These sachets are easy to make and are useful, beautiful gifts. Don’t be too concerned about the quality of the sewing – it’s thought and effort that count here. These can also be a nice Valentine’s Day gift by cutting red felt into heart shapes.
You will need
Paper (for the pattern)
Felt (with a high wool content) in assorted colours
Scissors
Pins
Sewing thread in matching or contrasting colours
Large eye needles
Sachet mix or potpourri – available in many places. Try to choose a pleasant smelling one that is not too overpowering. You can also make your own by choosing interesting looking and smelling herbs. I like to combine lavender, dried rose buds and star anise (a spice) all of which are interesting, beautiful to look at and smell good! These are also easier to handle as they are (except for the lavender) larger and less flaky. Try herb and spice shops or gift shops. To stretch the sachet materials, mix them with wool or cotton batting.
To make
1. For each child cut out two hearts, or whatever other shapes you want to use, for each sachet. Cutting the shape on a fold will ensure that the shape will be symmetrical. Older children can help cut by pinning the folded pattern to a folded piece of felt. The illustration shows the actual size.
2. Pin the two (front and back) pieces together with a straight pin. Double thread a needle and tie a knot in the thread ends.
3. Start the sewing by bringing the needle through the fabric from the inside so that the knot will not show.
Show the children how to sew around the edge using any kind of stitch. I found that a simple over-stitch which goes through the fabric and then over the top is easiest for the children to do. Its greatest problems are stitches too far apart or too tight which makes a crinkle at the edge of the fabric (this requires mending only in extreme circumstances). Help the children to keep the stitches fairly small and close together so the sachet mix won’t leak out. This is another reason for using a sachet mix with large chunks of things rather than a really flaky or powdery mix.
4. Ask the children to stop sewing when there is about 2.5-3cm left to sew, so that they can stuff their sachet.
5. Stuff with the sachet mix (and wool if you are using it) and let the children finish their sewing. You can also stitch a piece of thin ribbon to the top (or let the children finger knit a cord) to make the sachet into a necklace.
6. When they reach the end (where they began sewing), knot off the thread and check to see that there are no gaping holes around the edges that need repair.
7. The children can wrap the finished sachets in colour tissue-paper and present them as Valentine’s Day gifts.
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From Earthwise: Environmental Crafts and Activities with Young Children by Carol Petrash, published by Floris Books.
First published in Issue 4. Accurate at the time the issue went to print.
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Simple ideas for nurturing kindness