This project is an excellent project for beginning sewists, requiring only a small bit of fabric and time. These make great presents on their own or pair with a candle, chocolate, and tea for the ultimate relaxation gift.
What you'll need:
- 1/4 yd or 1 FQ of quilting cotton for outside cover
- 1/4 yd or 1 FQ of muslin or other cotton fabric for the pillow insert
- Approximately 1 cup of lavender/rice mixture*
- Coordinating thread
Cut:
Out of quilting cotton
- One 5" x 10" rectangle
- Two 5" x 6.5" rectangles
Out of muslin
- Two 5" x 10" rectangles
Directions:
Seam allowances is 1/4"
Make the pillow insert.
1. With the two muslin pieces RST (right sides together), sew three sides, leaving one short side open. It will be easiest to start on one long side first so you can turn each corner.
2. Clip corners and turn right side out. Press if needed.
3. Turn in the top open edge ~1/4" towards the wrong side. Ensure the folded edges line up.
4. Fill with your lavender/rice mixture. You'll want to fill it about 1/2-3/4 full, but not all the way to the top, otherwise it will not fit into the cover.
5. Topstitch along the top open edge to close the insert. We also like to place a pin through the pillow right above where the filling stops prior to topstitching the piece closed. It'll help prevent any filling from falling out as your sew.
Make the cover.
1. On each of the 5" x 6.5" pieces, hem one 5" side. To do this, fold 1/4" towards the wrong side. Press. Fold another 1/4" towards the wrong side and press again. Topstitch along the open folded edge.
2. Place the 5" x 10" piece right side up. Take one of the 5" x 6.5" and place on top of the larger piece, RST, lining up the raw edges. The hemmed side should be in the center of the larger piece. Repeat for remaining shorter piece on the other side of the larger piece. The hemmed edges should overlap by approximately 1". Pin together.
3. Sew around the entire piece. Clip corners. Turn right side out through the opening where the hemmed edges are overlapped. Press.
Place the pillow insert inside the cover through the opening. Relax and enjoy your new eye pillow!
*Feel free to experiment with different fillings. In place of the rice, try flax seeds, buckwheat or even cherry pits. For the lavender, try chamomile or mint.