What fabric is best for a homemade sleep mask?

Silk or satin for a smooth feel on the face, or cotton for easy sewing and washing. A satin lining against the face with a cotton or silk outer is a good mix. Pad it with thin batting, felt or cotton flannel.

How do I make a sleep mask block out light?

Use a dark cotton flannel as the padding layer. It adds a little softness and blocks more light than a light-colored padding.

What size sleep mask should I make?

Measure around the head over the eyes: Child fits a 20 inch head (mask 7½ x 3½ in), Adult a 22 inch head (8½ x 3¾ in) and Adult Large a 23½ inch head (9¼ x 4 in).

How long does it take to sew a sleep mask?

About 30 minutes. It is a beginner pattern with six steps: cut, make the strap, layer, sew, turn and topstitch.

What elastic do I use for a sleep mask strap?

⅜ inch soft elastic, threaded through a turned fabric strap so it gathers evenly and does not rub.

How to Sew a Sleep Mask (Silk, Satin or Cotton) in 30 Minutes

Q: Can I make a sleep mask from one fat quarter?

Yes, for the outer, the lining and the Child strap. The Adult straps are longer than a fat quarter, so you cut two strips and join them with a ¼ inch seam.

To sew a sleep mask, cut three mask shapes on the fold: an outer, a lining and a layer of padding. Make a fabric strap with soft elastic inside, sandwich its ends between the outer and the lining, then stitch all round, leaving a small gap. Turn it, press it and topstitch the edge to close the gap. The Sewzy Sleep Mask comes in Child, Adult and Adult Large, sized by head measurement, and takes about 30 minutes.

TL;DR

Sizes: Child (head 20 in), Adult (head 22 in) and Adult Large (head 23½ in).
Fabric: one fat quarter of silk, satin or cotton for the outer and lining.
Padding: a scrap of batting, felt or cotton flannel. Dark flannel blocks more light.
Strap: a turned fabric tube with ⅜ inch soft elastic inside.
Time: about 30 minutes, beginner level.

The sleep mask this Sewzy pattern makes, view 2 — The Sleep Mask from the Sewzy pattern. Photos are renders of the finished item, made from the pattern's shapes.

The sleep mask this Sewzy pattern makes, view 3 — The Sleep Mask from the Sewzy pattern. Photos are renders of the finished item, made from the pattern's shapes.

Sleep mask sizes

Measure around the head, over the eyes and just above the ears, where the strap will sit. Then pick the closest size.

Size	Head	Finished mask
Child	20 in	7½ x 3½ in
Adult	22 in	8½ x 3¾ in
Adult Large	23½ in	9¼ x 4 in

The ¼ inch seam allowance is included. The strap and elastic lengths for each size are in the pattern.

What fabric is best for a sleep mask?

Silk and satin feel smooth on the face and are kind to hair and skin, which is why they are popular for sleep masks. Cotton is easier to sew and to wash. A good mix is a cotton or silk outer with a satin lining against the face. One fat quarter is enough for the outer, the lining and the Child strap. The Adult straps are longer than a fat quarter, so you cut two strips and join them with a ¼ inch seam.

Layer	Good choices	Tip
Outer	Silk, satin, cotton, cotton lawn	A print or a Christmas fabric makes it gift-ready
Lining (against the face)	Satin, silk or soft cotton	Satin is smooth on skin and hair
Padding	Thin batting, felt or cotton flannel	Dark flannel blocks the most light

What you need

A fat quarter of outer and lining fabric, and a padding scrap.
⅜ inch soft elastic.
A safety pin or tube turner for the strap.
Optional: lace or piping for the edge.

How to sew a sleep mask, step by step

These are the six steps of the Sleep Mask pattern in short. If you have not printed a PDF pattern before, read how to print PDF sewing patterns first.

Cut. Cut 3 mask pieces on the fold: the outer, the lining and the padding. Cut the strap strip and the elastic to the lengths for your size.
Make the strap. Fold the strap strip in half lengthwise, right sides together, and stitch ¼ inch from the edge. Turn it right side out with a safety pin or tube turner. Thread the elastic through, pin it at both ends so the strap gathers evenly, and baste the ends.
Layer. Lay the outer right side up. Pin the strap ends at the strap marks, raw ends level with the edge, and bunch the rest of the strap in the center of the mask, well away from the seam line. Put the lining on top, right side down, then the padding. Pin well, because silk slips.
Sew. Stitch all round with a ¼ inch seam, leaving a 2 inch gap along the top edge. Stitch back and forth over each strap end twice. Trim the padding close to the stitching and clip the curves and the nose dip.
Turn. Turn the mask right side out through the gap and ease the strap out. Press gently, on low heat for satin, and tuck in the gap edges.
Topstitch. Topstitch ⅛ inch from the edge all round, which closes the gap. For extra detail, add a second line ½ inch in, or a lace edge.

Tips for slippery fabric

Pin or clip often. Silk and satin shift as you sew.
Use a fine, sharp needle and a slightly shorter stitch on silk, so it does not pull or pucker.
Press on low heat, with a press cloth for satin.
Clip the curves well, so the mask turns smooth with no bumps at the nose dip.

Make it personal

Embroider closed eyes and lashes on the outer before you sew, with a few backstitches and straight stitches; see embroidery stitches for beginners. Or stitch initials in the corner using how to embroider letters and names.

A cozy gift set

A sleep mask is one of the quickest gifts you can sew, and it fits in a stocking. Pair it with an Eye Pillow and a Scrunchie in matching fabric for a spa night set; the steps for the pillow are in how to sew an eye pillow. More ideas are in cozy self-care gifts to sew and stocking stuffers to sew. The Sleep Mask is a Premium pattern in the Sewzy app, with printable pieces for all three sizes and a photo for each step.