How to make Lavender Sachets with a Brother Luminaire Embroidery Machine

If you love the soothing scent of lavender, making Lavender Sachets is a simple and rewarding project you’ll enjoy again and again.

These small Lavender Bags are perfect for tucking into drawers, closets, suitcases, or under your pillow for a calming aroma.

In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to make your own DIY Lavender Sachet using an embroidery machine. It’s a quick project that also makes a wonderful handmade gift. Plus, we’ve included Free Gift Tags you can print and attach to your sachets with use suggestions and the words "Handmade with Love".

Let’s get started creating your own beautifully scented sachets!  Watch our step-by-step video by clicking the link below to our YouTube video.

Uses for Lavender Sachets

Lavender sachets add a gentle, natural fragrance to your everyday spaces. Give the sachet a light squeeze to refresh the scent.

Try using them in these ways:

• Place in clothing drawers or hang in the closet.
• Keep one in the car to gently scent the space.
• Slip under a pillow to encourage relaxation.
• Tuck into gym bags or shoes as a deodorizer.
• Store in a desk drawer for a calming aromatherapy break.

Where can I find Lavender?

Lavender for sachets can be purchased online or from a local farm. You could even try growing some yourself.

I found a lavender farm, Iron Sun Farm, near me, and purchased a half pound of lavender.  Below are photos sent to me by Suzanna Mora from Iron Sun Farm. If you'd like to learn more about her farm journey, click the link to visit her blog.

Beautiful Row of Lavender - Photo Credit: Suzanna Mora

Picking the Lavender - Photo Credit: Suzanna Mora

WHAT YOU NEED to make Lavender Sachets

• Fabric for the front and back
• Design to Machine Embroider - Lavender by Designs by Juju
• Tear-away stabilizer
• Embroidery Thread
• Fiber Fill Stuffing
• Loose Lavender for Sachets
• Small Plastic Bags
• Printable Gift Tags - Scroll to the end of the tutorial just before my signature for the FREE TAG PRINTABLE in the section "Gifting the Lavender Sachets".
• Embroidery Machine - Demo uses the Brother Luminaire 3 & large embroidery hoop
• Scissors
• Rotary Cutter, Mat & Ruler

INSTRUCTIONS to create the in-the-hoop design

For the front of the lavender sachets, I used a lavender machine embroidery design purchased from Designs by Juju. The design was part of their Vintage Sketch Herbs 3 set.

You can use any design for the front of your sachets, but it should be small enough to fit in a 4x4 hoop. I also recommend selecting a design that is less dense, like the sketch design I used, so it takes less time to stitch out.

These first steps describe how to create a stitched box with a space for turning the finished sachets right-side out. Then I combine the lavender design with the box, creating an in-the-hoop project.

I am using a Brother Innovis Luminiare 3 embroidery machine. If you have a similar Brother (or even Babylock) sewing machine, the process may be the same.  

STEP 1: Create the Box Design

To create the box to stitch around each sachet, select "My Design Center" from the 'Home' menu.

Select the shapes button.

In the shapes screen, select a square box with rounded edges. Click 'Ok' to exit this screen.

STEP 2: Adjust the box size

Next, adjust the box's size to the desired size. Look at the design to be stitched and add some extra for around the outside.

Usually, a thumbnail or design card PDF included with your purchase shows the size. Alternatively, you can load the design into your embroidery machine to see its size.

Click the 'Size' button.

On the size screen, the current box size is displayed near the top.

Adjust the width and height separately using the buttons with two arrows.

My 4x4 Lavender design stitched size is 1.91" x 3.84". So, I sized my box to be 3.5" x 4.5". This is a nice size for a sachet, and the design fits it well. 

If you have a more square design, the box could be 4.5" x 4.5" or whatever size works for your design.

Once you have the box the correct size, click the 'Ok' button.

STEP 3: Create the opening for turning the sachet

An opening in the box will be needed so the sachets can be turned right side out.

Select the Magnifier button, then set it to 200% to make the box larger on the screen.

Click the Erase button.

Use your stylus to erase most of the bottom of the box. When the box is stitched, this will be the opening. 

You want the opening to be large enough to turn the sachets. I erased about 3/4 of the bottom. Don't erase the curves.

If you make a mistake, there is an "undo" button at the bottom of the screen.

Click undo (multiple times if necessary) and try again.

In the image below, I erased some of the bottom of the box. I recommend erasing a little more than I did, as my hole for turning was a bit small.

Click the 'OK' button once you are happy with the amount erased.

STEP 4: The border box is finished, SAVE IT!

Now you have the border box ready. Before you exit this screen, SAVE the design. This way, you can come back later to make changes if needed.

Click the 'Memory' button.

And click where you want to save the design. I saved the design on my embroidery machine. After it saves, click the 'Next' button.

STEP 5: Set the stitch type & length

After clicking Next, a new screen will appear. This screen lets you pick the stitch type, length, and color. The default stitch will be the satin stitch.

For our box, we would like a regular straight stitch. Click the stitch button near the top of the screen.

On this screen, click the button with the two horizontal lines. This is a double straight stitch.

Next, select a color for the box. Pick a color that is not in your design. I picked 'Red'. I will stitch this box in a beige thread that matches my fabric.

Click 'Ok' after making these selections.

Next, review the stitch length. The default length is .08, which is pretty short. Change this to about .09, which is a more normal stitch length.

