The November 15th Martha Stewart daytime show included how to make perfume sachets. The thing that made these different was that perfume was sprayed onto rice (which she says holds the scent) and then tucked into little squares of fabric that were sewn.
I made these while watching television – it only took about twenty minutes to set everything up and make five sachets.
To make them, you’ll need plain, uncooked rice (1/2 lb=about 5 sachets), fabric, ribbon or twine, scissors, disposable cups, and perfume.
Here are the instructions:
First, fill a disposable cup about 1/5 – 1/4 full of the uncooked rice, and spray inside three or four times with one of your favorite perfumes. You can jiggle the cup while you’re spraying so that more of the rice gets scented.
Next, cut a piece of fabric about the same size as a sheet of paper (8-1/2 x 11). I used a pretty fabric with a lace quality (although there weren’t any holes large enough for the rice to slip through). Overturn the scented cup of rice onto the center of the fabric:
Gather the corners, and tie tightly with twine or ribbon.
Gather the top of the fabric now that it’s been tied and the rice forms a pouch at the bottom. Cut the fabric straight across the top – when you do, you’ll see that the top is even all around and looks really nice.
I made five sachets: Bobbi Brown Beach, Jil Sander #4, Fresh Wisteria, Fracas de Robert Piguet, and Ciara – which was my Nanny’s favorite perfume and is sentimental to me
The little sachets turned out great! BTW, when Martha made them on her show (her instructions are here), she sewed pieces of fabric together to make square sachets – I decided to make my sachets this way so that no sewing was involved and months later from now when they are losing their scent, I can simply untie them, give the rice a spray or two, and tie back up. Nice!