DIY Eye Mask

This eye mask is actually up-cycled from an old eye mask that I got from Justice in the sixth grade. The old one was hot pink with hearts and puppies all over it, so I decided it was time for an eye mask makeover that maybe looked a bit more mature. I’ve been wanting an eye mask for when I sleep on airplanes or car rides because I tend to fall asleep with my eyes open and wake up to my friends laughing and taking snapchats of me. Also, an eye mask is much more comfortable than sleeping with sunglasses to block the sun (or hide your open eyes).

Before I get started, my pajamas are Lauren Ralph Lauren and you can find a similar set here.

 

Begin by cutting a piece of fabric that is 19 1/2 inches by 2 inches depending on the width of your elastic and the size of your head. This is going to make the strap that wraps around your head to keep the eye mask on.

To find out the length of elastic you need, take the elastic and wrap it behind your head from temple to temple and stretch it to you preferred tightness. Don’t measure your head to find the length of elastic you need because it will be too loose.

Fold the piece of fabric in half hot dog style and pin.

Sew down the edge of the folded and pinned fabric. Make sure there is enough room to insert a piece of elastic. Each stitch should be tight to last through you turning it inside out.

This is probably the most time-consuming step and it definitely requires some patience. I’ve discovered that it helps if you use something like a colored pencil or a crochet hook to turn it inside out. I used white because it won’t mark up my fabric.

Next, attach a safety-pin to one end of the elastic and wiggle it through the fabric to the other end.

Pin the elastic to the fabric on each end so it doesn’t slip inside.

Pin the eye mask form to a folded piece of fabric and cut. You can make this form out of foam or felt from a craft store. The pattern for the form can be found here or you can google to find your own pattern shape that fits you.

The embroidered initials are completely optional and so is the iron-on interfacing. I added interfacing only because the fabric was too thin to get embroidered.

Anyways, take the eye mask form and set it aside. Turn your fabric so that what will be shown when you’re done is on the inside. Pin the ends of the strap to the inside of each end of the eye mask fabric. Next, pin around the perimeter of the eye mask fabric.

Sew the eye mask fabric pieces together, but leave about a 3 inch spot unsewn so you have an opening to turn it inside out and insert your eye mask form. Make sure you keep the part of the strap that’s not pinned away from the needle.

Turn the fabric inside out and insert your eye mask form. You may want to press or iron your fabric before you do this so it is flat and large enough for you to insert the form. Each end of the strap should be sewn tightly.

Pin and hand sew the open hole that was used to be able to insert the form.

And voila! You should have a perfectly pressed and sewn eye mask that will block out the sun or hide your eyes from people seeing that you sleep with your eyes open (lol). Happy sewing (and sleeping!)