By Charlie Rainbow Wolf
You might remember the lavender bags that your mother and grandmother had in their drawers or hope chests. Perhaps you even helped tie the dried flower heads in pieces of muslin or gauze to make them. These little sachets of dried herbs have been used with linens and for many other uses for a long time.
Potpourris and little bags filled with scented dried herbs and flowers are a wonderful trip back into yesteryear. Clothing drawers are not the only place in which they make welcome additions. They can be placed on closet shelves, hung from clothes rails, and added to storage units and cabinets, as well as tucked into pillows. Little pomanders can also be worn about the person—they have been used this way throughout history to help protect the wearer from disease, curses, and other dangers. These sachets can be purchased at quite a hefty price from boutiques and specialty shops, but many of the commercial blends contain synthetic oils and perfumes, and these may not be desirable. With a bit of thought and creativity, homemade blends can be created—blends that are completely natural and that often cost much less than their purchased counterparts.
Before starting to gather herbs, decide on how the sachet is going to be used. Herbs that are going to be placed where clothing is kept will probably be different than those added to a cupboard of dishes or placed in a bed pillow. A bit of research will soon reveal which herbs are most suitable for different places.
Cedar is a tree that belongs to several evergreen families, and it makes a great inclusion in herbal sachets that are going to be used where clothing and linens are kept. The use of cedar goes back thousands of years, and the Egyptians used it during mummification. Cedar is a strong insect repellent, which is why so many old linen boxes were made of some kind of cedar wood. Dried cedar can be purchased from most apothecaries and herbal shops. For an added aroma in a household sachet, a few drops of pure essential oil of cedar can be added to the dried cedar—but be careful not to use this where the oil might stain.
Lavender (Lavandula) is another favorite for herbal sachets. It is a shrubby plant that is easily grown in herb gardens in all but the most extreme climates. It is the dried flowers that are used when making herbal sachets. Dried lavender can also be purchased easily and inexpensively. This is another wonderful herb that can be added to a blend to keep away moths and other unwanted pests. Like cedar oil, lavender oil may be added for extra scent for use in drawers and cupboards.
Rose petals can easily be dried to use in a sachet. There are many varieties of rose, but my favorite is the Rosa rugosa, the old-fashioned rose hip. Pick the newly opened flowers early in the morning, when the dew is off them but the heat of the day has not peaked. Remove the petals from the stem and place them in a warm oven on a very gentle heat, or use a dehydrator on a very low setting if one is available. If purchasing dried rose petals, make sure that they have not been synthetically treated; rose oil is incredibly expensive! Rose petals make a romantic addition to a sachet that is going to be placed in a bed pillow.
Dried hops (Humulus lupulus) are a great addition to a sachet that is going to be placed inside a bed pillowcase. Hops have been a common ingredient in beers for about the last five hundred years, but history suggests that they have been used in herbal medicines and in other ways long before brewers found them to be a stabilizing and flavorful additive to the ale. The scent of hops is soothing and mildly sedative. Dried hops can be purchased from herbal stores and home-brewing shops. Ensure that sweet hops rather than bitter hops are obtained for use in this instance.
Other herbs that are suitable for sachets are lilac (Syringa chinensis), which is sweet and sensual; lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), which combines well with the herbs mentioned previously; mint (Mentha), which adds a stimulating aroma; and thyme (Thymus), which adds a peaceful note to the blend.
There are some herbs that should be avoided. Rue (Ruta graveolens), for example, could make a sleeping sachet too harsh, and great care must be taken in handling rue, as it can cause skin blisters. Good results for different purposes can be reliably achieved, provided a bit of research is done. As always, safety comes first. Ensure that the herbs you use are going to be appropriate for the place and the recipient, as some herbs that seem on the surface to be wonderful inclusions may prove to be inappropriate where there are pets or children who might get hold of the sachets.
After the intention for the sachet is determined and the appropriate herbs are gathered, a suitable pouch in which to put the herbs needs to be either made or obtained. Natural fibers such as wool, cotton, or silk are preferable to humanmade equivalents. They breathe better and allow the aromas of the dried herbs to be dispersed more effectively. Remember that the dried herbs are likely to crumble as they age, so the bag into which they are placed needs to accommodate this.
A good method of providing the herbs with a decorative outer covering and an efficiently protective inner one is to line a more ornate bag with a small muslin or cheesecloth liner. Muslin bags can easily be purchased from craft shops or in bulk from online suppliers. They are inexpensive and provide a good liner for a more ornate exterior. Seamstresses will be able to make these liners with ease, too. If the sachet is just going to be placed in a drawer or cupboard for personal use, this may be all the protection that is needed. If the sachet is going to be given as a gift, a prettier outside may be desired.
The exterior of the pouch is where your creativity can shine. Being an avid knitter, I tend to knit lacy bags out of either fingering wool or crochet cotton. Nearly any lacy knit or crochet pattern can be adapted to make a suitable and decorative exterior for the herbs. For those who do not knit or crochet, bobbin lace is another time-honored skill that makes beautiful fabric in which to put the liner-pouch full of herbs.
Thrift shops can be absolutely delightful treasure troves for finding useful materials for an heirloom feel without a handmade covering. Crocheted doilies can be wrapped around the lining bags to create wonderfully ornate pouches. Old lace curtains (preferably cotton ones) could be used like this as well. Resale shops are also great resources for finding additional supplies to be used for herbal pouches, such as ribbons, buttons, and beads. Using two coverings for the herbs—the liner and the decorative exterior—means that the outer layer of the pouch can be removed and cleaned, leaving the inner bag still intact.
Personalizing the sachet to the recipient is a great way to give a gift that is both useful and meaningful. The colors and patterns of the exterior can be chosen to reflect the person’s tastes. Even the herbs and flowers in the pouch, through their traditional meanings, can send a message of love, support, or friendship.
Making herbal sachets is great fun as a group activity, and it may even become quite addictive. Everyone can bring some materials to share, and a collection of different sachets can be made for keeping and for giving to others. Perhaps seasonal sachets can be made at different times of the year, or the herbs can be themed for various occasions. Whether done in groups or working solitary, this is one of the old-fashioned crafts that is worthy of reviving and preserving.
Herbal References
Arrowsmith, Nancy. Essential Herbal Wisdom. Llewellyn, 2009.
Black, Penny. The Book of Potpourri. Simon & Schuster, 1989.
Lehner, Ernst and Johanna. Folklore and Symbolism of Flowers, Plants and Trees. Dover Publications, 2003.
Long, Jim. Making Herbal Dream Pillows. Storey Publishing, 1998.
Lace References
Dye, Gilian, and Adrienne Thunder. Beginner’s Guide to Bobbin Lace. Search Press, 2008.
Hubert, Margaret. Lacework for Adventurous Crocheters. Creative Publishing International, 2013.
Weiss, Rita. 50 Fabulous Knitted Lace Stitches. Leisure Arts, Inc., 2009.
Charlie Rainbow Wolf is happiest when she is creating something, especially if it can be made from items that others have cast aside. Pottery, writing, knitting, and Tarot are her deepest interests, but she happily confesses that she’s easily distracted because life offers so many wonderful things to explore. Charlie is the Dean of Faculty at the Grey School, where she teaches subjects in most of the sixteen departments. She is an advocate of organic gardening and cooking, and lives in the Midwest with her husband and special-needs Great Danes. Visit her at www.charlierainbow.com.