DIY Eye Mask

Are you planning a trip with a baby that only sleeps in the dark? This DIY sleep mask pattern is exactly what you need to keep your child asleep on a plane or in the car, follow along to make your own.

Some people have miracle babies that will fall asleep anywhere and everywhere. I do not have one of those babies. In my experience most babies have very specific conditions that they need to fall asleep. What affects your baby? Fullness? Sound? Light? My baby girl is a great sleeper, but she will not fall asleep if there is anything, even remotely interesting to look at insert my DIY eye mask here.

She would rather stay awake, crying and looking around than go to sleep. Thinking about trying to get her to sleep on a 10 hour flight without any way of turning out the lights began to make me feel anxious. I can’t even feed her to sleep because as soon as she moves she opens her eyes. Every. Single. Time. And she will not go back to sleep. That’s why I developed my miracle.

I wanted to make myself an eye mask for the airplane, and I thought, why not make Ellie one? Could this finally be a way to “shut off the lights” when we are out and about?

You can start making the Mom & Baby Eye Masks by downloading this template below:

Eye Mask Template

 Materials:
Two fabrics  – one for the outside and one for the inside
(I used terry cloth and a dark cotton)
Elastic hairband
Matching thread
Sewing machine
Needle

A. Using the eye mask templates, cut-out the eye mask pattern on both types of fabric. I used terry cloth, because I thought it would be nice on the face. It was comfortable, but in the future I may chose a silk or fleece fabric instead. I also used the purple cotton because it was dark and the light wouldn’t come through. You could use lighter coloured fabrics and put quilting batting or felt in the centre layer to block light instead.Then cut the hair elastic, making sure that it is long enough to go around the head, but not too loose or the mask won’t stay on. Its best to actually measure it on your head and your baby’s head.

B. Pin the elastic pieces to the inside of the top fabric, on the right side (i.e. pin it to the fabric that will be the front of the eye mask). Line up the elastic with the outer edge of the cotton, and make sure your pins are approx, 1 ” away from the edge (to be far away from the sewing machine. Make sure the extra elastic is inside the centre of the mask for sewing.

C. Repeat previous steps with the other mask.

D. Place the back fabrics on top, with the good side (the right side) down. Terry cloth is the same on both sides so it doesn’t matter :) Line it up and pin it in place.

E. Use your sewing machine to stitch around the outer edge, leaving a 1/2″ seam allowance. Leave a two inch opening so that you can pull the fabric right-side out afterwards.

F. Pull the sewed fabric inside-out, and hand-stitch the mask closed. Done and done!

The mask worked even better than I could’ve imagined! She fell asleep and STAYED asleep while wearing it on the airplane. When she stirred, she still thought it was dark, so she went back to sleep. It was a miracle.

 I made this with the intention of using it on the airplane only, but it could be used anytime your child is sleeping with you and being closely supervised (i.e. it could be dangerous to leave them alone with one on).