Hi, My name is Calli from Make it Do. While Amy is away enjoying some time with her family, I am so happy to be here on Diary of a Quilter sharing a little tutorial today. Amy and I have become dear friends... first through our blogs and then in person. She is one of my favorite people and truly a kindred spirit. Have a great vacation Amy!
Today I'm sharing a project that uses up some of our summer bounty. Lavender is coming out of my ears from my garden right now and there are few scents I love more. In fact I got in my car this morning and thought I NEED a lavender sachet for my car. After a summer of camping and swimming and hiking... my car smells musty and oh so bad. This is a fast and easy lavender project that makes a useful gift for teachers or friends too. So here we go:
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Far and away, the most useful flower in my garden is lavender. I use it for a number of different projects including Lavender Eye Pillows, Lavender Bottles and Sachets. I love they way it smells... clean and not too sweet.
Lavender sachets are not just for my lingerie drawer. A sachet is wonderful in a linen drawer, or even in a desk drawer. Your stationary will take on the slight scent of lavender.
If you don't want or have time to sew, a sachet can be made from a lace handkerchief. Put the lavender in the center of the handkerchief, pull the corners up to the center and tie a ribbon around the bundle.
If you have a small amount of fabric and a couple minutes, it's easy to sew a sachet bag. My favorite kind of sachet are ribbon closed bags, because it's easy to open the bag and refresh the scent by adding a few drops of essential oil. Or when it gets too old, it's easy to replace the lavender altogether.
Here's how to make sachet:
To dry lavender from your garden, cut the stems on a dry morning. I place rubber band around the base of the stems, then tie a piece of twine in a slip knot around that. I hang them in a cool dry place (my basement) for several weeks. Once dry, they are ready to use.
The quickest way I've found to remove lavender from stems is to lay the dried lavender on a clean dishtowel.
Unroll the towel and discard the stems. This method doesn't remove every flower from the stems, but it's fast and does a good job. Shake the flowers from the towel into a bowl.
For a sachet, I prefer fabric with 100% natural fibers, such as cotton, linen or silk. I've even cut up old linen bedding for sachets. (Even when the bedding has some holes, it's easy to find enough good fabric to make many sachets.
Cut a piece of fabric 11" x 8".
Fold the top of the fabric down a little more than halfway. There will be no need to stitch the fold into place, as it will be tucked down inside the bag. This method makes the top of the sachet very clean. I've made them before with a hem at the top and it looks messy, this method is much better.
Press the top of the fold.
Turn the bag right side out, using a chopstick to make the corners crisp. Fill with about ¾ cup of lavender. You can also substitute other herbs or spices that you love such as: cloves, lemon peel, cedar shavings, or cinnamon sticks that have been crushed.
It's ready for the drawer. If it stops smelling as strongly, I give it a squeeze, which releases some of the oils. A lavender sachet in a drawer will last for at least a couple of years.... sometimes longer.
Sachets are a great way to use up your supply of lavender from the garden. And if, like me, you have a copious amounts of lavender, sew extra sachets and put them away for last minute gifts.
Isisjem says
I love making my own lavendar bags. Although I left it too long to pick at the right time. Having said that I see the lavendar you have in the picture is 'out' does it work ok if you don't get the lavendar when it's in bud rather than bloom?
Pam says
I would never have thought of not hemming the top of the bag. What a great idea... means less sewing and it does look good. It's the end of winter over here and my lavendar is coming into flower. Once it warms up and we have mornings without dew, I'll start drying bunches, ready to put into bags. They'll make fabulous Christmas presents.
Sasha says
Thank you for great tutorial! My lavender won't bloom. I only have leaves 🙁 I wish it would bloom so I could try the rolling pin trick!!!
Jessica says
Now I just need to get my hands on some lavendar - thinking of buying some plants for the garden in the hopes it helps deter my deer a tiny bit. 🙂
CountryBelle says
Anybody know of any etsy or likewise shops that sell lavender? It won't grow up here!!
Sheila says
I remember when little sachets were the rage. I always had one in my drawer when I was growing up. <br />Thank you for the very nice tutorial.
Calli Makes Do says
For Isisjem: The lavender flower has two parts… the calyx and the corolla. The calyx colors up first and that’s when I like to harvest lavender for making wreaths and bouquets. After that the corollas begin to bloom. You can still harvest your lavender but the open blooms aren’t as pretty when they are dry. BUT it is still perfect for making potpourri and sachets. So yes, until it starts to
Pati @ A Crafty Escape says
I haven't had any luck growing lavender either, wonder if it has to do with the weather here in Florida or of it's just me. This project makes me want to try again.