M.I.Y. - Bath Pillow

This installment of the M.I.Y. series is a little different.  I like to sew, so this is a sewing one, but still bath-related.  Don't worry if you don't sew very well, this is a very easy make.  (This tutorial is also a chance for me to use up some of the fabric that I've hoarded!)

Oilcloth Bath Pillows

Today it's all about Bath Pillows. Place one behind your head and neck while lying in the bath for a little extra comfort. Making them with oilcloth makes them splash-proof and wipe-clean, perfect for the bath.

Partner with scented candles and some bath bombs, herbal bath tea or other bath products and you have a lovely gift.

Here's what you'll need:

2 x rectangles of oilcloth (PVC-coated cotton) measuring 42cm x 22cm

Toy/cushion stuffing (I've used Polyester Hollow Fibre stuffing)

Sewing machine (not essential but makes things much quicker)
Scissors / pinking shears

Here's what you do:

A quick note before you start: oilcloth will not glide through your sewing machine like ordinary cloth fabric. The foot tends to get stuck on the top.  To avoid this you could use a teflon foot or a roller foot if you have one, or you could put tissue paper between the foot and the oilcloth and tear it off afterwards, or put masking tape on the bottom of the foot.  I don't have a special foot so I used masking tape.  It helped a lot, but  there was still a little sticking, so I would use tissue paper next time. 

1. Attach your two rectangles of oilcloth together with the wrong sides facing each other.  Try to avoid using pins if you can as they'll leave holes in the oilcloth.  I've used mini bulldog clips, but you could also use (plastic-coated) paper clips.  If you do have to use pins try and pin as close to the edge as possible and trim at the end.

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2.  Place a small mark 1cm in from each edge at the corners of one of the rectangles.  These will help you to see when to change the direction of the stitching.

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3.  Sew a 1cm seam all the way around, leaving a gap for filling the pillow.  (I left one whole short edge open to make it easy to fill, but in hindsight it would have been a bit easier to close if I'd left a smaller gap, but still big enough to fit my hand through.)  If you're hand sewing use a running stitch and then go around again stitching in all the gaps.

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4.  Fill the pillow with the toy stuffing until it is plump but the filling is not bursting out.

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5.  Close the gap, sewing 1cm from the edge as you did with the other three sides.

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6.  If some of the edges of the two rectangles are no longer perfectly aligned, trim a small amount of oilcloth from the edge to make them even.  Or use pinking shears for a more decorative effect.  

M.I.Y. - Herbal Bath Tea

Herbal bath teas are so easy to make, and with the number of herbs and spices that are readily available the possibilities are endless.  A few herbal bath tea sachets together make a lovely gift, or wrap them individually to include as part of a set or as a stocking filler.  Use large empty tea bag sachets for baths, or use smaller ones for foot and hand soaks.


Here's what you'll need:


Herbs and Spices
Mixing bowl
Mixing spoon
Empty tea bag sachets / muslin (or lightweight cotton) squares
Stapler / String

Here's what you do:

1. Place your herbs and spices into a bowl and mix thoroughly so that the herbs are well distributed.

2. Spoon the herbal bath tea mixture into the empty tea bag sachets until two-thirds full, or place some of the mixture in the centre of a muslin/cotton square, leaving enough room to bring the corners up to secure the square.

3.  Fold the top of the tea bag sachet over and secure with a staple, or tie up the square with string.

4. Repeat until you have used up all of your mixture.

Recipes

Here are a few ideas for recipes for the herbal bath tea sachets.  All recipes make enough to fill 5 sachets / squares:

1. Cleansing Herbal Bath Tea- A herbal blend that will cleanse and soften the skin

• 50g oats
• 30g powdered milk
• 10g dried Elderflower
• 10g dried Lime flower

If you are Vegan, leave out the milk and replace with additonal oats or crushed hemp seeds.


2. Relaxing Herbal Bath Tea - Full of herbs with renowned calming and relaxing properties

• 13g dried lavender buds
• 13g dried chamomile
• 7g Lime flower
• 7g Mullein
• 5g Hops
• 5g Meadowsweet

3. Winter Warmer Herbal Bath Tea - a warming blend to keep the chills away

• Zest of one orange
• 10 clove buds
• 10g dried peppermint
• 10g dried lemon balm
• 20g dried lemon verbena

Keep the clove buds aside and add separately, placing two in each bath tea sachet.  Dry the orange zest before use by placing in an oven at the lowest setting for an hour.


4. ♥ Romance ♥ Herbal Bath Tea - a sweet-smelling blend to turn your thoughts to romance

• 12g dried rose petals
• 12g dried jasmine flowers
• 6g dried passionflower

5. Refreshing Foot Soak (use small tea bag sachets or muslin/cotton squares)

• 15g sea salt
• 5g dried peppermint
• 5g dried rosemary

6. Detoxifying Herbal Bath Tea - great after the excesses of the party season

• 375g sea salt (or Dead Sea Salt if you can get it)
• Zest of one grapefruit
• 2 tablespoons Rhassoul or Fullers Earth Clay
• 2 tablespoons crushed fennel seeds
• 2½ teaspoons crushed black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger 

Dry the grapefruit zest before use by placing in an oven at the lowest setting for an hour.

