Testing out the new zero waste eyemask
Following last week’s eye mask quest post, I’ve sewn a proper sample to trial. Actually, I sewed two (and was going to make a joke about a double-blind trial, reducing bias, but it all sounded funnier in my head).
The reason I sewed two was to try out the suggestions in last week’s comments for making the eyes slightly domed – read more below for this.
For fabric, I used some flannelette with one layer of cotton batting
So here are the findings…
Did the nose triangle block out more light?
Yes. Still not 100% but most masks don’t. Still superior to the one I’ve been using.
I declare the nose triangle a success.
Did it work extending the sides?
Yes. The idea was to extend the sides of the mask past the ears, so that there’s no elastic/mask junction to dig into one’s temples when one lies on one’s side.
The mask therefore uses less elastic, but you can see I fell down a bit with the attachment point – it’s a little messy because the elastic was wider. But it still works.
Is it comfortable?
This is where the idea of making two masks comes in. I made one mask flat, and for the other I snipped-and-lapped the batting to make a slightly domed shape, then moulded the flannelette around it (it was very pliable). I steamed it with the iron over the pointy part of my tailors ham.
You can see in the photo below, the lower one has slightly cupped eyes. I think I could definitely make them more cupped and there’s room for experimentation.
I got family members to try them on and tell me which was better. Older teen, who’s been wanting an eye mask, tried both on and said she preferred the cupped one as it stood a bit out from her eyes. So I think cupped could be the way to go. Personally I don’t mind the flat one, as I like to lie on my side and my eye is smooshed into the pillow anyway (and as it happens, that’s the eye mask I’m left with).
Fabric-wise, I think flannelette was an okay choice. The batting was okay too.
Wanna make one? Come back next week!
And, they are inverted Poirot moustaches, for when the mood takes you!
Pleased to hear that the tweaks have been a success. And I see red stitching still brings joy.
They are a bit – very big ones! The younger household members have demonstrated how they could be worn as sun visors, with the eye parts flipped up.
Great idea both styles
Many thanks Llewena 🙂
I can recommend the Kathleen Fasanella mask tie/elastic from her Fashion Incubator post of April 13, 2020: “4 Mask Sewing Tutorials.” There’s a diagram on the first bit of the post, “Single Tie: more comfortable, easier and faster to adjust fit, reduction of 40% in materials, requires 50% less time.”
I sewed many a COVID-19 cloth mask using the technique — though I just turned back the sides of each mask to create a channel, instead of inserting loops for the ties. Eventually I was able to access some thin elastic, which was even easier to wear than were the cloth ties.
That method of attaching elastic might eliminate the need to extend the sides of your mask quite so far back over the ears. Just a passing thought, from a fan of your work.
That is very neat; thank you for the recommendation. The link is here in case anyone reading this wants to look it up. The videos show some great techniques.
I will stick with elastic for the eye mask, as unlike a mouth mask the sides and back of the eye mask need to be flat to rest comfortably on a pillow.
Many thanks Lynn.
I love seeing your progress on this and am glad you’ve found some comfort from the doming. I want to incorporate a nose triangle into my next mask. Another variation I like for general comfort and side sleeping in particular is looping the mask over the ear rather than around the head. Funny, because I prefer a safety/health mask over the head. It seems like I can always feel the headband around the back of my head when I’m trying to sleep.
Thanks for following along, Heather. From what I read (I looked up many reviews of RTW masks while I was doing mine), back sleepers, side sleepers and upright sleepers all prefer slightly different details for comfort on their masks, and it’s the little things that make the difference.
Brace yourself: I’m about to unleash my mask pattern on the world tomorrow or the next day.