Simple Lavender Sachet

Simple Sachets

Mother’s day will be here before you know it. What are you going to do? The simple sachet is the answer. It is simple, easy to make, and smells amazing. And, best of all, Mom will love that you made it for her.

With some assistance, this is a craft that school children can do for significant people in their lives. It is the sort of craft that families and friends will love, and your classroom will smell wonderful through to summer as you find all the dried lavender flowers that escaped during construction.

Lavender is a plant with numerous varietals that grow in a wide variety of environments. As such, you may be able to find a subspecies that will grow near you. It has been widely cultivated and used for centuries. The traditional uses for the plant range widely from cultural, medicinal, and religious uses through to culinary and cleaning uses. One of my favorite uses is Lavender Ice Cream, but this blog post is dedicated to the classic Lavender Sachet.

Bundled dried lavender

Lavender sachets have been used for centuries for their aroma. They have been tucked into linens and folded into fine lingerie to add a comforting, clean, feminine aroma to the fabric items. Victorians used lavender wands in addition to or in place of sachets. Some say lavender will also help repel moths, but I have some doubts about that as I’ve seen how much my local moth and butterfly population enjoys feeding on my lavender nectar when my plants are in full bloom.

Traditional lavender wands, modern decorative lavender basket

This sachet is a simple version, so let’s get started. A video version of this project is available on the Mile Wide Crafts YouTube channel, here: https://youtu.be/uHypFXBmifo

Materials

Fabric square, about 10 inches on a side, woven fabrics or tulle are best

Ribbon or cord, 10-12 inches long and at least a ½ inch wide (¼ inch diameter for cord)

Narrow ribbon or cord, 4-8 inches (Less than ¼ inch wide)

Flexible trim, about 20-30 inches

Dried Lavender Buds, 1-2 tablespoons

Needle and Thread

Instructions

Step 1: Cut your fabric circle

Draw a circle on your fabric. I generally use a circle that is about 7 inches across. I have a paper template that I use to trace a circle onto my fabric. However, many household items are circular and would work as a template. Many luncheon plates, for example, are about this size, as are many mixing bowls.

Circle traced on an old shirt

Cut out your circle. If you are using a woven fabric pinking shears are a good idea so your fabric doesn’t ravel.

If you use tulle, you may want to cut two layers and just use them together so the lavender buds don’t poke through.

Step 2: Finish your edge.

There are a few options here. If you’ve used pinking shears, you may not need to do anything else. Similarly, if you are using tulle, you may not need to do anything to stabilize the edge.

If you have used woven fabric and haven’t used pinking shears, you have a few other options.

Zigzagged circle on the left, pinked circle on the right

You could use a product like fray-check or white glue on the edge to keep it from raveling. If you are working with small children who are gluing the trim on to the edge, the white glue should keep the edge stable.

You could cut out a second circle, and use a turn and topstitch method. If you do this, make sure the fabric you use is no heavier than shirt weight or quilting cotton as you want the lavender scent to come through easily.

The method I generally use, though, is to zigzag around the edge using a fairly small stitch. If you have a serger, this is a good place to use it.

Step 3: Trim the edge

There are a wide variety of trims available on the market. Many will work for this project. The most important thing is to find a trim that is flexible enough to go around the circumference of the circle without rippling. Rickrack is very good for this. If you have a pretty finished edge, strings of seed beads or imitation seed beads could also work.

Trim sewn to the edge and the gathering stitches added

Attach the trim around the edge of the fabric circle. If you are working with small children, they could use glue to attach the trim. Older children might be able to sew it on.

If you have chosen to use a turn and topstitch method to finish the edge in step 2, you could incorporate the trim into the topstitching step. Alternatively, you could skip the trim and just use a decorative edge stitch as your top stitching method.

When I do this project I machine sew the trim to the edge of the fabric, covering the zigzag stitching.

Step 4: Knot the ribbon

The ribbon is held in place in the project by a chunky knot. Any knot that is chunky enough to be at least twice the diameter of the cord or ribbon should work. For example, two overhand knots, one tied around the other would work. A figure eight knot would also work. 

With cord, I recommend using a cord end type of knot like a crown knot, a monkey fist knot, or something similar. These knots may require more than the 12 inches of length mentioned, depending on the knot and the diameter of the cord used.

I generally use a wide ribbon and a figure eight knot.

Step 5: Gather the circle into a pouch

Pull the gathering threads to form a pouch

About one inch in from the edge of the fabric circle, run a line or two of gathering stitches.

This is one of the steps where young children might need some help. If the children are able, they might be able to use embroidery thread and a tapestry needle to run a line of running stitches through tulle.

For older children or adults, run a line of running stitches around the circle, one inch in from the outer edge. This can be done by hand or by machine, using long stitches.

Pull the stitches until a pouch begins to form, but DO NOT close the pouch yet. You may wish to leave the thread ends on the outside/right side of the pouch.

Step 6: Fill the pouch

Place the knotted end of the ribbon from step 4 into the bottom of the pouch.

Carefully pour the dried lavender buds into the pouch on top of and around the knotted ribbon. Don’t fill the pouch all the way up to the stitching as you will need to be able to close the pouch. Fill it about ¾ of the way. The amount of flower buds needed will use depends on the fabric choice, the size of the original circle, and the distant the gathering stitches are from the edge. Most sachets will take 1-2 tablespoons of dried buds.

Pouch filled with the ribbon and buds

A funnel can make your life easier here, but the buds will need to be added slowly so the funnel isn’t clogged.

Step 7: Finishing the sachet

Pull the gathering stitches until the pouch is closed tightly, making sure to enclose the knotted end of the ribbon. Tie off the long ends of the thread to keep the pouch closed and trim the threads close to the knot.

Use the narrow decorative ribbon to create a decorative closure around the top of the pouch and finish with a bow. Glue may be used to keep the bow in place. 

If a decorative cord is used, it may be stitched or glued into place. A few small sprigs of dried lavender make a decorative covering for the ends of cords. However, buttons, beads or gemstones are also pretty options.

When I make these, I pull the gathering threads to the outside of the fabric and use the long tails of the gathered thread to wrap around the top of the pouch for added security under the decorative cord or ribbon.

Completed Sachets with a variety of finishing options

As always, if you have questions about this project, LOVE it, or just want to give feedback, please leave a comment below.

Happy Crafting!