Homemade Antique Hankie Sachets: The Perfect Gift

Wondering what to give your mother for Mother’s Day? How about making her a beautiful (and useful!) something that she’ll love? Surprise her with lovely hanging sachets made with antique hankies, handpicked just for her.

This project was featured in the Summer 2023 issue of Country Sampler Farmhouse Style magazine.

Note: This post contains affiliate links for [the same or similar] products used to complete this project. This is both for your convenience as well as to support my website, since I receive a small compensation whenever you click on a link and make any sort of purchase, for which I thank you. See my full disclosure here.

Materials to Make Antique Hankie Sachets

Materials:

• Antique hankies (here are some new alternatives)
• Sewing machine (I use a vintage Singer, but this new one has 4.5 stars)
• Lavender buds
• Ribbon (here’s pink ribbon)
• Mother-of-pearl buttons (optional)

How to Make Hankie Sachet

1. Fold the Hankie

Fold your hankie in fours (in half and then in half again), leaving the embroidered section exposed.

2. Sew the Hankie

Sew all four sides of your folded hankie, leaving a 2-3″ space unsewn to allow for filling with lavender.

3. Fill the Sachet With Lavender

Scoop in some lavender buds. How much? About 1/2 cup or so depending on the size of your hankie.

When the filled hankie is resting on a flat surface and the lavender is evenly distributed, it should contain about 1/2″ of lavender.

Filling alternatives for sachets:

• Potpourri
• Rose petals
• Rice scented with essential oil (see this heating pad post for tips)
• Poly fiber fill scented with essential oil (place on cotton ball and insert into center of fiber so you don’t stain the sachet with oil)
• Balsam (pine) needles
• Cedar chips
• Scented epsom salts
• Dried mint (or other herbs)
• Fabric softener sheets or beads

4. Sew the Opening

Sewing the opening closed.

5. Add Ribbon & Button

Sew a loop of ribbon onto the back of one corner of the sachet. Sew (or glue) a button onto the front of the sachet to cover the exposed thread from sewing on the ribbon.

I used think pale pink ribbon and antique mother-of-pearl buttons on these three sachets.

The Final Project

They are SO pretty and smell SO good! You’re going to love them.

How to Use Your Hankie Sachets

I made mine specifically to hang on hangers in a closet. I think a gift of some satin or velvet hangers with sachets would make a sweet gift.

They are so attractive in fact that you can hang them anywhere. This one hangs from the finial of a coffee pot in my ironstone cupboard. Everytime I open it, I get to enjoy the lavender scent.

Show them off by hanging them on a knob–any knob. Cupboards, doors, what have you.

In addition, you can slip them in your lingerie drawer or linen closet to lightly scent the contents.

Conclusion

Will you be on the hunt for pretty antique hankies now? Plan to make some for yourself AND for Mother’s Day and birthday gifts. No one will turn down beautiful, lavender scented sachets.

Bye for now,

It would mean so much if you’d pin to your favorite board!