How to Make a Medicine Bag

The medicine bag, in one form or another, is used in many cultures around the world to represent and enhance the spirituality of it's maker. Medicine bags can hold anything that help you along your spiritual path, including crystals, herbs, essential oils, feathers, found objects and more. While you may purchase a bag to fill with your personal medicine, making your own adds something special to your medicine bag. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Sharp scissors
• Pliable leather
• Leather needle
• Heavy-duty thread
• Soldering iron or wood etcher
• Extra leather for straps, buttons, beads or punch snaps
• Personal medicine to fill your bag

1. Cut a rectangular strip of pliable leather measuring 9 inches tall and 4 or 5 inches wide. Cut the top edge of the strip so that the edges are rounded to create the flap of your medicine bag. Medicine bags are traditionally made of leather; however, if you have moral objects to the use of leather products or for some other reason prefer not to use leather, a piece of sturdy canvas will do the job.
2. Fold the bottom edge, or squared end of the leather up one third and sew the edges together to make your medicine bag. If your leather has a definite right and wrong side, fold the strip so that the right sides are together. When finished, turn the bag right-side-out to hide the stitching.
3. Use a soldering iron or wood etcher to burn designs into medicine bag. Make symbols or pictures that are important to you, such as your power animal or totem, Celtic runes, astrological signs or other designs that are significant in your life.
4. Sew strings to the bottom edge and lip of the flap, add a button and hole or use a punch-snap if desired to keep your bag closed. Add any other final touches, such as shoulder strap or belt strap. These details are all based on personal choice, as some people don't like to seal their medicine bags, others keep their bags tucked away and out of sight. Use your creativity and intuition to finish your medicine bag as it will best serve your needs.
5. Fill your medicine bag with objects that bring you personal power or help you in your daily medicine. You may find that you carry objects that can be given away as medicine for others or offerings for the Earth. What you carry in your bag is up to you; but you should carry deep meaning as a representation of yourself.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have trouble pushing the needle through the leather, use a hammer and nail to create guide holes before sewing.