This home-made lavender wand is a traditional bug and moth repellent and a perfect way to scent your closet, drawers, gym bag, or car with the scent of lavender.
A lavender wand is tightly woven bundle of lavender that is made with fresh lavender and ribbon. Once dried these wands work as a perfume, air freshener, and moth repellent.
These adorable wands do not only smell like summer, but they are also very simple to make and are wonderful great gifts. Lavender is a natural bug and moth repellent, so these wands are perfect to use in your drawers, closet, or chests of clothes.
Lavender is also know for its aromatherapy qualities and is known to help people relax and sleep. Because of this, these lavender wands are great to keep near your bed or under your pillow.
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Recommended Tools
- Scissors
- 5 feet or 1½ meters of ribbon (about ⅛ inch or 3 mm thick)
- A small safety pin, optional
Ingredients
- lavender stems—use an odd number between 7-15 stems, each about 8 inches (20 cm) long
Method
Remove the leaves from your lavender and line them up Tie the bundle with a ribbon Snip the ends so they are all the same lenght Flip the bundle so the stems face away from you Carefully turn down the stems evenly around the flowers You'll end un with a cage around the flowers Weave the ribbon in and out between the stems Continue to weave until you reach the end of the flowers Twist the ribbon around the stems Until you reach the end of the stems Tie off the ribbon and trim it Dry wands before use
Tips + Notes
- Use fresh lavender as it will bend easier and be less likely to break. If possible pick your lavender just before using it. For the most fragrant wands, choose lavender that has recently bloomed as the oils will be the freshest. You can use older blooms, but they won't smell as strong and the blossoms are more likely to fall off.
- Use the French, English, or Portuguese lavender—Spanish lavender isn't recommended as it isn't as pungent.
- As this wand is woven, it is essential to have a odd number of stems. Keep a few extra stems of lavender handy incase you break one when making the "cage"and need to replace it.
- You'll want to cut your lavender stems as long as possible—8 inches (20 cm) is a good length.
- If you find that your lavender isn't pungent, try adding a few drop of essential oil to the lavender heads.
- If the ribbon has loosed up after the wand has dried, simply go back and tighten it up—a device like a small safety pin can be useful here.
Substitutions
- The lavender is essential, but you could use an alternative to ribbon: try a natural fibre string or wool for a more rustic look. You could even use something like raffia.
FAQ
When do I harvest my lavender?
It is best to pick your lavender early in the season when the oils in the flowers are fresh and fragrant. Pick them stems in the morning after the nights dew has evaporated as you don't want to use damp flowers (they could go mouldy).
You can use older, more open lavender blooms but they won't be as fragrent.
Can I use my lavender wand when it is fresh?
Fresh lavender has oils that could stain your clothing, so it is best to dry the wand prior to adding to a draw or closet.
How long will these lavender wands last?
Dry lavender will lose its smell as the essential oils evaporate. These wands will retain their sent for a year or 2. You can always refreshen you wands by adding a few drops of lavender essential oil.
How do I get my lavender bundle to smell more?
More fragrance can be released by gently squeezing the wand, releasing the aromatic essential oils.
How to Use Your Lavender Wands
- Give as gifts
- Place in your can as an air freshener
- Pop into your underwear or sock drawer to sent your clothes
- Hang in your closet to help repel moths
- You as a decorative piece in your bathroom or dresser
- Keep near you bed to help you sleep
More Herbal Recipes
How to Make a Lavender Wand
Equipment
- 1 Pair of scissors
- 5 feet (1½ meters) Thin ribbon ⅛ inch or 3 mm thick
- 1 Small safety pin optional
Ingredients
- 7-15 stems lavender just make sure you use an odd number
Instructions
- Begin by removing any leaves from the lavender stems.
- Make a bundle by lining up all the flowers, then trim the stems so that they are all the same length.
- Tie the ribbon tightly just below the flower heads.
- Turn the bundle so that the flowers are facing you and the stems are pointing away. Gently bend each stem down towards you, creating a little cage for the lavender blossoms. If any stem breaks off, simply add a new one to replace it—you'll need an odd number stems.
- Tightly weave the ribbon in and out between the stems of lavender, being sure not to change the order of the stems. If it helps, attach a small safety pin to the end of the ribbon that isn't tied to around the bundle.
- If at anytime bits of flower poke through the ribbon, just poke them back into place with a toothpick.
- Continue to weave until you reach the end of the cage that covers the flowers. Go back to the beginning of to of the cage and tighten up any slack that is in the ribbon. The lavender will shrink as it dries, so it is important to make the weaving tight.
- Finish off the wand by winding the ribbon around the stem and tying it off. You can make a little loop to hang it by or a cute little bow.
- Hang the wand in a dark place until fully dry.
Video
Notes
- Use fresh lavender as it will bend easier and be less likely to break. If possible pick your lavender just before using it. For the most fragrant wands, choose lavender that has recently bloomed as the oils will be the freshest. You can use older blooms, but they won't smell as strong and the blossoms are more likely to fall off.
- Use the French, English, or Portuguese lavender—Spanish lavender isn't recommended as it isn't as pungent.
- As this wand is woven, it is essential to have a odd number of stems. Keep a few extra stems of lavender handy incase you break one when making the "cage"and need to replace it.
- You'll want to cut your lavender stems as long as possible—8 inches (20 cm) is a good length.
- If you find that your lavender isn't pungent, try adding a few drop of essential oil to the lavender heads.
- If the ribbon has loosed up after the wand has dried, simply go back and tighten it up—a device like a small safety pin can be useful here.
Thanks for sharing this information!! Now I want to try to grow my own lavender garden to make these cute wands for myself and as a gift!!