Monday, September 4, 2017

Sew Practical - Essential Oil Sachets



Did you know I sell Scentsy products?  I have my own website at www.straddlingthegap.scentsy.us so you can order for delivery to your house anywhere - no need to have a local party.  If you are a Scentsy user without a local consultant, it's a great option. Anyway, I'm always looking for ways to extend good smells wherever I am, including places where melted wax and electrical outlets might not be practical.  Today I'm combining my favorite smells through Scentsy with a little practical sewing to make sachets scented with Scentsy essential oils.  Oh, you didn't know Scentsy sells oils and diffusers?  Get over to my Scentsy website and check it out!

These sachets are so easy to make.  You just need some scrap fabric, a bit of ribbon, uncooked rice, scented oil and a plastic bag or bowl to mix.  I used Scentsy Lavender Orange Blossom.  Mix about 1 cup of rice to 6-8 drops of oil.

   

To make the heart sachets, you just need two pieces of cotton fabric about 3" x 5".  My hearts are the same fabric on both sides, but you can use different fabrics.  Because you will be cutting these without a pattern, it also doesn't matter the exact size.  Fold each piece of fabric in half with the right side showing.

 
Slide one of the pieces inside the other, and using pinking shears, start from the bottom left (folded) side and cut to the right on a diagonal until you get near the top right and then curve back around to make the middle of the heart.  When you finish and pull the fabric pieces apart, it will look like this.  Unfold to reveal two identical hearts.



Every heart looks a little different (which is why you cut two pieces simultaneously) and you can practice with paper to get it just the way you want.  Using the pinking shears gets you that jagged edge look, but if you don't have any, just use regular scissors and you will have ragged edges.  Place the hearts on top of each other, wrong sides together, and cut a piece of ribbon about 14".  There is nothing special about this length, other than if you want to hang one of these from your car mirror, you will need that length or more.  You also don't need a ribbon if you don't want to hang the sachet.  Pin the ends of the ribbon inside the heart.


Now you're ready to sew.  You will be sewing on the right side and need to leave a hole to fill the heart.  I've found it easiest to begin sewing from the left top corner, so when you come around and leave the top of the left "hump," it's easy to open and fill.


As you come down to the center where your ribbon is pinned, go about 3 stitches past the center and stop.

Backstitch 3 stitches to the center again, lift the presser foot and pivot the heart so your presser foot will be facing the upper right portion of the heart.  Now backstitch 3 stitches and then stitch forward around the right side of the heart all the way to the other side, leaving about a 2 inch opening.



If you're wondering why you did all that backstitching stuff where the ribbon goes into the heart, this secures the ribbon with several stitches and allows you to pivot with a little decorative X.  Now you are ready to put the scented rice in the heart.  Don't fill it too much or you won't be able to use the sewing machine to close the heart.  Sew the gap closed and you're done!


These little sachets are great in clothes drawers, hanging in the car, on door knobs or closets.  They also make nice gifts.  As a Scentsy consultant, they are a great way to "sample" the oils for customers.


cindy