Making an eye pillow (to promote healthful sleep)

Last year about this time, when we were making plans for our wedding, I decided I wanted to make eye pillows for all the girls that helped out during the wedding.  You know, the kind of pillow you put over your eyes when you are tired or have a headache that is supposed to help you relax and feel better.

I came across this instruction guide, which I based my eye pillow on when I made them.   I love to sew, but am not that experienced, and I was able to make some really gorgeous eye pillows!  I made one for every girl in the family, except myself!  By the time I finished making them, I did not want to make another one!  Ever since then, I have been planning on making one for myself “whenever I had time”, which as you know, hardly ever happens!

Finally, I had some time to make it, but I decided to change it up a bit.  In the lavender eye pillows I made, I filled them with a combination of bean, flax seeds, and dried lavender.  I decided to add some different herbs to my pillow to help promote better sleep.  I really don’t have problems sleeping, but I do have problems relaxing at night!

Eye Pillow

Cut 2 pieces of muslin fabric – or another light cotton fabric  – 4 1/2 inches wide and 10 inches long.

Place the 2 pieces of fabric, right sides together and pin in place.  Sew a 1/2 inch seam all the way around the fabric, leaving a 4 inch opening on one of the long sides.  Repeat with a 3/8 inch seam to ensure none of the herbal mixture “leaks” out.

With a pair of scissors, trim the corners off all 4 sides on the pillow.  Turn right side out, pushing out each corner.

Combine the mixture you want to put in your pillow.  About 1 cup will fit in – I used 1/4 cup flax seeds, and a couple tablespoons of the following:  lavender, rose buds, chamomile, mugwort, hop flowers, and cedar tops.  You can use whatever to want to fill up the one cup.

Pour into the pillow.

Pin the opening closed, and stitch an 1/8 inch seam over the opening to close it.

And your pillow is done!  You can leave it like this if you want, but I made a slipcover to go over the pillow.  That way you can remove the slipcover to clean it, and it makes it seem a little more special.

Eye Pillow Slipcover

For the slipcover, you want a washable fabric – either cotton, or a washable silk or satin.  I used a light yellow fabric.

Cut out:  1 front panel (5 inches wide x 10 inches long)

2 back panels (5 inches wide x 6 1/2 inches long)

Take the 2 back panels and place them wrong side up.  On one of them, fold the left side in 1/2 inch and iron it in place, and then turn in another 1/2 inch and iron that.  This will enclose the raw edge.  Do the same thing with the other back panel, on the right hand side.

Sew (topstitch) along the inner edge to hold this in place on both panels.

Now, this is the most confusing part of the whole process.  Place both panels right side up.  Turn them so that the sewed edges are facing each other.  Place the one on the left side UNDERNEATH the one on the right side.  Overlap them by one inch, so the one on the right is on top, and one inch overlapped.

You want to pin this in place, and machine baste (with a large stitch) that one inch overlap on the top and the bottom.  In the picture below, you can see the only thing holding this in place are these machine basted stitches.

Now, the front panel and the back panel are approximately the same size.

Place them right sides together, and pin in place.  Sew a 1/2 inch seam all the way around.

Once the pieces are sewn together, clip all four corners.

Turn inside out.

Ta da!  Now, place the pillow inside the slip cover.

This really is a relatively quick project, and so nice to have when you aren’t feeling well.  The herbs really do make you sleepy.

Add some herbal tea, and hopefully you won’t have any problems falling asleep!

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This is linked to Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways.