Free Quilted Sleep Mask Tutorial

Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIYsewing

As the days are getting longer, and lighter, there is no better time to try out a sleep mask to make sure you are still getting a quality night of rest. This quilted sleep mask tutorial is a must make, whether you are going to be catching a flight, camping in the woods, or just blocking out the morning sun in your bed.

This quilted sleep mask with a scrunchie style band is equal parts stylish and comfortable, and bonus, it’s a total stash busting project! What more could you ask for?

Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIYsewing

Today, guest blogger Carly Prentice of Sun Stitched Studio shows us how to make a quick and easy quilted sleep mask.

Carly is the creator behind Sun Stitched Studio. After graduating college in 2016, with her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Printmaking, she taught herself to sew on a whim and just knew it was meant to be.

Carly lives in western Montana with her boyfriend, David, and quilting assistants, Eireann and Athena, the dog and cat. When she isn't stitching into the wee hours of the morning you might find her backpacking into the mountains or tending to her prolific indoor garden.

Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIY

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Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIY

Quilted Sleep Mask Supplies

  • Front Fabric - 8.5” x 5”. I used a soft quilting cotton, but you really could use anything you have in your stash or scrap bin.
  • Backing Fabric - 8.5” x 5”. Think soft fabrics here. Something you want to bury your face into, because that’s what this fabrics job is! I used double gauze, but flannel, soft quilting cotton, cotton lawn, or even satin would all make excellent choices.
  • Batting - 8.5” x 5”. This is the perfect time to use up some of those batting offcuts. I picked through mine and chose a wool batting, as it seemed to have the best light blocking potential, but any batting will do!
  • Scrunchie Band Fabric - 26” x 3” of fabric of your choice (I chose to make mine match the binding).
  • Bias Binding - 24” of 2.25” wide single fold bias binding.
  • Elastic - Enough to fit comfortably around the back of your head, from temple to temple. I found that 13” was perfect for me.
  • Sleep mask template (click to download)
  • Basting spray or pins
  • Cutting mat
  • Quilting ruler
  • Hera marker or water soluble pen
  • Rotary cutter or scissors
  • Straight pins or binding clips
  • Thread
  • For my quilted sleep masks I used fabrics from the Celestial collection by Yelena Bryksenkova for Figo Fabrics. The binding and band fabric on the sleep mask pictured in this tutorial is from the Golden Hour collection by Alexia Marcelle Abegg for Ruby Star Society.
Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIY

Step 1: Print the Quilted Sleep Mask Template

Print off the quilted sleep mask template linked under supplies above, making sure you are printing at 100% scale. Double check that the 1” square is to scale after printing, and then carefully cut out the template.

Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIY

Step 2: Baste and Quilt the Mask

First things first, we need to baste our front fabric to our batting. Lay your 8.5” x 5” rectangle of front fabric on to your batting, wrong side towards the batting, and baste as desired. For small projects like this, I love to use spray glue to baste. But pins work just as well.

I prefer to not quilt the backing on my sleep masks so that my eyes can enjoy as much uninterrupted super soft fabric as possible. So that is why we are not working with a full quilt sandwich here.

Quilt the front fabric and batting sandwich as desired. Pro tip: use a Hera marker to mark your quilt lines before taking it to the sewing machine to get a super crisp look.

Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIY

Step 3: Cut Out Mask Shape Using Template

Layer your quilted front and batting on top of your backing fabric with the wrong sides together. Pin at the edges to prevent shifting. Place your quilted sleep mask template on top of your quilt sandwich and either weigh down or pin in place.

Use a rotary cutter or scissors to cut the shape of your template out of all three layers. Next, use your water soluble pen or hera marker to transfer the two markings on the sides of your quilted sleep mask template onto the right side of your backing fabric. These will be used as guides for where to attach the elastic band later on.

Step 4: Sew Quilted Mask Piece to Backing Fabric

Pin the quilted front and batting portion of your sleep mask to the backing fabric with the wrong sides together. Sew ⅛” from the edge around the entire mask to hold everything together. If you’re brave and confident in your binding skills you can skip this step. But if you are using stretchy or slippery fabrics I highly recommend sewing this basting stitch.

Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIYsewing

Step 5: Sew The Scrunchie Band Tube

Take that 26” x 3” rectangle of fabric for your scrunchie style band and fold it right sides together (RST) lengthwise. Sew along the entire long edge, with a ¼” seam allowance, to create a tube. 

Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIYsewing
Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIY

Step 6: Turn Your Tube

Time to turn that tube right side out! Attach a safety pin to the edge of one side of the inside out scrunchie tube. Slowly begin feeding the safety pin inside of the tube, bringing the attached edge along with the pin. Work the pin through the tube until you reach the other end, and then shimmy the tube down and around itself until it is right side out. 

Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIYsewing

Step 7: Feed Elastic Through Scrunchie Tube

Now that you have the casing for your scrunchie band right side out, we need to elasticate it! I like to do this by attaching a safety pin to each end of my elastic, and then attaching one of those safety pins to one end of my tube. The second safety pin serves as an anchor, and prevents you from losing the end of your elastic into the tube. Feed your unattached safety pin and elastic end through the tube.

Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIYsewing
Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIYsewing

Step 8: Attach Scrunchie Band to Mask

Remember those marks we put on the backing fabric way back in step 3? Now is their time to shine. Take one edge of your elasticated scrunchie tube and pin it to the edge of your sleep mask. Center the elastic within the tube, and put the center of both the tube and elastic directly on that mark you transferred from the template. Repeat with the other side of your band and sleep mask, taking care to make sure the elastic is not twisted in the middle. 

Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIYsewing

Stitch both ends of your elastic scrunchie band to the edges of your sleep mask with a ⅛” seam allowance. Make sure you sew through both the tube and the elastic.

Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIYsewing
Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIYsewing

Step 9: Bind and Finish the Quilted Sleep Mask

You’re almost done, which means it is time to bind! I love binding. To me it signals that I have reached the final stages of a project. And for that reason it has become one of my favorite steps of any quilted project I make.

Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIYsewing

Since our quilted sleep masks have so many curves we are going to be using bias binding. Bias binding is a lot like regular ol’ straight grain binding, but it has one magical quality...it’s stretchy! This makes binding around curves so much easier. And if you aren’t familiar with bias binding, here is a wonderful tutorial for you to check out so you can get the whole scoop.

Attach the binding with pins to the front of your sleep mask, leaving a few inches before each end to give yourself room to join the ends together. Be mindful of where your binding is going to join to itself on your mask. While it will be easiest to join the two ends together along the top, straight edge of the mask, the junction may be more visible there. So I chose to join the two ends of my binding right next to the elastic band. But this is totally up to you! You’re the maker—you’re in charge.

Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIYsewing

Sew along the edges of your binding and mask with a ¼” seam allowance, and join the two ends together. Be mindful of the placement of your scrunchie band while you are binding, making sure you are only sewing over the two intended edges.

Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIYsewing

Fold your binding over to the opposite side and pin or clip into place. Finish your binding with your preferred method, and voila! Your mask is done! Now go enjoy beautiful, dark, peaceful sleep wherever you are! Or make another as a gift for someone deserving of some quality rest.

Did you enjoy this quilted sleep mask tutorial? Let us know in the comments! And tell us where you'll be using your quilted sleep mask! Are you taking yours for a poolside nap or a relaxing sway in a hammock, or using it for an early night's sleep or to sleep in on the weekends? You'll be napping in style! 

Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIYsewing
Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIYsewing
Use your scrap fabric to make this free quilted sleep mask! Step by step instructions for a beginner-friendly tutorial. | suzyquilts.com #sewingtutorial #DIY

18 thoughts on “Free Quilted Sleep Mask Tutorial

  1. Danielle M. says:

    I needed a quick, fun project this afternoon. These were perfect! Made two of them in no time and now I’m ready for weekend naps!

    • Laura Hopper says:

      Hi Erika! You don’t have to pre-wash fat quarters, so feel free to wash the mask when finished! I like to wash all of my handmade items in the delicate cycle just to be extra cautious.

    • Beth says:

      I’ve made these with 1/4″ because I had a roll left from making face masks, but I think 3/8 or 1/2 inch would also work. For me, it’s really personal preference and stash busting come together to use what’s on hand. Wider might not be comfortable.

  2. Helen says:

    Loved the detail and followed along great as a happy beginner until I hit “Finish your binding with your preferred method, and voila!” when it got significantly dicier. Would be helpful to have links to waaaay slowed-down whipstitch instructions, thanks!

    • Babs says:

      If you click on the word elastic above it takes you to Amazon for purchasing. She used non-roll 3/8 inch elastic.

  3. Beth says:

    I’ve made several of these and tucked them into going off to college and other gift baskets. For those asking about elastic, I would use a medium narrow width 1/4 to 1/2 inch. I made mine with what I had on hand from mask making and other projects — I think 3/8, but it might have been 1/4″. It will be covered with the scrunchie band and isn’t going to get heavy wear. I had never used a sleep mask before, but made myself one too. When the sun is up early and you don’t want to be, it helps.

    • Beth says:

      Use a soft cotton (quilting cotton, t-shirt knit, gauze or double gauze), or even a handkerchief weight linen and don’t make it so long that it is super scrunched. My strap fabric was a scrap and a little short — works fine. Curly girls might prefer that, and I think it would be better than raw elastic, though that is always an option (foldover tends to be softer).

  4. Beth says:

    This project is a great way to use scraps and remnants — even make one to match a quilt you are gifting. I’ve added them to a college and teacher gift baskets. I custom printed some fabric and made some personalized ones and the quilting is quick and fun. You could also add embroidery. Small projects are a fun way to experiment.

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