Lavender Bags

Here, you can see how to use the Birth Month Embroidery kit (via the Etsy Store) to make a beautiful Lavender Bag – with the aid of some extra paper and a printer.

Within the kit, the instructions show you how to make a useable keepsake bookmark. In a previous blog (https://www.lochlin.co.uk/post/birth-month-bookmark-poems-with-alternative-make-instructions), you can see how to make an alternative style of bookmark with a raw edge fringe.

To create the Lavender bag layout I used Photoshop, but it is possible to create a layout with a printer and a bit of tracing: An A4 pattern template is available below for your use. You will need additional paper to trace through the pattern, flower design (from the kit), poem from a previous blog (https://www.lochlin.co.uk/post/birth-month-bookmark-poems-with-alternative-make-instructions) and the text you wish to embroider (either from free-hand handwritting or using the computer/printer).

Lavender Bag Pattern.pdf

Download PDF • 742KB

The first rectangle is for you to trace the Birth Month Flowers, one on each side – feel free to add a few more tendrils or flowers/buds if there is space, equally leave off any that don’t’ fit or seem out of place. In the centre, add your name/text.

You can trace the poem on to the 2nd Rectangle, or keep it blank. Use the layout to mark-out your stitch line guide onto the fabric & trace the poem directly onto the Linen mix fabric (& not on to the paper pattern), by not tracing it 'twice' there is less risk of distorting the poem font/text.

Remember to press your fabric before tracing the pattern onto it.

Embroider the flowers using the kit colours. For the text, I use a thread colour matching the Birthmonth gemstone (you may need to source this seperately from the kit). The font chosen was a calligraphy style, so I embroidered using a split stitch. For the ‘Down-strokes’ I embroidered 4widths/lines and for the ‘Up-strokes’ I embroidered 1 line. I chose to add a few extra sew-on crystals.

To embroider the Poem, as advised in a previous blog, you can use a small back stitch in either DMC Black 310 or Charcoal 3799.

Once embroidered, Cut the panels out, pin Right-sides together, and stitch close (with a sewing machine) or hand sewing. Leave about 5-8cm opening along the bottom edge.

Now stuff with dried lavender, and close the opening with small hand stitches.

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If you have Lavender growing in your garden, why not try and create the dried lavender yourself? – it takes a little bit of time, and is very rewarding. When the scent begins to fade, you can use Lavender essential oils in a little spray bottle - and spritz the bag to refresh. Or re-fill with a new batch of dried lavender.