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Homemade SachetsHow To Make A Lemon or A Lavender SachetCreate Lemon or Lavender Sachets Adapted from Gifts for Herb Lovers by Betty Oppenheimer (Storey Books, 1997). 
Once you begin to create sachets, you'll probably find them irresistible. You'll need to purchase a few ingredients, such as the fixative and the oils, but the rest can be grown in your garden. Bags to hold the ingredients can be made from scrap material and kept ready to use whenever the spirit moves you to make a batch of potpourri.For each bag, finished size 4" x 2-1/2" 6" x 6" piece of tightly woven fabric (cotton or silk is classic) Sewing thread Ribbon Rubber band (optional) 1. Turn under (toward wrong size) and press 1/2", then 1" of fabric on one edge, and stitch 1/8" in from the bottom of the hem (or 7/8" down from top edge of hem). 2. With right sides facing, fold the bag in half and stitch 1/2" from edge on the two raw edges. 3. Clip the raw-edged corner and turn the bag right-side out. Press seams. FILLING THE BAGS 4. If your fabric is not tightly woven, make inner bags, using a double layer of cheesecloth, but make the bags 2" x 2-1/2". 5. Fill the bags (or inner bags) about 2/3 full with sachet mix, about 3 tablespoons. 6. Tie a ribbon around the bag, around the seam line from the hem. If the ribbon is not secure enough, fasten the bag closed with a rubber band first, then hide the rubber band with the ribbon. Fillings Keep the fillings in a glass jar with an airtight lid and age them for several weeks before using. This allows the oils and fixative to blend, and for all the scents to meld. These recipes make large batches -- enough to make several. You can store any extra filling in the jar for later use. 
Forever Lavender16 ounces lavender flowers 2 ounces sweet woodruff 1/2 ounce oak moss 1/2 ounce thyme 8 ounces dried orange peel 4 ounces gum benzoin Several handfuls of other herbs and flowers (such as peppermint, violets, rose geramium petals) 1/4 ounce cloves and anise, combined Combine all of the ingredients and shake occasionally during aging. 1 pound dried lemon peel 1 pound cut orrisroot 1/8 ounce oil of lemongrass 1/2 ounce oil of lemon peel 1 ounce oil of bergamot Put the lemon peel in a jar. Add the orrisroot. Add the oils and allow them to seep down into the mix, shaking occasionally.
If you like the idea of making sachets, but don't care much for sewing, you can purchase ready made bags at most craft stores. They are lovely homemade gifts for teachers, coworkers, family and friends. They are also great gifts to place in a homemade spa gift basket.
Copyright 2003-2008 Homemade-Gift-Basket-Ideas.com
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