We did this craft in about two hours with girls ages 10 - 12.

While it proved a little difficult for the 10 year olds getting around the curves, the 11 and 12 year old girls got through it fairly easily only needing a little help with the straps.

This project teaches the basic skills of straight stitching, top stitching, working with multiple layers, sewing with elastic and keeping it neat, sewing inner and outer curves and working in narrow hems.

Step 1: Materials

You will need:

Pattern (below), enlarge pattern pieces including the white area to fit an 11 x 8 1/2 sheet of paper in ladscape mode. Transfer to cardstock, cut out and draw on the backside of your fabric.
Pattern Pieces:
1 Mask front, 1 Mask Back, 2 - 10 x 3 inch strips cut from fabric
1 Mask Front cut from a scrap of Quilt batting

1 - 12 inch piece of 1 inch non roll Elastic
Marking Pencil or Pen to mark cut and fold lines on Mask Back
Gel Eye Pack (optional)
Decorative Ribbon or Trims (optional)
Thread
Scissors
Straight Pins
Large Safety Pin
Iron
Sewing Machine

Step 2: Prepare the Strap

Using the 10 x 3 inch strips, sew on one short end with right sides together to make the strap. Press seam open. Stitch a1/4 inch seam along the long open side.

Attach a safety pin to one side of the fabric and slide inside the strap. Push the fabric down on the safety pin until the safety pin comes out the other end and pull your fabric through.

Step 3:

Lay the strip on an ironing board, center the seam and press flat.

Attach a large safety pin to one end of the elastic. Slide the safety pin with the elastic attached inside the strap guide and push the fabric down on the safety pin until It comes out the other end, being careful not to let the elastic twist inside the strap.

Pin both ends and stitch across the short ends to secure the elastic in place.

Adjust the bunched up fabric evenly across the elastic. Pin once in the center to keep elastic distributed evenly.

Stretching the strap out as far as it will go run a1/4 inch seam through the fabric and elastic down both sides of the strap. Set aside.

Step 4: Prepare the Mask

Cut mask back pieces in half.

On both pieces fold and press a 1/4 inch hem twice. On the top of the mask back piece fold again at the marked line and press again.

On both mask back pieces stitch across the double 1/4 inch hem only.

Step 5: Assemble the Mask

Layer your pieces with right sides together in this order:
mask liner
mask front
mask back.

Make sure the hem for the mask top overlaps the hem for the mask bottom.

Pin all layers together, marking the solid line strap guides and trim all edges even.

Starting at the bottom strap guide stitch a 1/4 inch seam through all layers all the way around to the other bottom strap guide. Cut the threads and start at the top strap guide stitch again to the other top strap guide.

Be sure to keep your fabric against the 1/4 inch line on the sewing machine plate and going slowly follow the curves leaving the strap guides open to form a pocket for inserting a chill packet.

Step 6: Add the Strap, Make the Pocket

Turn the mask inside out and lay one end of the strap in the strap guide, fold the bottom strap guide up first and overlap with the top strap guide tucking in the side ends.

For ease of sewing DO NOT attach the other end of the strap yet.

Starting just behind the strap top stitch as close to the edge as you can get catching the first part of the strap and tucked in ends. Keep the unattached end of the strap behind the needle so it is out of the way.

Work your way around to the second strap guide, insert the strap making sure it is not twisted, fold over and tuck in the strap guides then continue the rest of the way around.

Step 7: The Final Touches

Your strap is attached and you now have a pocket for inserting an ice or chilled gel eye pack inside the mask.

I got this eye gel pack for free from an in store demo but crushed ice in a Ziploc baggie with the air squeezed our works equally well.

Add some ribbon or other embellishments to the front and enjoy your spa/sleep mask.