Drawer Sachets from Shirt Pockets

Even though I’ve made repurposed drawer sachets once before, I had this spark of an idea and I simply had to share it with you. If you’ve been looking for ideas for DIY gifts for him (Father’s Day, Christmas, etc.) then these drawer sachets are JUST what you’ve been waiting for. In other words, “Shirt Pocket Sachets”.

Wait, what did she just say? SHIRT. POCKET. SACHETS?

I sure did, and it all started out with a quick browse through the clearance men’s clothing section at Goodwill.

I was, no surprise, looking for flannel shirts…because as the temperature rises, flannels are NOT in high demand, so I always re-stock my stash during the hotter months.

And while I found a few flannel shirts, I was struck by the number of plain cotton button down shirts. As I ran my fingers over the faux pearl snaps on a few of them, the idea of repurposing the pockets alone popped into my head.

The fact of the matter is, most men *probably* don’t even know what scented sachets are. And they definitely don’t use them! My husband’s a pretty well-rounded guy, but I’m fairly certain he wouldn’t want his clothes to smell like these pretty little sachets that I previously made.

But if I filled the pockets with woodsy scents like cedar chips and balsam fir needles, maybe they would…

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Upcycling Shirt Pockets for Scented Sachets

First, I gathered a collection of shirts that had breast pockets from the clearance section. And while I have always recommended getting large and XL shirts (more fabric for your buck), I recommend the opposite for this project!

As it turns out, the smaller (younger?) men’s shirts tend to have TWO pockets with snaps. Or, at least, that was what I ran into. And smaller snapped pockets are seriously ideal for these scented sachets.

First, I laundered laundering the shirts (always a good idea when upcycling clothing!). Then, I used fabric scissors to carefully cut out the full pocket along the stitching.

I made extra-sure not to cut through any of the existing seams as I cut out the pockets.

Because I was considering these scented sachets as DIY Father’s Day gifts, I wanted to use masculine scents.

Of course, you could fill the pockets with whatever you’d like! But I used some balsam fir needles (from this Etsy shop) and cedar chips (similar to this).

Worth noting, I ironed the shirt pockets before filling them with scented materials!

Another option would be to mix baking soda with woodsy essential oils like these and scooping the mixture into a pocket.

Once I had filled each pocket with cedar and/or balsam (and sometimes a mix of both!), I pinned them closed (and snapped shut, if they had snaps).

Lastly, I used my beloved sewing machine to run along the top of the pocket (for the snapless pockets) or along the flap of the pocket (for the snapped pockets) to keep it closed!

For added insurance, you could also run along the original pocket stitching, too. And you could easily stitch them closed by hand, as well.

Drawer Sachets from Shirt Pockets

When I had stitched the pocket flap closed, I trimmed the thread tails and took a look at my drawer sachets. Aren’t they fantastic?

How great is that!? These drawer sachets are easy to make and work perfectly for handmade gifts for the him in your life. 

They’re just so perfect for sock and/or underwear drawers. He may not understand WHY sachets are so wonderful, but give it a few days…I think he’ll come around after that!

Looking for more upcycling ideas for DIY Gifts for Dad? These beer coasters made from mini tart pans might be EXACTLY what you need if your guy is a Craft Beer Lover!

AND I’m so excited to announce that my first book is now available! If you love working with flannel or fabric crafts in general (sewing and non-sewing), then you will LOVE “Crafting with Flannel”!

Craft on!

S

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