TUTORIAL: SLEEP BAND TO MASK MODIFICATION.

 When I was having trouble sleeping, one of the suggestions was to get a sleep mask, which I now cannot live without. Husband bought me this adorable fox one from Typo, but the elastic went through numerous repairs until I found what I thought was a much sturdier mask. Not only is it made of soft flannel, but it also contains flat headphones: perfect for relaxing music and there are some great playlists on Spotify. The headphones stick to the inside of the mask with velcro so you adjust the positioning, the cord comes out the back of the mask so choking isn't a worry and it's long enough that you won't pull your device off your bedside if you roll over.

I was disappointed to realise the band is designed to be worn as a headband, not a mask (but I want darkness AND relaxing music!) so it's just too tight to cover your eyes and ears. I did try sleep in it (and I'm fortunately not alone) and both times awoke after a few hours with a throbbing headache. So what's a crafty girl to do? Modify it, of course! I considered tearing open the seam and simply adding more fabric but decided that using elastic would have better give.

SLEEP HEADBAND to SLEEP MASK MODIFICATION
Difficulty: Intermediate

Materials:
Sleep headband
Thick elastic
Sewing machine
Cotton thread
Scissors
Seam ripper
Measuring tape

Notes and tips at bottom of the post.

Directions:
1. First things first, remove the headphones! You don't want to accidentally snip them when you undo the seam or trim any threads.

2. Unpick the original seam, being careful not to create any holes in the fabric or to unpick further than necessary as the seam travels around the edge of the whole mask.

3. Determine how much additional space you need: To do this, measure the circumference of your head using a tape measure from about eye-level and including your ears (where the mask would comfortably sit). Make sure it's snug but not digging into you. Then measure the width of the band. My band measured 53cm and my head measurement was 56cm so I needed an additional 3cm.

4. Cut the elastic to half your difference plus 2cm (seam allowance). Remember, elastic stretches and you don't want your mask sliding around in your sleep. I cut mine a little bigger for the photos, but ideally I would've used four 3.5cm pieces of 1cm elastic. Obviously if your elastic is thicker you might only need 2-3 pieces. I wouldn't recommend using thinner than 1cm.

5. Pin the elastic about 1cm inside of the mask but only to the front of the band (see photos!). Repeat on the opposite side then pin both sides closed. Make sure all of your elastic is reasonably even and level.

6. Test the measurement around your head - make sure your pins are on the outside of the band so you don't accidentally stab yourself! It should be snug but not uncomfortable and keep in mind the elastic will stretch a little over time. Adjust if necessary.

If you find that you wear your mask a little low, where your head starts to curve towards your neck, you might prefer to slowly decrease the amount of elastic that is visible. This is totally up to you and you might find it bunches a little, but it will be more secure in your sleep.

7. Remove the pins that are holding the flap closed (you might find it easier to pin the flap out of the way for now), and sew the elastic in place. Remember to work slowly and if you're worried, tack in place before sewing (see notes/tips). Repeat on the opposite side and test around your head again.

8. Pin the original seam back in place then machine sew, leaving as small a seam as possible. Do not sew the entire seam closed. Leave enough space at the bottom so that you can still insert/remove the headphones (see photos). If you prefer, you can leave a gap in the middle as per the original design.

This gap is what makes the mask washable. If for some reason you aren't terribly worried about washing your mask (if you suffer from even mild acne though, you should be as pillows and sleep masks can contribute) you can always insert the headphones and very carefully "trap" them inside by sewing the seam almost completely closed. Again, I don't recommend it for hygiene reasons and if your headphones ever break it will be a pain to replace them.

That's it! It's a little fiddly but definitely worth it to have a cute but functional sleep mask that doesn't cause headaches.

Notes/Tips:
*Both flannel and elastic can be difficult to work with. My best advice is to go slowly and if you're not feeling confident, tack in place before you run it through the machine.
*While you don't want to undo the entire seam, unstitching a little more than necessary can make it easier to manoeuvre.
*If you don't have the best eye for measurements, mark your elastic and the band so you know exactly where it needs to go.
*If you're having trouble with the original seam unrolling, try pressing or tacking it in place.
*Pinning the "flap" of the mask down can help with visibility and mobility.
*If your exposed piece of elastic (where the headphone gap is) is moving around too much, you can always hand sew the edges to hold it down.

Live outside of Australia and don't want to pay for delivery from Typo? You can buy SleepPhones here or at ThinkGeek. They aren't as cute as the ones from Typo but they're available in a few colours so get creative! Add some ears and facial features!