Lovely lavender

I absolutely love the smell of lavender. I find it totally relaxes me and reminds me of spring and the warm weather I sometimes feel will never be here.

I bought some dried lavender online, and have been toying with what to do with it ever since. You can use dried lavender in candles (something I am definitely going to try) and in soaps (ditto).

Instead, today I decided to try my hand at some sewing, something I haven't done thus far. I found a really cute idea, Martha's Repurposed Linen Sachet Craft. Of course, I didn't have any old linen lying around, but I did pick up some cute cotton fabric that I thought would look great in a drawer.

I cut small (3x3 inch-ish) squares out of the fabric. Then, I placed the good side of the fabric together, with the off side facing out. I hand-sewed (since I don't have a sewing machine) along each edge all the way around, leaving a small gap on the last side. I turned the sachet right side out through this gap.

Then came the tricky part. Naturally, I didn't have any funnels, which would have made the whole process easier. Instead, I took paper and rolled it into a funnel shape. I scooped lavender into the fake funnel and through that into the sachet. This process was messy and tedious, but it paid off. I filled in the second half of the sachet with torn up tissue paper balls to make a fluffy pouch. This worked well.

All in all, I can't wait to put these in my drawers and know it will make all my clothes smell fabulous and fresh. Plus, as always, they will make adorable gifts.

Instructions (from http://www.marthastewart.com/article/repurposed-linen-sachet)

Tools and Materials

• Old or stained linens (Martha used an old French linen hand towel.)
• Scissors
• Rotary cutter and ruler (optional)
• Pins
• Sewing machine threaded with coordinating thread
• Bone folder
• Loose dried lavender
• Hand-sewing needle

Repurposed Linen Sachet How-To

1. Cut two 5-by-8-inch pieces from the linen.
2. Match edges with right sides together and pin. Sew along edges with a 1/4-inch seam allowance, leaving a 4-inch opening along one side.
3. Clip corners of seam allowance, being careful not to cut into seam.
4. Turn pouch right-side out. Poke the corners to a sharp point with a bone folder. Fill with lavender.
5. Hand-stitch opening closed.
ResourcesDried lavender is available at health-food stores, floral shops, and bath shops.
For a different aroma, try one of these scent blends:

• Cedar tips, cedar shavings, and lavender
• Orange tea and dried roses
• Earl Grey tea and dried cornflowers
• Grapefruit peel, vanilla beans, and peach tea
• Lemon verbena, chamomile, and lemon peel
• Fresh eucalyptus leaves and lime peel

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Repurposed Linen Sachet Craft - Martha Stewart Crafts