Vintage Eye Mask Tutorial

If you, like me, are married or living with an insomniac (who likes to read) this is an essential item in the bedroom. Or for you travelling folk, those riddled in excess sunshine or as a gift!

For years I have been saving and using ones from long haul flights but it has been a while since I’ve been on one of those and my masks are on their last legs (see the worn out elastic below)!

For this project I selected some fabric from the vintage sheet swap as the fabric is nice and soft and I love the prints! I had an idea to do one with crazy eyes embroidered in the exterior for added freak factor but I might keep those for my next project!

To make the pattern I traced the old eye mask added some height and width (tapering it as the nose as pictured below) and then added a seam allowance.

Below is the pattern piece - I have put a scale on there if you want to save the picture and zoom till you get the right size! Or if you have a mask you can trace and draft your own pattern!

MATERIALS

Fabric (you will only need a small amount!)

Wadding

Elastic

CUT

Cut out 2 pieces of fabric with the pattern pictured – or style your own – add some cat ears or a crown! 

Cut out 1 piece of wadding. I cut mine rough and just a bit larger than the fabric bits as this can be trimmed later!

Cut out 2 lengths of ¼ inch elastic 16 inches long (check this against your head and adjust as needed)

 I made two masks at the same time to boost my stock!

STEP 1

Pin the elastic in place (as noted by the x's on the pattern) - test it on your head (watching out for the pins) and adjust if it is too loose or tight.

STEP 2 

Baste elastic in place 1/4 inch from the edge of one fabric piece - going backwards and forwards a bit to secure the elastic!

STEP 3

Make an eye mask sandwich - first layer wadding, second layer fabric right side up (without elastic), third layer fabric with elastic right side down. Ensure that all the elastic is tucked in and not in danger of being sewn (you can pin it down if you need to!) 

Match up all the layers of the sandwich and pin around the edge - leaving a gap at the top to turn the mask through.

STEP 4

Stitch around the eye mask leaving a gap for the opening at the top. Sew backwards and forwards a few times over the elastic to secure it.

Trim the seam allowance to 1/4 inch (with the exception of the opening) and clip the curves.

STEP 5

Turn the eye mask the right side out through the opening and pin closed. You can choose to either hand stitch the opening closed at this point or top stitch the whole mask.

I chose to top stitch my masks!

And then you're DONE!

A perfect little project for you or a gift for a loved one!

STEP 6 - Optional

PHOTOSHOOT