|
|
WEEKLY ARTICLES
a new article every
Monday about Sewing & Fashion
|
|
DIY:
How to Make / Sew a Lavender Eye
Pillow
By Jessica Lynn Harris
Life is stressful. It’s not all stressful, but
sometimes it feels that way. Whether you’re taking on an extra job due
to the lagging economy or pulling coffee-fueled all nighters to write
papers and study for exams, sometimes it’s important to step back and
relax. Not only is work done on little rest usually lower quality, but
your personal life and happiness will suffer if you have little time
to yourself.
Lately, I’ve been feeling overwrought, taking on too many projects
both because it’s difficult for me to say no and because I need the
money. In addition, I’ve had trouble sleeping. So I decided to do
something to help all around: set aside a few hours for a small,
personal project that I find enjoyable and that also would help me
sleep. The solution: Make a lavender eye
pillow.
Lavender (from the Latin lavare, meaning to bath) it is a shrub with
delicate, fragrant flowers. It was used in Roman baths and a favorite
of the Victorians. Its scent is known to have calming and soporific
effects. The natural lavender perfume, coupled with the soft feeling
of satin against the eyes, blocking out the blinking lights of
technology, is a wonderful herbal remedy. The pillow is simple to
make, and thus far, has proven helpful.
To make this
pillow, you will need: one quarter yard of satin fabric, one
quarter yard of quilt batting, elastic, ribbon, and dried lavender.
|
 |
Draw an eye-mask on a piece of paper (preferably tracing)
to fit the shape of your face. The center should be slightly smaller at
the bottom to account for the bridge of your nose. To make sure your mask
is even on both sides, you may want to fold your paper in half and draw
half of it.
Use this pattern to
cut two pieces of satin fabric and one piece of quilt batting.
|
|
 |
Stitch the quilt batting to the ugly side of one piece of satin. |
|
|
Cut out two pieces of
ribbon, each long enough to wrap around one half of your head. Pin one
ribbon on the edge of the satin/quilt batting piece, right sides together.
Stitch. Do the same to the other ribbon on the other side of the
satin/quilt batting piece. |
|
|
Pin the two eye mask
pieces pretty sides together, leaving room for an opening at the top.
Stitch around the outer edge, using the pressure foot as your guide. Be
careful not to stitch over the ribbon.
Turn your eye
pillow right side out through your opening. |
|
|
Cut out a three inch piece of
elastic. Safety-pin the ends of your elastic to each ribbon. Now is
the time for a fitting. The eye-pillow should be tight enough so that
it stays on, even when you move around, but loose enough for comfort.
If necessary, cut the ribbon, not the
elastic, for the right size. With the non-batting side face up
and the ribbons laid out, fold each ribbon edge over 1/4” and stitch.
Pin each ribbon edge over each end of the elastic and stitch. |
|
|
If necessary, pull the dried
flowers off the stem. Fill the eye pillow with the flowers. This does
not need to be overflowing, a little will do the trick.
Hand-stitch the opening at the top of the pillow closed. |
|
|
Now have a good night's
sleep. |
|
| Chic Weekly: on-line Fashion & Sewing Magazine |
| Founder & Publisher: Judi Harris |
| Editor in Chief: Jessica Lynn Harris |
| Art & Photo Editor: Andrew DiMaio |
| Advertising Sales:
lovetosew.com@comcast.net
(610) 563-8633 |
| Contributors: |
| |
| copyright 2010-2011 Love To Sew
Studio |
|
Article 36 February 28, 2011 |
|
