Eye Mask

What You Need:

• Fabric scraps: at least two of them in a rectangular shape, about 12” x 5” each
• Scissors or sewing shears
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Needle
• Thread
• 2 pieces of yarn or pretty ribbon, 12” each
• Pillow batting (filling)
• Optional: lavender leaves

What You Do:

1. Help your child find soft fabric in a color or design that she likes.
2.   Have her draw a figure-eight shape on the back of the fabric with a pencil. The shape should be large enough to fit over both of her eyes.
3. Use the sewing shears to carefully cut out the shape. Have her lay it over the other fabric scrap and trace around it, then cut out the second shape.
4. Lay the two pieces of fabrics together, the backs of each piece facing one another. Help her thread a needle – it’s best to use thread that’s the same color as the fabric so that the stitches will blend in. Her knot from the thread should go on the fabric’s back side.
5. Have her stitch around the sides of the eye mask shape, continuing until there’s about a two-inch opening left between the fabric pieces.
6. Have her stuff batting into the opening to fill the mask. She may wish to also place lavender leaves inside the pillow to give it a pleasing fragrance.
7. Have her sew up the final 2 inches of the mask.
8. Have her choose yarn or ribbon to be the side mask holders. She can place the yarn about ½ inch in from one end, on the eye side of the mask. Using more thread, have her sew the yarn to the mask.
9. Repeat step #8 for the other piece of yarn, straight across from the 1st piece.
10. Have her put the mask on and tie the yarn around her head. Cut off some yarn if it’s too long.
11. Now she can use the mask to enjoy a snooze or rest her eyes, or perhaps relax underneath it as part of a spa afternoon!