How much lavender in a sachet?

[nightowl]

Is there anyone who can give me a few clues on making perfumed sachets, please?

 

I'm getting a yen to make some little sachets stuffed with dried heads of our gorgeous-smelling Kentish lavender, but I don't know how much to buy.

 

I'd be using an inner tulle or net bag to hold the stuffing. Can anyone tell me: do you fill up the bag with lavender, or would you just put a spoonful or two in along with some fiberfill or wadding to give a nice padded look?

 

The sachets I've got in mind are only about 4-6in square or round and I'd probably make half a dozen. The small (8oz or so) bags of lavender look too small but the bigger sacks are enormous

 

Or is it easier to use essential oils on a piece of cotton or wadding instead of the dried lavender? Again this comes in what looks a tiny bottle (10ml) but perhaps you need only a few drops to perfume each one? Any advice/hints very gratefully received!

[Hounddog]

You could use the lavender itself and put a few drops of the oil on a cotton ball and hide it in the middle of the lavender. That way the fragrance will last longer. I know that potpourri loses its scentin a short period of time.

Darlene

[Terri/LadySorce]

I've made some with lavender and chamomile.

Please ask the person first if they are allergic to the herbs!!!

I filled mine with just the herbs. Mine were about the size of 4x6".

Everyone loved them. Once the "smell" has gone, just toss them into a dryer for a few minutes.

[jpr54_]

I subscribe to Herb Companion

 

I will look at some of my issues and post back-

 

http://www.wellswept.com

http://www.moutainvalleygrowers.com

http://www.gardenweb.com

[sammimag]

I think it depends. I received a lavender sachet that had 1/2cup or more of lavender in it.

 

I've made sachets too. I made them on the small side 3x4 inches or so. I used white fabric and found some pretty flowery print fabric then filled them with 3-4 tablespoons of lavender and tied them with a ribbon.

 

Lately, I have been using the white ones I made by sewing on a thread flower then filling them with 2-3tablespoons of lavender then sewing them closed so they look square instead of tying with a ribbon.

 

Here's a picture of what I have done. The square white one with the crocheted flower is about 2inx2in. You can also see a flower bag that I used to put some seed heads in instead of using as sachet.

[nightowl]

Thanks for the help, everyone. I think from what you've said maybe an 8oz bag will be enough. Terri, that's a good hint about popping the bags in the dryer to revive the scent; thank you! Sammi, your flowers and little bags are really pretty. I appreciate all the replies: thank you all!

[Aggie May]

I can give you some other Lavender recipes if you want and would you believe, the Recipe book is from the Norfolk Lavender Farm, in your neck of the woods.

I worked in a shop where we sold the Norfolk products, yes, here in NZ where we also grow beautiful Lavender, so I snaffled a Recipe book. (I did pay for it.)

I have, for a few years, made Lavender Scones, using my own recipe but the Book has lots of other ideas.

As for your Lavender bags, I have also made them, even handpainted wee flowers on the calico bags. I do fill the bag with fibre fill and add half a cup of dried Lavender and a couple of drops of Essential Oil of lavender. (I added a wee label saying exactly what is in them.)

The oil is expensive to buy but one drop goes a long way.

It is better to use the dried Lavender as well as the oil, makes the scent last longer and as someone else said, warming them up brings out the smell again when it lessens.

Hope this helps.

Colleen.

[nightowl]

Hi Colleen

 

How funny that you should have sold the Norfolk lavender! I didn't know you grew it in NZ either I love the smell and though Norfolk lavender is "the" quintessential English Lavender, Kentish is not far behind and there is a lavender farm reasonably near me.

 

I've wanted to make some sachets for ages but couldn't work out how much I'd need and how exactly to use it, so your tips are a big help, thank you! I was wondering about the tiny bottles of oil, but if you only need a drop or two each time I'll get one as well as my dried lavender.

 

When you say half a cup, do you mean a teacup or a cup measure like the US recipes use?

 

Now I just have to track down some tulle for my inners and I'm all set

[Aggie May]

I just used a cup measure which I had in the drawer so it is probably imperial, the same as you would use in the UK.

When you are buying your oil, make sure it is 100% pure essential oil of Lavender and not just a fragrant.

We pay up to $20.00 NZ for 10mls with a dripilator top on the bottle so you can just use a drop at a time. It should also be either a brown or blue bottle. ($20.00 NZ is about 7 British pounds.)

Store in a cool dark place, away from children.

Lavender has such a lot of uses, it should be in everyone's Medicine Chest or First Aid Kit. Great for burns, bites, sunburn, skin rashes and great for insomnia. Plus lots of other things.

The secret it, Less is More so use it sparingly or it may have the reverse effect if you are using it for insomnia.

I am sure you could find an Aromatherapist to tell you all about it, or even just Google to find out more. Of course, the Lavender Farm would also be a good place to ask.

I LOVE LAVENDER, can you tell.

Good luck with finding the Tulle. I just used a nice fine Calico which was quite cheap, and made bags which I tied with a fine gold cord at the top, like a sack. I painted a wee picture of lavender, very simply, on the pieces before I sewed them together.

The Lavender Sachets are very good when placed in your bed at night, the aroma is increased with the warmth and helps you sleep.

I would love to send you some of my dried lavender but I guess Customs would take it or at least fumigate it before it got to you.

Maybe you can get yourself a nice bush of your own. Once again the lavender farm would be able to tell you the best type to grow for drying and rubbing. Once you get one bush growing, it is easy to make cuttings to grow more.

If you want one to cook with, it needs to be an English lavender, not French.

The way to tell the difference is, the top of the French lav flower is pointed, the English is flat.

As usual, I have gone on a bit, but that is what happens when you are excited by something.

Have fun.

Colleen.

 

http://www.waikatonz.co.nz/bd_search.asp?cat=12

I googled and found this NZ site which has some places very near where I live.

It is not all Lavender but there is a local Lav Farm and also Woodlands which is a beautiful old, restored home, which is open to the public and also has a cafe which I have not yet been to. It is about 10 minutes drive from my house.

Not quite up to the Stately Homes of England but NZ is not so old yet.

 

http://www.norfolk-lavender.co.uk/Content/default.asp

Here is the Norfolk Lav Farm for you.