DIY Lavender Eye Pillow for Headache Relief

You can make this DIY lavender eye pillow for headache relief in 30 minutes or less, using study cotton fabric scraps.  That’s almost instant relief.  Give it as a gift, keep one for yourself.  It’s microwavable and freezer proof for fast relief of tension headaches and some migraine headaches. 

Here’s a quick gift you can make in less than 30 minutes and you probably have the ingredients on hand.  It makes a great addition to a wellness basket. You’ll need a fat quarter or a piece of sturdy cotton, some rice or flax seed, and a handful of dried lavender from last summer’s garden, plus an optional few drops of lavender essential oil.

Lavender eye pillow is a hot/cold pack

This can be used either hot or cold to relieve tension headaches or migraine headaches and promote relaxation.  Lavender, mint, and evergreens have all been shown in controlled studies to relieve headaches, so if you don’t like lavender feel free to substitute with another dried herb.

This natural headache eye pillow is just the right size to fit over the eyes and forehead.  For tension headaches, relief is usually achieved in 15 minutes.

Lavender Eye Pillow

The directions below will give you enough materials to make 1 of these aromatherapy lavender eye pillows.  But you can easily multiply this recipe for a DIY lavender eye pillow by 4 and make 4 of these useful eye pillows in not much more than 30 minutes.  So put your holiday super hero cape on and let’s get DIYing.

What you’ll need:

• 1/4 of a fat quarter (or a piece of firm cotton 9 x 11 inches)
• 1 1/2 cups of whole flax seed, rice, buckwheat, or other whole grain.  (don’t use popcorn, though, ah hmmm.)
• 2 tablespoons dried lavender or other dried herbs
• 6 drops lavender essential oil
• 6 drops peppermint essential oil
• Thread that matches OR contrasts to you fabric

Equipment:

• Sewing machine
• Iron
• Hand sewing needle

Directions:
Fold the fabric in half, right sides together, to make a 4 1/2 inch by 11 inch rectangle.  Pin and sew the fabric along the long edge and one of the short edges.

Turn bag right side out.  Press the seam edges.

Using your sewing machine seam guide as a guide, sew two straight seams on the right side of the bag, 1 1/2 inches from the each edge, along the long side, to within a half inch of the unsewn short edge.  Leave this unsewn.  This will create 3 channels in the bag.

Mix your stuffing

In a small bowl add 1 1/2 cups of rice, flax seed, buckwheat, or other grain with the dried lavender and optional essential oils.  I like using flax seed because the oil in the flax seed seems to retain heat longer than the moisture in rice or buckwheat.

Using a funnel or an empty toilet paper roll, placed in each channel you’ve sewed into the bag, fill each channel in the bag firmly with the herbs and grain mixture.  Leave 1/2 inch at the top of the bag empty.  Use the handle of a wooden spoon to firmly pack the filling into each channel.

Fold over the top of the bag 1/4 inch twice to make a firm and secure closure.   Pin the seam into place.  Hand sew this seam using a whip stitch.  Done.

(This is the fabric fat quarter I used in this project!)

To use as a hot/cold pack:

For a hot pack:
Microwave for 30 seconds.

For a cold pack:
Place in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours.

How it works:
The hot lavender eye pillow relieves headaches by increasing the flow of blood to the skin, removing congestion from sinuses, and relaxing the facial and head muscles.  The fragrant lavender is released with the moist warmth of the bag and aids in relaxation.

Note: if microwaving the lavender eye pillow be sure not to over-heat the flax. Max microwave time should be 75 seconds for a pack of this size. If the flax oils get overheated, over time, the fabric can start to scorch. I normally start noticing scorch marks after 2-3 years of consistent use.

The cold lavender eye pillow works by constricting blood vessels.  Depending on the cause of the headache either method may work.  Some people place the eye pillow over the eyes for relief.  Others place it on the back of the neck or even on the bottom of the feet.

Add this lavender eye pillow to a wellness gift basket for easy gifting.

Here’s a few other DIY projects that can be added to round out your gift offering.  Remember to make a wellness basket for yourself, too.

What to place in a Wellness Basket:

(at least 3 to 5 of any of the following)

• This headache hot/cold pack
• Back size hot/cold pack (use a half a fat quarter and follow the directions for this project)
• Lavender roll on for bites, nicks, or scratches
• Lotion Bars
• Lip Balms
• Bath bombs
• Salt Scrub
• Chamomile or chai tea
• Elderberry syrup
• Immune booster tincture
• Digestive tea
• Beeswax candles

Your turn:

Tell me about a time you could have used a wellness basket like this.  Which of these wellness gifts would you want the most?