Mother's Day Lavender Sachets

I'm not gonna lie. This project will take a bit of planning and time, but I was really pleased with the results. I'm so looking forward to giving these handmade sachets as gifts. They are simple but personal. I think when times are hard, a small thoughtful gesture that involves time and effort means much more than an extravagant something ordered online in five minutes.

And besides, embroidery is quite theraputic. At about sachet number three, I found the rhythm of the needle piercing the fabric and drawing through reminded me of breathing. It became quite meditative.

You will need: scrap fabric, an iron, a sewing machine (you COULD hand sew, but these are time consuming as is...your call.) bulk lavender (I got mine here) silk embroidery thread, small embroidery hoop and needle.

Let's get started, shall we? First, cut your scrap fabric into a rectangle. Mine is roughly 4.5 x9", but make a size that works for you.

Iron your rectangle in two.


Then fold in the two raw edges at the ends and press them too.

These will be your finished edges.

Use a pencil to draw out a simple design. I put mine directly on the fabric for minimal fuss.

The embroidery is the most time consuming part, so keep your design simple. I used no more than three colors for maximum impact and minimal hassle.

Now you'll want to press out the hoop imprint.

There we are! Nice and crisp.

Turn your handiwork inside out. Use your sewing machine to make two neat seams along both raw sides.

Next, trim away any excess fabric and threads. I like to snip the corners at diagonals which gives a tidier looking corner.

Now turn it right side out again. (And suddenly your embroidery design has magically transformed into something more elaborate! Kidding Kidding- I just lost track of my photos in the process of documenting all these steps! So we've switched from lavender embroidery to tulips and violets. You get the idea.)


Gently fill your sachet. You want it plump, but not overflowing. Close with a straight pin.

One more pass on the sewing machine, snip off the extra thread and...


Ta Da! You've just made a pretty sweet smelling gift for Mother's Day. (Or any gal who likes sweet smelling things.) I use sachets in all my drawers, and love to toss them in my luggage when I'm traveling so things stay smelling fresh even when less than so.

What lovely things have you been making lately?