Cheesecloth Crafts

Cheesecloth is most often associated with kitchen use, but it can also function as an excellent material for craft projects. The thin but sturdy texture of the material lends itself to easy use, and cheesecloth has the added benefit of being very inexpensive. For these reasons, many teachers and parents choose to do crafts with children that feature cheesecloth.

Make stiff, stand-alone sculptures out of cheesecloth. Mix two cups of warm water with one cup of white sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Alternately, you can use liquid starch. Dip a section of the cheesecloth (whatever size you wish) into the sugar water or starch until it is completely saturated. Squeeze off any excess liquid, then shape the cheesecloth around a mold or form. For example, a form for a cheesecloth ghost could be made with a paper towel tube topped with a ball made from aluminum foil. Drape the cheesecloth around the tube and foil ball, and let dry completely overnight. If you want your ghost to be more opaque, use several layers of cheesecloth. Instead of one solid piece, you could also use strips of cheesecloth. Once dry, you can remove the form and the "ghost" will stand on it's own. Add accessories such as eyes or hats if you wish. You can make stand-alone snowmen in much the same manner.

Create little sachets to give as gifts using cheesecloth, ribbon and dried potpourri. Cut the cheesecloth into 6-inch square sections, one for each sachet. Place a small amount of the potpourri in the middle of the square. Gather the cheesecloth around the potpourri, and tie it closed with a small strip of pretty ribbon. Because cheesecloth can be boiled, consider using potpourri that releases a scent when heated, and let the gift recipient know that she can drop the sachets into boiling water to fill the house with a pleasing scent. For an alternate craft activity, place loose tea leaves into the center of the cheesecloth square to make a homemade tea bag. Fill a pretty canister with the bags, along with directions for preparation.

Use cheesecloth to make decorations for Halloween. Along with the aforementioned ghosts, you can also use cheesecloth to create shredding "curtains" or "spider webs." Simply stretch and tear the cheesecloth so it looks ragged. Stain it with dirt to give it an even eerier appearance.