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Things You'll Need
Instructions
Heat the water. Using a pot or teakettle, heat 2 cups of water. Be sure to get the water very hot or boiling, but take care to avoid spills or burns.
Add dry material. Use a spoon to stir sugar, table salt, Epsom salts or baking soda into the hot water until no more will dissolve. If you want to use the entire 2 cups of water for one batch of crystals, you probably will be able to dissolve 4 cups of sugar, 1 and 2/3 cups of salt or Epsom salts, or 1/4 cup of baking soda. When no more material will dissolve, you have a saturated solution. This step may take a while, but dissolving more material can lead to better crystals.
Pour the solution into a glass jar.
Place the string. Cut a piece of string about 12 inches long. Tie one end to the middle of a pencil. Place the pencil across the mouth of the jar so the string dangles into the solution but does not touch the bottom. If the string is too long, you can trim it to fit or wrap it around the pencil.
Store the jar. Place the uncovered jar (with pencil and string) in a stable, secure place where it isn't likely to be disturbed.
Wait and watch. Over the course of several days, the water will evaporate, and crystals will form on the string. This process can take a week or longer, but the results should be well worth the wait.