                    

Try your local health food shop for dried herbs. You can also use the contents of a herbal teabag, for example chamomile or peppermint tea. If you don't have any luck Woodland Herbs have an extensive dried herb selection. They also sell empty herbal tea bags, but in packs of 100.  If you don't want 100, I'm offering them for sale for 50p for a pack of 5 

Package the herbal bath tea bags in a pretty lidded gift box, or wrap in tissue paper tied with ribbon and a tag.  If you are making a selection of bath tea bags to give as a single gift then wrap them individually to keep the aromas from affecting one another.

How to use: place the herbal bath tea bag in the bath at the tap end, while it is filling up.  Leave to infuse for several minutes, then you can either remove the bath tea bag or leave it in the water for a stronger infusion.

A word of caution: some herbs, like rosemary, peppermint and elderflower, should be avoided by pregnant women.  I wouldn't advise making any of the above bath teas for use by someone who is pregnant.

M.I.Y - Bath Bombs

Bath bombs or bath fizzies are a nice way to add some sparkle to a bath. They are quite easy to make, and with just a few minor variations and so many different types of moulds available the possibilities are endless.  Wrap them simply in cellophane tied with ribbon, or fill a pretty jar with a lot of mini bath bombs for a lovely handmade gift.

I whipped up a quick lemon bath bomb mix, but you could change the fragrance and colour, or add a few botanicals for an extra special finish.

Here's what you'll need:

200g Sodium Bicarbonate (also known as Bicarbonate of Soda)
100g Citric Acid
60 drops lemon essential oil
scant 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Spray bottle with water or witch hazel
Moulds (e.g. ice cube trays, muffin tins)

This should make about 4-5 large (e.g. cupcake-sized) or 15-20 small (ice-cube sized) bath bombs, but will obviously depend on what type of mould you use.

Here's what you do:

1. Measure the bicarb and citric acid into a bowl.  Work out any clumps to get a smooth mixture.  I used a whisk, but you could also use a sieve.

2.  Add the (lemon) essential oil and mix well.

3.  Add the turmeric and mix in well.  You should get a nice pastel yellow. If you want a darker or lighter shade then just add a little bit more or less. But be careful if adding more, and add it a little at a time, mixing as you go until you get the shade you want.

A little note before the next step.  The bath bomb mixture will need a little bit of moisture to bind it together and result in a nice solid bath bomb.  However water is also what enables the reaction between the citric acid and sodium bicarbonate to happen.  So too much water and your mix will start to fizz prematurely, but too little and the bath bomb will not harden and will fall apart.  The amount of moisture in the air also has an effect. So if you live in a humid place, or if it's been quite damp lately, you might find you don't need quite as much, or any, additional moisture to get the right consistency as if you lived somewhere quite dry.  Some people use witch hazel instead of water to reduce the risk of "premature fizz" although I've never tried it.

4.  You are aiming for the bath bomb mixture to hold together when squeezed in your hand.  If it's quite crumbly then add a couple of spritzes of water/witch hazel, mix well, then check again.

5. When you have the right consistency press the mixture into the mould of your choice.  I've used a simple block mould and some small hearts.  Make sure that you pack the mixture as firmly as possible and fill the entire depth of the mould.

6. Set the moulded bath bombs aside for 15 minutes. Then turn them out and leave for at least an hour before packaging them up, or store in an airtight container until you are ready to package them.  Try not to squeeze or bend the moulds too much while turning out the bath bombs.  A sharp tap will usually dislodge them.  Use packaging that will keep moisture out, like cellophane.

Variations

Alternative aromas:
   - lavender for relaxation
   - rose geranium and orange, lemon, or grapefruit smells like sherbet
   - peppermint, eucalyptus and lemon for a comforting, cold-busting bath
   - or if you prefer not to use essential oils try non-water based natural food flavouring (check the ingredients)

For different colours you could use pink clay, or natural, non water-based food colouring.  Use the food colouring carefully adding it a few drops at a time and mixing well to check the colour,  Too much colour could stain a bath (not to mention your skin!).

For a professional finish, sprinkle some botanicals, like lavender, calendula or rose petals, in the bottom of the mould before adding the bath bomb mixture.

Moulds

There are so many options for containers that could be used for making bath bombs: ice cube trays, novelty ice cube trays (like those in the picture below), muffin and fairy cake tins to name a few.  The block mould I used was from Ikea (bought a few years ago), and that is a good place to look for reasonably priced shaped trays.  Alternatively if you don't have an Ikea near you the supermarket is another good place to try.  I would recommend a stiffer container that will stand up to having the bath bomb mixture tightly packed into it.  I have found that the really flexible silicone moulds bulge and flex and don't hold their shape, making it harder to get a decent bath bomb.

Try to avoid using containers that you ordinarily use for food, but if you do remember that essential oils are poisonous if ingested, so wash them out thoroughly afterwards, and/or line them first (for example with muffin or cupcake cases).

Supplies

You might be able to get some of the ingredients from the High St. but if you want to make a few then you could try here or here.  For a smoother finish to your bath bombs use the fine (anhydrous) citric acid.

So off you go and create some lovely bath bombs, then tell me all about it in the comments below :)