An easy tutorial for how to make a rose scented pillow for gifting or yourself. No sewing machine needed and you can use fabric scraps! This is perfect for beginner sewers and a great scrap-busting project.
Make some more easy naturally-scented DIYs with guide on how to make a lavender sachet, spiced orange pomanders, or make a fragrant lavender wand.
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Ingredients and Supplies
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Rose petals: any dried rose petals can be used, your own or store-bought. Make sure they don't have added scent and are just dried roses.
- Mint: substitute other herbs like dried rosemary if you don't have mint – it'll smell great too.
- Cloves: this adds a subtle spicy smell that pairs well with the roses. You can sub star anise if you prefer.
- Essential oil: a few drops of rose essential oil will boost the rose scent and make it strong enough to scent a whole drawer, but it can be left out if preferred.
- Fabric: secondhand fabric is ideal for projects like this, and so are scraps of leftover fabric from other projects. I recommend a natural fabric like cotton or linen.
How to Make Rose Pillows
Step 1: add the filling ingredients to a bowl and mix to combine.
Step 2: cut your fabric into squares, then use a running stitch to sew with a quarter-inch seam allowance, leaving an inch free.
Step 3: turn the pillow inside-out, then stuff with the rose filling.
Step 4: use a ladder stitch to sew up that remaining inch, and your pillow is complete.
Top Tips
- Use scrap fabric: since these are only 5-inch squares (and can be any size!) it's a great way to use up bits and pieces of fabric you may have. They can be made in any shape, too.
- Refresh the pillows: if you find after a while the pillows aren't smelling like roses any more, simply add a few more drops of rose essential oil.
- Don't worry about imperfections: these aren't clothes, and don't need to be perfectly sewn! If you're a beginner, there might be an imperfect seam or crooked edge, and that's totally fine.
How to Use Rose Pillows
Like a lavender pillow, they're great to put in drawers of undies, with bed linens, and so on. You can sew a ribbon into the pillow so that they can hang on the inside of closet doors or on doorknobs.
A rose sachet makes a sweet gift, especially paired with another handmade item like an epsom salt mix, handmade soap, or beeswax candles.
FAQ
Is the scent of rose calming?
Rose, like lavender, is considered to be a calming scent and can be very soothing.
What is scent pillow?
While scent pillows can be artificially scented, they're usually naturally highly-scented ingredients like rose, lavender, or spices, sewn into a small fabric pillow and used to scent drawers or other small spaces.
How long do scented pillows last?
It depends on the scent, but rose pillows will usually last a year or two before the scent starts to fade. You can refresh them with a few more drops of essential oil.
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Rose Scented Pillows
Ingredients
- ¾ cup dried rose petals
- 3 tablespoons dried mint
- 1 tablespoon cloves
- 2-4 drops rose essential oil
- 2 5-inch squares of fabric
- Sewing needle and thread or sewing machine
Instructions
- Mix the rose petals, mint, cloves, and essential oil together in a bowl. Set aside.¾ cup dried rose petals, 3 tablespoons dried mint, 1 tablespoon cloves, 2-4 drops rose essential oil
- Take two squares of fabric. Place the squares right-side toward each other (remember you'll be flipping this inside-out). Sew the edges together with a running stitch, leaving a ¼ inch seam allowance, and leave a 1-inch opening not sewn. You'll need the opening to fill the pillow.Sewing needle and thread, 2 5-inch squares of fabric
- Carefully turn the pouch inside-out with that 1-inch opening. Gently press a chopstick into the corners to get them to crisp up.
- Fill the pillow with half of the rose mixture, making sure to really pack it in.
- Use a ladder stitch to sew up the opening. Repeat for any more pillows.