Sanity Space - Project silk eye mask and pillow case

Today's post is a follow on post from "Sleep....zzzz."

http://henibean.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/sleep-zzzz.html

Here I am back in sanity space again! This post is about one of the projects I have completed just recently when I've had a bit of repite time to do what I want in.

In all of my efforts to try to better my sleep I have been using an eye mask, bought for me by a friend for my birthday last year. I have found that it has helped block out light and has definitely made an incremental improvement in the quality of  sleep that I'm getting. I've used it to death though and It's now ready to be thrown away in the rubbish bin. 

Instead of going out and buying a new one I decided I would have a go at making myself a "silk" version instead....together with a silk pillow case. 

But why silk I hear you say? Isn't that a bit excessive and indulgent? 

On my trawl through the information out there on the net I have become sold on the idea that a silk mask (and pillow) is the way to go as it helps not only block out the light...an important factor in getting more sleep...but it has added benefits of reducing sleep induced lines and skin damage that can be caused by cotton. Apparently cotton doesn't "slip" and tugs on the skin, and it also absorbs more moisture out of your skin making it appear more dehydrated. If you use any night creams their effect is also reduced as the cotton wicks the moisture away. 

Unfortunately if you are stressed and not getting enough sleep you tend to use your nutrition up at a pace and nutrients become depleted... this can have a marked effect on skin quality. If you have a lot of longstanding challenges in your life it's an unfortunate fact that you are more likely to age faster than someone under less stress and pressure. Also, as you age there is a natural decline in the collagen and elastin in the skin...(again a process which is sped up when under stress). The idea of a silk pillow case and mask sounds more and more appealing? These are certainly good enough reasons for me!

Silk is also a good temperature regulator and keeps you cool when its warm, and warm when it's cool... an even better selling point for menopausal women! If that is not enough it also helps reduce "bed head" and split ends and keeps hair more manageable and healthy.  

During my research, I found that silk pillow cases can cost anywhere from 30-90 GB pounds... another good reason to have a go myself. I didn't want to make a mess out of my first attempt of it so I thought I would practice on a "look a like faux silk", then, if I like the look of what I accomplished  I'd try with the real thing..... saving a bunch of money.

Here are some of the pictures of the process:

First step was to take the old mask and trace around it ....ensuring I made it bigger everywhere by about 1cm ...allowing for seams. I doubled up the material so that I was able to cut two pieces.

Then I cut a similar shape.... but about 1cm smaller.... out of quilt wadding.

I Pinned one of the pieces together with the wadding ready for sewing.

I placed the two silk "shiny sides" together and pinned again ready for sewing

I then sewed around the outer edge of the wadding..... sewing the two pieces of "silk" together...leaving a gap of about an inch so that I could turn the mask inside out (right way round)

I  trimmed around the edges to neaten and to make it less bulky before turning inside out.

This is the mask the right way round.... stitching the gap up by hand sewing.

After a light iron, I then sewed some tape to the edges....I'm going to use ribbon on the real deal....

tape in place...

Here is the finished mask on Cedrick the bear (who I got as a gift for my very first Christmas!)

 Now for the Pillow!
Material ready for cutting the pillow case. I took the measurements from the old pillow case and added a 1 cm seam allowance.

 

 The cut material pinned and ready to sew..... 
I made a seam on the top ends first and then put the silky sides together and sewed around the edges...leaving the opening of course!

 Here is the finished pillow case on the bed

Like I mentioned before....I'm not an expert sewer but I'm happy to  have a go at a project. Some things turn out OK .....others not so OK. I'm pretty pleased with how the mask and pillow case look so I'm going to be buying some REAL silk soon.

Why not have a go at a project yourself?...it doesn't have to be anything too adventurous.... or if you don't have time right now ...you could always go out and BUY yourself a face mask to help you get some good sleep! 
Let me know on Facebook (Henibean) what you get up to.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Henibean/158755564312371

Whatever you do ... have some fun and make sure you get some respite time.

Jx