Lavender Wands

Lavender Wands

To capture summer's magic fragrance in your linens and wool sweaters, make a lavender sachet utilizing the stems as well as the flowers.  These are called Lavender Wands, and in England and Europe are known as "Lavender Bottles".

Lavender Wands

You will need:

fresh blossoming lavender stems

3 to 5 yards of 1/4" satin ribbon in soft pastel colors

thread to match

straight pins

toothpicks

Instructions:

1. Pick 13 to 19 stems, always use an uneven number.  Pick the lavender in mid-to-late morning when the dew is off the flowers and the sun has not yet broiled the fragrance into the wind.  The stems and flowers must be used immediately or they will break.

2. Tie the blossoms securely together with a thread or sturdy rubber band.

Lavender Wand Step 2

3. Hold the blossoms with your left hand with the stems upward.

4. Bend the stems down, one by one, very carefully, to form a parasol or umbrella.

Lavender Wand Step 4

5. Place the ribbon (the length depends on how many stems are used), satin side up, under your left thumb, and hold it securely on top of the blossoms.



6. Weave the ribbon in and out of the stems in a basket weave for two or three rows.

Lavender Wand Step 6

7. Bend the stems down over the flowers.  Now the ribbon will look messy.  Simply take a toothpick or crochet hook and tighten the ribbon until a neatly woven effect is achieved.  Don't pull so tight that the stems stain the ribbon.

Lavender Wand Step 7

8. Continue weaving the ribbon in and out until the blossoms are covered.

Lavender Wand Step 8

9. When you have 4 or 5 inches of woven stems, wrap the ribbon around the stems and secure with a pin.

10. Let dry for two weeks.

11. The stems will shrink while drying.  Trim the ends even.  Neaten appearance with toothpick as before.  Wrap remaining ribbon around stems and secure with matching thread.  A bow may be tied at either or both ends of the stems.

Finished Lavender Wand

Source:

Shaudys, Phyllis. The Pleasure of Herbs. Pownal: Storey Communications, 1986. Print.

Photo Credits:

Lavender Wands:  Photo credit: jamsjoys via VisualHunt / CC BY-ND;  

Lavender Wand Step 2:  Photo credit: nodigio via Visual hunt / CC BY-NC-ND; 

Lavender Wand Step 4:  Photo Credit:  http://www.patchaouri.com/blog/lavender-wands

Lavender Wand Step 6:  Photo credit: nodigio via Visual hunt / CC BY-NC-ND;  

Lavender Wand Step 7:  Photo credit: nodigio via Visual hunt / CC BY-NC-ND;  

Lavender Wand Step 8:  Photo credit: lilyrothrock via Visualhunt.com / CC BY-NC-SA;  

Finished Lavender Wand:  Photo credit: nodigio via Visual Hunt / CC BY-NC-ND