How to Make a Flax Seed Eye Mask or Heating Pad with lavender

A homemade flax seed eye mask or heating pad makes a wonderful gift for any occasion. It is easy to make and easy to personalize. You can make it whatever size you wish.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• cotton muslin
• flannel with your choice of print
• flax seeds
• dried lavender (optional)
• needle and thread
• sewing machine

1. Fold a piece of cotton muslin over (so you have two layers) and trace the size of eye mask or heating pad you wish to make. Keep in mind that once you make and fill the eye mask or heating pad, it will be a bit smaller than what you traced. Cut along the three unfolded sides so you don't have to sew one side.
   
   For an eye mask, cut a long, thin rectangular piece of material. For a heating pad, you can make whatever size and shape you like. I prefer long rectangular pieces for draping across sore shoulders or soothing a tired back. Large rectangular pieces are also nice for backs.

2. Sew along the three sides of the material, leaving a small space to fill the heating pad or eye mask. If you wish, you can sew little "pockets" into the material and fill them as you go in order to keep the flax seeds from shifting around so much.

3. Fill the eye mask or heating pad with flax seeds. I like to add a bit of dried lavender as well because it is calming.

4. With a needle and thread, sew the rest of the material closed.

5. Make a cover for the heating pad or eye mask out of flannel. This basically functions like a pillow case, and it looks similar. The soft cover feels nice, plus it can be removed and washed. Make it slightly larger than the eye mask or heating pad and leave one (hemmed) end open. The eye mask or heating pad should fit nicely inside the cover like a pillow in a pillowcase.

6. If you made an eye mask, do not heat or chill it--simply lay it across the eyes and enjoy how soothing it feels.
   
   If you made a heating pad, you can microwave it for 30 seconds to 1 minute. You may also put it in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer for an hour or so if you prefer to apply a cold wrap on your muscles.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are making an eye mask, you don't need to make a cover. Use flannel to make the eye mask and skip the muslin altogether.
• You don't have to use flax seeds to fill heating pads. Wheat berry is also very effective.
• Experiment with different sizes and shapes for heating pads. If someone you know has a frequently sore back, make a custom size and shape for him or her.
• Never apply a heated or chilled eye mask or heating pad to the eyes.
• Use caution with a hot heating pad until you learn how long to heat it.
• Use caution when applying heat directly to skin. Try to keep a layer of clothing between skin and heating pad.