Make a Heart Sachet for Valentine's Day

A Valentine's Day heart-shaped sachet is one of the easiest Valentine's Day crafts you can make. Furthermore, it is a gift that women will love. It keeps your clothing smelling fresh, and it is pretty to look at when a drawer is opened. Although the steps are easy, they must be followed carefully. Here are the instructions for making this special Valentine's Day craft.

First, you will need two heart shapes to trace around for the shape. Because you will be sewing, one shape should be between 4 and 5 inches across, and the other slightly smaller. It should also should be deeply indented at the top so that it will still look like a heart after it is sewn together.

Next, you will need to find a fabric. The best fabric to use is lace because it is not only pretty, but also because it has open sections to allow the scent to pass through more easily. Don't worry about the holes being too large. You will need to buy a quarter yard of fabric. Although you will find a good selection among the store's regular fabric selection, don't forget to check their remnants, clearance, and even bins that contain "fat quarters". These are quarter yards of fabric that quilters purchase to use in their designs. You will also need to buy a quarter yard of tulle in a matching or complementary color.

Once you have your fabric and your heart shapes, fold the fabric in half so that the inside of the fabric is touching. This makes it easy to have a front and back. Then, place the larger heart shape on the fabric and trace around it with a pencil. Do the same with the smaller heart on the tulle fabric. You should have two larger hearts out of the lace, and two smaller ones out of the tulle.

Go to the store and find a nice potpourri you like. Ideally, you should use a potpourri that has small pieces and that has a fragrance oil that can be purchased separately to refresh the scent. After you find one you like, you can begin to sew your hearts together.

Don't worry if you don't own a sewing machine or have no previous experience sewing. You will need a needle and thread. Tie a knot in one end of the thread. Place one tulle heart on top of the other. Bring the needle through both fabrics so that the knot catches on one end. Then bring the needle through the other direction a small space from the first one. Do this most of the way around, making sure to keep your stitches close to each other, and the same distance from the edge. Do not sew all the way around, because you will need an open section to put the potpourri in. Before you put the potpourri in the tulle heart, turn it inside out so that your stitches are on the inside. Fill it with potpourri, making sure to not overstuff it. Then, hold the open part closed as you sew it shut. These stitches should be very close to the edge to make it blend in.

When you begin sewing the larger heart, you will want to have the right sides of the fabric touching each other, and the wrong side facing outwards. This is because you will turn it inside out as well. After you sew most of the way around and leave a small part open, turn it so the right side of the fabric is facing outwards, and then carefully fit the tulle potpourri bag inside the lace. Again, carefully stitch the remaining bit closed very close to the edge. It is less noticable if this is hiding along the bottom.

Finally, you can add a lace band by stitching it to the outside, or you can leave it as it is. Adding lace trim will help hide the stitching, but it can be left off as well. Finish the sachet with a small piece of ribbon about 3 inches long on each side, sewn to the top. This is there in case they want to hang it in a closet. Then, they can tie the ribbon around the clothes bar.

A sachet can be a boring gift if it isn't personalized, so make sure to pick out fabrics, flowers, and decorations that have a special meaning to the recipient. If you are helping children make this, try using brightly colored lace and ribbon, or even a lightweight children's print cotton. If you are making it for a busy mom, make sure to add an extra layer of tulle netting so that it won't create a mess if some of the flowers get crumpled and crushed. Use paint to write "I love you" on the outside. There are a thousand different ways to decorate it, but the most important part is to make it a personal gift that you created just for them.