How to Make Scented Sachets with Lavender
Video and instruction showing how to make Scented Sachets. These handmade sachets make a lovely gift and can be ‘personalized’ with the recipient’s hair and eye color.
My kismet angel recently perched upon my shoulder. You know, the one who led me to discover this roadside rescue and who encouraged me to buy this oyster basket.
And honestly, I was beginning to think she had given up on me because it has been quite some time since she has made an appearance.
But, she is BACK and I am so very glad because she is the one who prompted me to make these Lavender Scented Sachets!
So, what is a Sachet? Well, for this purpose, a sachet is a small bag containing potpourri or herbs meant to add fragrance to closets or drawers. But…in the U.K. a sachet is often a small packet of a single-use type thing, like a sugar sachet or a shampoo sachet. There is your fun fact for the day!
It all started when I made these Buckwheat and Lavender filled, Microwavable Neck Wraps. Working with lavender and having it in these neck wraps reminded me of just how delightful and soothing the fragrance of lavender is. My Kismet Angel nudged me into thinking of making lavender sachets, but then really doubled down with the red toile!
You see when we moved in June I decided it was time to retire a red toile bed skirt from the guest room. I am embarrassed to tell you how old this bed skirt is, and truthfully, I really don’t know. But suffice it to say that it is at least 35+ years old. It is bleached out in spots from the sun and yellowed in spots from age, but much of it is still in good condition.
And because I really do ❤❤❤ red toile, I was having a hard time getting rid of it, so it sat on the steps of my garage, causing all sorts of tripping risks, since June until I mustered the gumption to donate it somewhere. But…clearly my kismet angel was interceding on my behalf because…well, I never mustered that gumption and it sat there.
Recently, after the idea of the scented sachets was firmly planted in my brain, I was dodging past the bed skirt and BAM…it hit me! The toile would be the perfect fabric for these sachets.
I rescued it from the steps, cut it into circles…avoiding the bleached and yellowed areas…and set to making these handmade sachets!
What Materials You Need to Make DIY Drawer Sachets:
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- Fabric. You can get 9 sachets from 1 yard of fabric
- Lavender Buds. You need 1.5 cups (about 1.5 ounces) of lavender buds to fill each sachet
- Wooden Beads. I used 1.5″ wooden beads
- Acrylic Paint. I used DecoArt’s
- Clear Acrylic Spray
- Cord. I used a 3/16″ cord and needed 42″ per sachet
- Needle and Thread
- A pattern of a circle 11″ in diameter
How to Make Scented Sachets:
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Paint your doll faces first so they have time to dry and be sealed with gloss acrylic spray paint. I kept my faces very simple, with big pink cheeks, a small mouth, tiny nose and dots for eyes. Make hair wisps with a thin brush first and then fill in the rest of the hair with a thicker brush.
- Cut your cord 42″ and put scotch tape at each end. Mark the middle of the 42″ and coat about 1/2″ of the middle with glue, working it all the way around. Work glue into each end of your cord as well. The glue will keep the cord from unraveling once it is dry.
- Cut your fabric into 11″ diameter circles
- Using needle and thread, hem very loosely, turning over 1/4″ all the way around. There is no need for precision since this will be cinched up.
- Leave the needle and thread on the fabric after you have finished sewing the hem.
- Cut your 42″ cord in half, making sure there is glue on each side of the cut.
- Tie the two pieces of cord in a knot in the middle
- Fill your fabric circle with 1 1/2 cups of dried lavender buds and cinch the pouch as tightly closed as you can, without breaking the thread
- Place the knot in the open hole of your cinched pouch and using the needle and thread, go back and forth through the knot and the fabric as many times as it takes to close the hole so that your lavender stays in.
- Thread the head onto the cord and tie a snug bow on the top of her head.
If you get an assembly line thing going where you paint the heads and while they are drying cut and hem your fabric, you could easily make a good number of these sweet, scented sachets in no time flat. Think they may end up in some stockings this Christmas!
In fact, I am going to add these sweet little drawer sachets to my ever-expanding list of Handmade Gift Ideas. Pop over to see the rest of the DIY Gift Ideas.
How to Refresh Your Lavender Sachet?
Lavender buds will hold their fragrance for up to 20 years! If you start noticing the fragrance fading, rub the scented sachet between your hands to release the oils.
Click this link to see the full video showing how to make these sachets from start to finish. To refer back to this post on scented sachets in the future, bookmark this page or pin the following image:
Check these so adorable sachets our friend Lori made up for her friends and family.
Oh they’re darling, Lynn! I think I know what I’m giving my MIL this year. Thanks for the ideas!
Hey Robin, aren’t they cute?! So easy to make too. Happy making.
Hugs,
Lynn
Good Morning Lynn,
I made a bunch of these lovely sachets for my mom and some friends for Valentine’s day. They were a big hit! I got a bit creative with the hair. I would love for you to see the photo, but I don’t know how to attach to this comment.
Do you have any clever ideas for Saint Patrick’s Day crafts?
Have a wonderful day,
Lori
Oh Lori! You just made my day! I’d LOVE to see the photos. Are they on your phone? If so, you could attach them to an email from your phone? That’s easier than uploading them to your pc.
I’ve got to be completely honest…I haven’t been creatively inspired by St. Patrick’s Day…yet! But you’ve challenged me! Let me ponder.
Have a great day my friend!
Hugs,
So cute & a great Christmas gift idea!
They make fantastic Christmas gifts! I like to personalize them with hair color.
These are adorable and look easy to put together. If I have fabric as you did, could you give a rough estimate of their cost after buying lavender, wooden beads, rope, etc. I already have paints. Seems like some of the ingredients, esp. lavender, would make them costly. Thanks for all your great ideas!
Hi Barbara, what a great question.
1 lb of lavender will generally run you around $10. You only need about 1.5 ounce for each sachet, so you could get 10 sachets from a pound of lavender. I go to my local health food store and buy in bulk what I need…typically much cheaper.
5 – 1.5 inch beads with wooden holes already drilled will cost around $10 at Amazon, though you may have a better price at your local craft store.
For the cord, you could use any yarn. I had that cord in my stash.
So, if you wanted to make 5 sachets and you had the fabric, paint and some kind of cord, you could make them for probably less than $4 a sachet.
Let me know if you go ahead…I’d love to see your finished sachets