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Editor: Liz Johnson
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Wednesday, 16 December 2009 03:00 |
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Why is it at this time of year there are so many ads on TV for those wacky room fresheners. Everything from candles to things you plug in the wall outlet to ones that squirt a spray into the air when you walk by. It's all very weird if you ask me. Seems like it would be so much nicer to smell a batch of cookies in the oven or a bowl or potpourri on the table or ... to tuck one of these lovely lavender sachets into your drawer or closet. Very retro, very green, very easy to make. Wrap up a color coordinated bundle for a sweet smelling gift.
I made all four of our samples in about 90 minutes – from cutting the squares to wrapping up the finished sachets. And the whole room smelled like lavender during the project. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Sewing Tools You Need
Fabric and Other Supplies
- Scraps or 1/4 yard cuts of of various cotton fabrics: we used Amy Butler's Nigella in River, Amy Butler's Nigella in Sky, Sandy Henderson's Farmer's Market in Henna Garden, and Paula Prass' Flights of Fancy in Tiled Garden
NOTE: Each sachet takes two 6½" x 6½" square cuts
- All purpose thread to match fabrics
- All purpose thread in contrasting colors for topstitching
- Hand sewing needle
- Bulk lavender
NOTE: Each sachet takes about ⅓ cup
- Spoon
- See-through ruler
- See-through square template (optional, but oh-so helpful)
- Fabric pencil
- Iron and ironing board
- Scissors or rotary cutter and mat
- Straight pins
Getting Started
- Cut two 6½" x 6½" squares for each sachet. I fussy cut my designs so each sachet had a featured design in the center.
At Your Sewing Machine
- Thread your machine with thread that coordinates with your fabric.
- Pin your fabric squares right sides together.
- Stitch, using a ½" seam allowance, around all sides, but leaving an approximately 3" opening in the middle of one side.
NOTE: I like to start my seam about 1" from a corner. I sew to that corner, pivot and stitch all the way around the next three sides. When I come around to the fourth and final corner, I stop about 1" after I pass that corner. The one-inch-from-the-corner is a guesstimate. You simply want to leave an opening along the fourth side that is just large enough to insert a spoon so you can fill the sachet with lavender. The smaller the opening the better so there's less hand sewing to do after your sachet is filled.
- Clip the corners on a diagonal.
- Turn the sachet cover right side out. Gently push out corners using your finger or a long tool with a blunt end, like a large knitting needle. Press flat, making sure the open edge turns in ½" and is pressed flush with the rest of the seam.
- Re-thread your machine with contrasting thread in the top and bobbin.
- Topstitch ½" from the edge, following the seam you just made and leaving the same size opening on that fourth side. If your machine allows, use a lock stitch instead of a back tack. It makes a cleaner line of stitching. Press flat
- Carefully spoon the lavender into the opening of the sachet. Don't overfill, a pleasantly plump filling is what you're going for. Plus, you need to be able to close the sachet enough to finish the line of topstitching.
- Pin the opening closed and finish the inner seam (the topstitched seam) with your sewing machine. Be VERY careful to match up your stitching line. Start back along the seam that is already there. Drop your needle right into the stitching line. Again, if possible use a lock stitch at the start and end to keep your stitching clean.
- Hand sew the outer seam closed with a slip stitch. Press.
Other machines suitable for this project include the Pfaff hobby 1142 and the Bernina activa 210.
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