An eye pillow is an ideal way to rejuvenate tired or
irritated eyes, soothe migraines, relieve stress, and remedy insomnia. An eye
pillow is perfect for blocking out light and the gentle weight on the eyes aids
relaxation and reduces tension.
The pillow could not be easier to make. You can make it as plain or as luxurious as
you like. All you need is a small amount of fabric. Satin and velvet are
wonderful for eye pillows or you could even use an old silk tie (pieced
together to make it wide enough) or an old linen pillow case.
Cut two
pieces of fabric 5” by 11”. This will
allow you to sew ½” seams so your finished eye pillow will be 4” by 10”. Simply
place the two pieces of fabric with the right sides together and sew around the
two long sides and one of the short sides. Then turn the fabric so the right
side is out and fill the pillow loosely. Turn in the seam allowance on the
second short end and machine stitch or hand stitch it closed. If you are an experienced sewer you may want
to insert a small zipper along one side in case you would like to wash and
refill your eye pillow.
Fill
for your eye pillow: Flaxseed is a very common filler and is perfect for those that are sensitive to scent. Some
people prefer rice, buckwheat or dried split peas. All of these can be found in
your local grocery store, in bulk at your health food store or online at stores
such as Amazon.com. Experiment with the fill mixture for your eye pillow. Try adding different herbs or
combinations of herbs. A couple of the most popular additions are dried
lavender or chamomile flowers. The lavender and chamomile can be
left whole, but you can also grind it finer using a food processor, mortar and
pestle or spice grinder. (Do not grind
flax seed.) Lavender is known for its
antidepressant qualities and it is good for relieving stress, insomnia and
headaches. Chamomile is relaxing and
calming. Other additives you might want to try are jasmine, dried
rose petals, dried peppermint leaves, spearmint, rosemary, or sage. Dried herbs can
be found in bulk at many grocery and natural foods stores or online.
For your first eye pillow try using 1 cup of
flaxseed or 1 cup of flaxseed plus ¼ to ½ cup of dried lavender. Use a funnel to
insert the filling into the opening at the top of the pillow. Don't overfill
the pillow. You want to use enough filler to keep the pillow draped over your
eyes, but not so much that the weight is annoying.
When your eye pillow is finished you are ready to pamper
yourself! You may want to cool it in the freezer for an hour or two (in a
storage bag to keep it dry) or heat it in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds
for a different experience. Lean back;
relax; and retreat from the pressures of modern life.
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