Super-cute and Easy Sloth Sleep Mask | Free Sewing Tutorial
Sew your own super-cute sloth sleep mask with this fun sewing tutorial and free pattern.
I never really understood sleep masks. I found them annoying to wear, reminding me of restless sleep on long-haul flights, waking up with dry eyes.
After having kids, my husband and my sleep routines got out of whack. He’d stay up later whilst I tried to get as much sleep as I could before the inevitable night wakings (the joy of having two kids under two).
So I pulled out an old airline sleep mask. Somewhere along the way, it became a habit and putting on the sleep mask became a trigger for falling asleep.
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When the elastic went on my old mask, I had to sew a cuter sleep mask. And what better than a sleepy sloth!
The cuddle fleece I used was from the outer bag that my son’s cuddle fleece sheets came in (I love finding “free” fabric supplies around the house!), and I used scrap flannel for the backing fabric, as it’s lovely and soft against my face.
Foldover elastic works well for the strap, as it’s nice and soft and stretchy (and comes in a great range of colours). Feel free to use whatever elastic you have on hand!
Here’s how to sew a sloth sleep mask, with free sewing pattern templates:
How to sew a sloth sleep mask
Supplies
The first thing you’ll need is the free sloth sleep mask template. You can get your free copy here:
Want an ad-free printable PDF version of the Sloth Sleep Mask sewing pattern, including step-by-step photos? Head to the Threadistry store to purchase a copy at a low price.
- Cuddle Fleece fabric
- Flannel fabric
- White felt
- Brown felt
- Scrap of black felt
- Heat’n’Bond Lite or fusible web
- 12 inch (31cm) piece of 5/8″ wide soft elastic (eg foldover elastic)
- Black embroidery floss/thread
- General sewing supplies (sewing machine, coordinating thread, scissors, pins etc)
Instructions
Watch the video or scroll down for the photo tutorial:
1. Cut out all the pattern pieces. Attach Heat’n’Bond Lite to the wrong side of the white face piece, 2x brown eye pieces and black nose piece.
2. Press white face piece in position on the main front piece.
3. Sew around the outer edge of the face piece. I used a straight stitch – you could use a zigzag or satin stitch if you prefer.
4. Press the brown eye pieces and black nose piece onto the main front piece, as shown on the template.
5. Sew around the outer edge of the eye pieces and nose.
6. Mark the eyes with a fabric marker or chalk pen, as per the template.
7. Embroidery the eyes using a backstitch.
8. Place the elastic on top of the main front piece, aligning the cut edge with the edge of the fabric. Baste in position by hand or on the sewing machine.
9. Tucking the elastic to the middle, pin the backing fabric on top of the front piece, with right sides together. I like to mark an X with my pins where I need to stop to leave an opening for turning (yes, I’ve forgotten to stop way too many times!).
10. Sew the top and backing fabrics together with a 1/4″ seam allowance, leaving a gap for turning.
11. Clip the seam allowance on the curved sections, particularly around the nose. Turn the sleep mask right sides out through the opening.
12. Fold in the seam allowance and stitch the opening closed with a ladder stitch.
And there you have a complete DIY Sloth Sleep Mask. Now head off to bed and try it out!
Want an ad-free printable PDF version of the Sloth Sleep Mask sewing pattern, including step-by-step photos? Head to the Threadistry store to purchase a copy at a low price.