My mum used to put camphor or mothballs in the drawers that had our woollen garments. It kept the silverfish and other bugs at bay, but at what price?
Now I use small hand-sewn bags of dried lavender and rosemary from my garden. Same result and I can go out in public without a lengthy airing. Here’s how I do it.
What you need
- A metre of fabric or recycled cloth from an item of clothing that might be about to hit the bin or the charity bag
- Dried lavender
- Rice
- Needle, thread and scissors OR break out the sewing machine if you have one OR rubber band and ribbon
The fragrant filling
Combine two parts lavender with one part rice to dilute the strong smell of the lavender. Experiment with rosemary, fragrant rose petals and pantry items such as cumin and coriander seeds and even cloves.
The sachets
Cut squares of fabric, around six centimetres or according to your needs.
Assembling
Hand-sew the squares on three sides – inside out of course. You could also sew half of the fourth side. For those taking the easy way out, set squares on a table with rubber bands and ribbons handy.
Snip the pointed corners of the sewn pouches to avoid bunching, turn out and fill OR lay filling on a square and secure at the top with a rubber band then tie with a ribbon.
Finish sewing with a blind stitch.
Consider different sewing techniques and contrasting coloured thread and adding small amount of fragrant oil or scented soap flakes to the filling.
Pop in your drawers so you get a beautiful whiff every time you open them – practical and uplifting at the same time.
If the perfume starts to fade, massage the sachets to release more essential oils.
Do you have suggestions for other fillings? Does a beautiful perfume make you breathe more deeply?
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