulling the fabric over the cottonball and then tying by wrapping the string around the base of the fabric stuffed with the cottonball to make the head and neck area.

   4. Using one of the 1/8 or 1/4 inch ribbon, tie a piece around your angel's neck and make a bow.

   5. Cut a piece of wide wired ribbon about 3 inches long and using your glue gun, affix it to the back of your angel for wings. I usually have some of that gold metallic open weave type wired ribbon on hand and I like it the best because I can stretch it out after gluing to form more lifelike wings, but do your own thing.

   6. For the halo, I use gold or copper colored small garland, the one that is wired and has stars attached, but any wire will do. Cut a small piece proportionate with the angel's head, wrap it around your finger to make a circle. Place glue on the part where your wire meets to form the circle and hold for a second or two to the top back of the angel's head.

   7. Your angel is complete! The only thing left to decide is how you want to use her. I've glued gold ribbon on her back looped to make a hanger, a pin fixing, and a piece of that magnet tape you can buy at an office supply or crafts store, but I'm sure there are other ways to use this cute symbol of peace and promise.

   8. An additional note: before you start tearing apart your muslin, it can be washed, dyed to a different color with either a commercial or tea dye.