DIY: Sleeping Eye Mask Without Sewing Machine

Sleep better with your handmade eye mask and wake up fresh every morning. 

WHAT YOU NEED:

• Old cotton shirt
• Old towel or pet's fur as batting
• Rubber bands (4 to 5)
• Safety pin
• Needle and thread

DIY challenge level: 1

This eye mask can be completed without a sewing machine

PREPARATION:

Download the pattern [click]
PDF size is A4, pattern is true to size.
Pattern includes 1cm seam allowance all around unless otherwise stated.

STEPS TO SEW:

1. Cut open your old cotton shirt to have a flat surface
2. Place pattern on shirt, trace and cut 2 pieces out
3. Next, place pattern on the towel and trace the pattern
4. Draw an offset line inside the pattern, 1.5cm from edge and cut the new pattern out. By trimming down this towel piece, it will fit inside the eye mask comfortably. 
5. Create a rubber band chain for the elastic band
6. Set 2 rubber bands next to each other, pull the centre portion of the second rubber band through the first rubber band and overlap back towards itself (2nd) 
7. Pull tightly and make sure the link is secure, repeat the steps until you get your desired length. I used 4 rubber bands and it is about 28cm. 
8. Trim away the folded hem of shirt to cut a rectangular strip for the rubber band insert. 
9. Add 18cm to accommodate the rubber band stretch, if the length of your rubber band (un-stretched) is 28cm. 28cm plus 18cm = 46cm. 
10. Extend 2cm for seam allowance, so the total length is 48cm. Height is 5cm, cut the piece out. 
11. Fold the strip in half, right sides together, pin or clip to secure
12. Using needle and thread, stitch together the long edges of the strip, one end to the other end with seam allowance of 5mm
13. Turn the tube out using a chopstick. Bunch one of the ends, creating a fabric wall for the chopstick to push against 
14. Overlap the tube over the chopstick end and slide all the way until the fabric is completely turned. 
15. Always make sure that the chopstick is pushing through the wall during sliding. 
16. Hook safety pin to rubber band end and slide it through the tube. Tape the end down to make sure it doesn’t slip back in
17. Scrunch and even out the fabric. Place one end of the tube to the side of eye mask piece
18. Tack it down to hold it in place. Sew through the rubber bands several times so that its secure. 
19. Make sure that the tube is not twisted before working on the other end. 
20. Lay the other piece on top, with the right sides together. Pin or clip to secure the edges
21. Sew all around with 1cm seam allowance and make sure to leave an opening on top
22. The elastic tube is sandwiched in the middle so try not to catch it when sewing around the edges. 
23. Turn the eye mask out through the opening. Massage the seams so its all nicely rolled out, you can also iron press the edges 
24. If you’re using the towel piece as the batting, it will be good to tack it down to the side seams of eye mask first. 
25. The stitches do not need to be too tight, its ok for them to be slightly loose. 
26. Turn the eye mask out through the opening and massage the seams, you can also iron press the edges. 
27. Secure the opening with clips and seal the top with the ladder stitch method, also known as invisible stitch
28. Stitch into the inside fold, parallel to the edge. Make a stitch on the other side of the fabric, also parallel to the edge
29. Alternate the stitches and continue across seam. Knot the end of the thread and the eye mask is completed.