Pattern/Technique: Good Vibrations Eye Pillow by Kristine Vejar, from Making: Intricate
Modifications: I found the silk pretty tricky to hand sew (it’s partly why I also sewed fewer lines on the pillowcase), so instead of hemming the open end by hand sewing, I used the rolled hem foot on my sewing machine.
Materials: Good vibrations eye pillow kit (indigo dyed silk crepe de chine, cotton muslin, indigo dyed embroidery floss), rice
Lessons: The silk was pretty tricky to sew through with multiple strands of embroidery floss, so I ended up stitching only a couple rows of running stitch. If I did something similar in the future, I might try using my sashiko thimble to brace the needle on my palm for support.
Remember to account for seam allowances when sewing a design. I sewed a neat “reflection” motif where the running stitch looked like it had bounced off the edge of the pillowcase top piece, but when I sewed the pillowcase together this effect got sewn into the seam allowance.
What I'd do differently: Add less scented oil & don’t add a mint-based oil to an eye pillow. I have a lovely lavender mint oil and decided to add a few drops to the rice to scent the pillow. Unfortunately I accidentally poured in too much (there was a visible oil stain on the muslin pillow insert) and the menthol from the mint made my eyes water when I set it on my eyes!
Care: Hand wash, lay flat to dry