DIY Eye Mask

Happy New Year!

DIY Eye Mask

Part of being healthy is getting a good night’s sleep. Sometimes, that can be difficult. Make your own (very simple) eye mask to help eliminate unnecessary light that may be keeping you awake. My daughter LOVES her eye mask & wears it nearly every night without fail. Little girls love to have a fun little mask to go with their nightgowns.  As always we have made this project very easy because we are: Modesty Matters – You CAN Sew!

With just a few materials and about 20 minutes, you can have an awesome tool for a great night’s sleep. These can also be tons of fun for sleep-overs, as party favors, last minute gifts, stocking stuffers, or as ministry donations to a local nursing home or shelter. You could even have a “spa” day with your girls!

These eye masks are made using two layers of fabric (for thinner fabrics, you may want to thicken each layer by making it consist of two pieces, so 1 layer = 2 pieces [see photos below]). You can make both sides from the same material, or from different materials. Complementary color schemes would be fun, but so would different textures. I love for one side to be satin and the other side to be flannel or cotton. Ultimately, it’s up to you!

Before finishing, you could insert some lavender or chamomile leaves to make for a more relaxing sleep experience. It is not necessary, but you might enjoy it. =) Alternately, you could use a layer of fleece between the two outer layers for a more fluffy experience. Try some beans for light pressure, or rice for a warm or cool experience depending on your preference. (Be extra careful if you choose to microwave this as a rice eye mask. ALWAYS test it first.)

For this project, you will need:

• A fat quarter (or two, depending on your preference)
  
• Pins
  
• Stretchy Lace or Plain ¼” Elastic
  
• Machine
  
• Thread
  
• Sharp Scissors
  
• Pattern/Template
  

A “Fat Quarter” is purely a quarter of a yard of fabric, cut differently than if you plainly asked for a quarter of a yard of fabric. A fat quarter is essentially a large square of fabric with only one selvage edge, whereas a quarter yard is a long, skinny rectangle from selvage to selvage. So, instead of being cut into strips, a yard of fabric is cut into blocks. (See image below.) Not all fabric stores will cut fat quarters by request and therefore you may need to ask.

Separate pieces of mask fabric into groups of two with wrong sides together.

#1-Stitch pieces of elastic to the sides of one group of fabric with the wrong sides facing each other.

#2-Fold the nose piece in half the long way.  Press with a warm, dry iron (no steam).  PIN. Stitch the raw edges of the nose piece to the nose curve of the same mask group that you just stitched the elastic to.

#3-Layer the other group of fabric in such a way that the elastic and nose piece are concealed or in a sense sandwiched.

#4-Straight stitch (seam allowance= 1/4″) around the layers leaving a 1½” section open.  Cut notches
(cut & remove small triangles pointing in towards the seam) around the curves. This helps the piece turn well without crumpled, awkward edges.

#5-Turn and gently press mask, right-side-out.  Push the edges of the opening (that you left in order to turn the piece right side out) toward the inside and also press.

#6-Top stitch, using about a ⅛” seam allowance from the edge, while being careful not to catch the elastic or the nose piece in the seam.

Done! J

***Click HERE for a PRINTABLE version. 

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