Lavender Dryer Bags – Week One: Recycling in the Home

It was as I prepared for a summer break with Mr M earlier this year I announced “I’m not going to buy any new clothes for a whole year starting from now.” The date was Monday 17^th June 2019 and we were about to board a plane to a hot country. Please note: I also intend to revisit our ideas for future holidays at some point too, though not today. “Really darling,” he enquired a little surprised, “what’s brought this on?” “I don’t need anything,” I said “I don’t wear half of what I’ve got, it’s a waste of money and we are slaves to a fashion industry which is causing havoc on our planet” I finished rather dramatically. “Right” he said lifting those eyebrows cautiously “if that’s what you want then good for you.” “And what’s more” I carried on “I’m going to alter what I have got which doesn’t fit, mend what is falling to pieces and make other things out of what I don’t want anymore” I finished. “I see” he said carefully “well, that sounds like a plan to me.” Join me today to see how I’ve made a start this week with my other things category in a pretty and versatile craft. Lavender Dryer Bags, which are not all they first seem …

I first read of Oxfam’s Second Hand September when the very lovely @tamsynmorgans announced her intention to join in on Instagram stories. Oxfam wants us to not buy new clothes for the month of September, encouraging us instead to buy second hand and think hard about the fashion industry’s impact on our planet. I am no eco warrior, although the mini M’s may disagree with this statement since they hear me regularly tutting at the excessive plastic my local supermarket needlessly wraps its products in. Then they watch me wash all the bags thoroughly before wrapping Mr M’s sandwiches in them for the following day. I do my bit; I could do so much more.

To make my lavender dryer bags, firstly I removed the heady fragrant buds from the stems. There are a great many suggestions on the web for how to do this. My suggestion is find a quiet spot, play your favourite soothing music and let your fingers do the work. I threw open the patio doors on a cool summer afternoon, cranked up my calming vibe soundtracks and enjoyed a wonderful half hour at my dining table.

Then I selected two of Mr M’s faded cotton shirts, destined for the charity shops yet both a little time worn and faded in part. Far better for the craft pile I decided and so began measuring and cutting 14 x 14 centimetre squares without too much precision.

After folding the material in half, I simply stitched two long and one short side in a continuous running stitch on my machine, which of course you could stitch by hand if you prefer. You could even make your stitching a little more decorative if you like.

I filled each lavender dryer bag with a spoonful of dried lavender from my own tiny and hardworking hedge. You can buy British lavender from this lovely account here if you don’t have enough of your own. And this beautiful hand carved wooden spoon bought here served the purpose of ensuring each bag had the same three spoonful’s of fragrant buds inside.

And finally, I secured each bag tightly with a tiny elastic band (salvaged from elsewhere for future use in my craft and garden projects) and delved into my stash of recycled string and ribbon, prettifying each bag uniquely. I chose to leave a good length of string or ribbon on show since my recycled lavender dryer bags are to be multifaceted, as you will come to see.

You’ll notice too, I added a variety of decorative touches; none too fussy, these items won’t stay around forever. A button here, a stitched flower there and a few well chosen words from the old typewriter. What do you think?

I have read tumble dryers are often the third most energy hungry appliance in the home after the washing machine and refrigerator. Personally, I use mine for only a few minutes after many of our clothes have line (or airing cupboard) dried. In so doing, I eradicate the need to iron many items. Next to dusting, and supermarket shopping, ironing is my most disliked chore. Iron, wear, wash, dry, repeat… drives me round the bend. If I am quick about it and get the clean items in and out of the dryer in no time, there is no need to iron. Besides if I was ironing, I’d be watching the television and making endless cups of tea and that has got to be a whole heap more electricity than a few minutes in the dryer wouldn’t you say?

And what of the lavender dryer bags multi-functional role I hear you ask? Here is my take on two for the price of one. Let’s rename the whole craft and call these little bags, good old lavender scented bags. Now who wouldn’t benefit from one of those? The sitting room is smelling gorgeous with the one I’ve added to the sideboard and there are two in the bedroom, one on a nightstand encouraging deep slumber …

And our revamped bathroom cabinet seemed a perfect spot for another. And of course I couldn’t leave out Belle.

You’ll recall from this post my desire to call our utility room The Scullery. Clearly I shall be keeping this aptly named bag for myself. And do you remember these wooden coat hangers from last year’s My Handmade Gifts for Christmas series? They too look cute adorned with my multi-functional lavender dryer bags whilst scenting the wardrobe at the same time. Perhaps an idea for presents for friends for this year. When the time comes to be thinking of such things of course.

Use your imagination and there are very few places which would not benefit from these pretties. You could try different shapes and sizes, use neutral or bright materials, decorate or leave plain, gift to a friend or simply squirrel away for yourself.

And as time goes by, a few drops of essential oil dropped onto the recycled cloth will help keep them fresh. In the cooler months to follow, your beautiful linens, towels and bedding will cast your mind back to our wonderful summer past.

Repurposing our clothing, isn’t entirely new to me if I’m honest. My focus for this blog has always been to repurpose, reuse and recycle where I can. I am now some thirteen weeks into my year long challenge and I have not bought one item of new clothing yet. I do have two caveats though. 1) a decent pair of slippers. I threw my old ones away since they were full of timeworn holes, dangerous and deemed not fit for purpose and it does get awfully chilly in this draughty old bungalow and 2) underwear. As and when needed; no explanation offered.

I’ve a long way to go although in the words of one supermarket giant every little helps. And if you join me back here next week you can read the second part of my recycling adventure and see how I have great fun with recycling a kitchen item we are all very familiar with. Until then…x

Here’s another lavender craft you may enjoy and if you like, you can read more about the decorative mending stitches I have used on one of my bags.