Click the 'Ok' button when you are happy with the length.

STEP 6: Design is ready for embroidery

To save these settings (stitch type and length), click the 'Memory' button and save your design again. 

Finally, click 'Set'.

The machine will ask to convert the design to an embroidery pattern.

Click 'Ok' and the design will be converted to an embroidery design and now shows in the "Embroidery" screen.

I know we've saved it a lot, but click 'Memory' again and save it here. You need to save it here, since it's now an embroidery design. The previous saves were in the "My Design Center" and can be used if you want to edit the design.

STEP 7: Combine the two Designs together

Now we need to combine the two designs into one design. When we stitch the design, we want the lavender to stitch first and then the box at the end.

The designs are stitched in the order they are added. So, if we add the lavender into the design now, the box will stitch first, then the lavender design.

So, clear the design by clicking the 'Home' button.

Then click 'Embroidery'.

Next, find and select the design you want to stitch; mine is the lavender design.

Click 'Set'.

The design is set, and you will see the colors to be stitched in the list.

Next, add the box by clicking the 'Add' button.

Go to the memory.

Select the box you created.

Click 'Set' to place the box into the design.

Now, you will see the two designs, and the box is second in the list to stitch.

Before continuing, make sure that the stitch order shows the lavender design first and the box second.

STEP 8: Duplicate the design

To speed up the process of making these lavender sachets, I want to stitch as many as I can in one hooping using my largest hoop. This saves on stabilizer and color changes.

To duplicate the design, click the 'Edit' button.

To select both designs, click the square near the bottom of the screen.

Then use your stylus to drag a box around both designs.

Once you have both selected, click the 'Ok' button to return.

Drag the first design to the top left corner.

You can fill the whole hoop with the designs right up to the edge. Just make sure you cut the fabric at least 1" larger than the design size so you'll have a seam allowance on the sides.

Next, click the duplicate button (the one with two boxes). This will duplicate the design and select the new one.

Use the stylus to drag and drop the design where you want it. Leave a gap between the designs as this will be your seam allowance. Try to leave about 1/2" - 1" between each design.

Click the duplicate button again to make another copy.

Line up the designs vertically and horizontally in the hoop. This will make it easier to cut between them.

I was able to fit 6 copies of the design in one hoop. Making six at a time will speed up the process!

Click "Embroidery" to prepare to embroider the design.

You'll notice many color changes because the machine is set to stitch each design individually. We want to combine the colors to reduce the number of color changes.

Click the "Layout" button.

On this screen, click the button with the three squares. 

This will group all colors together so that it stitches all 6 sections of the color at once. Then it will move to the next color.

Review the color list, making sure the box is at the very end.

Click the "Memory" button to save this design. Be sure to save here so you can come back and stitch this out again and again.

We are ready to embroider!

STEP 9: Prepare the hoop

Cut the fabric for the sachets at least 1" larger than the stitch size. You can see the stitch size near the top of the screen. Cut two pieces of fabric.

Hoop a piece of tear-away stabilizer and the fabric. I hooped the stabilizer and floated the fabric. Either way works!

If you are floating the fabric, add a basting stitch around the outside of the design to secure the fabric.

Click the button with a flower center and a dashed border. This will add a border basting box as the first step.

STEP 10: Stitch the design

If you added it, the first step will stitch the basting border box around the design area. This will sew the fabric to the stabilizer to prevent shifting.

Stitch all of the colors for the lavender design.

Once you get to the last color with the boxes, stop. 

Place the 2nd piece of fabric, right side facing down, across the hoop.

Stitch the last color with a thread color that matches the fabric. I used a beige color. The design is finished!

STEP 11: Cut the sachets apart and turn

Remove the fabric from the hoop.

Cut around each sachet, leaving a 1/4" - 1/2" seam allowance.

Remove the extra tear-away stabilizer from the back of each sachet.

Trim around the corners.

Turn each sachet right side out through the opening.

Use a turning stick or pencil to push out the edges and corners.

Give the sachets a light pressing. Take care, as embroidery thread is usually polyester, and pressing for too long could melt it.

STEP 12: Stuff and finish

The sachets can be filled with loose lavender or stuffed with some fiber fill stuffing and lavender.

This is the loose lavender I purchased from a local farm.

I prefer to stuff the sachets alternating between a small amount of fiber fill and several teaspoons of lavender. 

Keep alternating until the sachet is filled up, ending with the fiber fill.

Finally, stitch the opening closed. There are several options for stitching it closed. Use:

• Ladder Stitch - a hand-stitched invisible stitch that is used to close items.
• Whip Stitch - a quick hand-stitched stitch that can be seen when finished.
• Sewing machine - Use your sewing machine to stitch along the edge of the opening to close it.

The ladder stitch alternates from side to side.

Below is the whip stitch:

The lavender sachet is complete!

Gifting the Lavender Sachets?

Remember to include our Free Sachet Gift Tags with your gift. These "Handmade with Love" printable gift tags include suggested uses for the sachets.

To package my sachets for gifting, I placed them with the gift tag in these little plastic bags. This keeps most of the scent inside until it's opened!

We hope you enjoyed learning how to make these lavender sachets.

Some other Machine Embroidery Projects you may enjoy are:

• Bird House Towels  - Make these fun birdhouse towels sparkly with Mylar.
• Cat Coasters - An in-the-hoop embroidery project.
• Tall Phone Wallet - In-the-hoop machine embroidery project.