DIY Essential Oil Car Diffuser Craft Kit Instructions

This DIY post is specifically for a purchased craft kit that you can find on my Etsy shop HERE.

Side Note: The clothespins in this tutorial are light pink, because while creating these that is all that I had; however, your craft kit will have a designated color scheme with a clothespin to match that design.

Step One: Order Your Craft Kit and Gather Supplies

This Essential Oil Car Diffuser Craft Kit is sold on my Etsy Shop HERE.

Your Craft Kit will Include:

• Five Feet of Embroidery Thread
• Three Wool Balls
• One Mini Clothes Pin
• One Needle Threader
• One Embroidery Needle

Additionally, you will need a Pair of Scissors and Essential Oils of Your Choice.

**Essential Oils are not included.**

Below are pictures of the color options listed on this craft kit. The color listed for your choosing is named by the color of the embroidery thread and will come with the wool balls and clothespin that coordinates with the thread in each picture, as shown below.

*Side Note (Again): The clothespins in this tutorial are light pink, because while creating these that is all that I had; however, your craft kit will have a designated color scheme with a clothespin to match that design.

*Even though the thread we are using is called “embroidery thread” I will be using the term “string” as I go through the directions, because trying to say things like: ‘to thread your needle, take one side of the thread through the needle threader and then thread your threaded threader through the needle‘ sounds odd. Oh gosh, I think I am losing my mind in this quarantine. Anyways…

“String” = Embroidery Thread

Step Two: Thread Your Needle

Loop the string through the needle threader; then insert the needle threader, with the string attached, through the eye of the needle as shown.

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Leave the string on the needle and set aside the needle threader for now.

Step Three: Attach the String to the Clothes Pin

Once you have the needle threaded, insert the needle through the spring of your mini clothes pin, as shown.

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Step Four: Cut the String Needed for Attaching the Wool Balls

I recommend cutting about 8-9 inches, but let me explain why…

We are going to “double” our string as we pierce through the wool balls, in the next few steps.

8 to 9 inches is about the length of string measured by doubling the combined length of your clothes pin and wool balls (plus a bit of extra string that will be NEEDED for step eight) as shown. When you have the amount of string you need, go ahead and make your cut.

You can use my recommendation of 8 inches, or you can measure what you think is needed based on the explanation above.

Step Five: “Double” Thread Your Needle

Once your string is cut to length, you will have two ends of string.

Take your newly cut end of string and insert it into the needle threader. While keeping your original string inside of the needle, place the needle threader through the eye of the needle going in the opposite direction of the string that is already threaded, as shown below.

Why do I do this? Having two sides of string going through the eye of the needle in opposite directions creates a strong hold between the string and needle as we push the string through the wool balls, lessening the likelihood that the string will unthread from the needle as we craft.

Additionally, doubling your string creates a strong base for your wool balls to hold onto as two pieces of string piercing through the wool balls is stronger than one piece of string.

AND you will need two end of string at the bottom of the wool balls in order to attach the tassel to your diffuser in step eight.

When you are finished with this step you will have two sides of string through the eye of the needle facing in opposite directions, as seen above.

Step Six: Attach the Wool Balls to the String

Now that we have our string “double threaded” on the needle, it is time to add the wool balls. To do this, simply pierce the balls with the needle; then push and wiggle them onto the string towards the clothespin.

After all of the wool balls are strung, remove the string from the needle. Next, tie a knot at the end of the string to keep the wool balls in place.

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Keep in mind that you can manipulate the string to allow a bit of space in between the balls if you would like, or you could keep the balls tightly snug against one another, the choice is all yours.

You will have some string left over hanging from your knot. This extra bit of string is important and needed for step eight, so resist any urge you may have to cut it off.

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Once you have a knot tied, you can then place this section of the craft off to the side as you complete the next step below.

Step Seven: Creating a Tassel Fringe

To create the tassel fringe, take the string and wrap it around two of your fingers. *This will determine the length of the tassel.

Continue wrapping the string around your fingers until you have the desired thickness of your tassel. Keep in mind that we do need a bit of thread left over to use in the last steps of this project, see step nine for details.

Once you have your desired thickness, remove the string from your fingers and cut it in half, as shown below.

Now you have what looks like a pile of short strings.

Step Eight: Join the Tassel Fringe to the Diffuser

First, take the diffuser portion of the craft and split the extra string at the end of the wool balls wide open, as shown below.

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Next, lay your tassel fringe (cut pile of short strings) into the middle of the split string, as shown below. After aligning the middle of the tassel fringe into the split string, take the two pieces of the split string and create a knot around the tassel fringe to secure it in place.

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Step Nine: Finish the Tassel by Creating a Tassel Ruff

**Side note: I would save a longer piece of ‘extra string’ than what you see here. My mother was the hand model for this project and used a teeny tiny piece, because she cut it too short and then ‘didn’t want to waist it’ but it was difficult for her or I to make a knot on such a short string. Anyways, back to the tutorial…

To create the tassel ruff you will first need to fold and gather all of the tassel fringe neatly into the shape of a tassel. Next, grab the bit of extra string that you saved from earlier and and lay it under the neat tassel fringe, as shown below. This ‘extra string’ is the ruff.

After you have the ruff in place, go ahead and tie it around the tassel fringe to secure it in place.

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I always think of a tassel as a ghost: the tassel fringe is the body, the tassel ruff is its neck, and where you tie the ruff is going to dictate the size of the ghost’s head above. Once you have secured the ruff in place, you will have leftover strings that look like little ghost arms. Even though we love our ghost, these arms are not needed and can be cut off.

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Step Ten: Trim the Tassel Fringe and Admire Your Work

Now that the tassel has been created, it may need to be trimmed at the bottom of the fringe to create a clean finish. To trim the tassel, simply gather the fringe of the tassel into your fingers and hold it together as you cut any uneven strings off of the tassel.

These look awesome!

The purple one is what my mama created and I did the yellow one. They look so cool!

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Side Note (Again): The clothespins in this tutorial are light pink, because while creating these that is all that I had; however, your craft kit will have a designated color scheme with a clothespin to match that design.

Final Steps: Add Your Essential Oil and then Place the Diffuser in Your Car

Apply the essential oil by allowing the oil to drip onto the wool balls. A few drops go a long way. You can also mix scents by applying different essential oils onto each of the colored wool balls.

I do not have a lot of knowledge about essential oils, and cannot provide a good recommendation on what to purchase. HERE is the link to the essential oil that I like and am using in this step.

The only thing left to do is to hang this in your car. To do so, simply open the clothespin so that it can clip onto your car vent. When the vent is in use the air will circulate the scent throughout your car. The clothespin can clip onto vertical and horizontal vents.

To refresh the scent add more drops of essential oil to the wool balls.

This essential oil diffuser can be used for things beyond just your car:

Hang it anywhere in your home to smell the subtle scent of the essential oil.

Attach it to a blade guard on a fan; such as a tabletop fan, pedestal fan, window fan, etc. to circulate the scent throughout your room

I hope you enjoy this craft kit! Purchase one for yourself and add second one (at a reduced price) to give to a loved one. Every time they see their fun car diffuser, they will think of you and be reminded of how much they are loved.

Thank you for reading!