Holly Golightly Inspired Sleep Mask – September Short Projects

Holly Golightly Inspired Sleep Mask “If I could find a real-life place that’d make me feel like Tiffany’s, then – then I’d buy some furniture and give the cat a name!“

I’ve never met an Audrey Hepburn film I didn’t love, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s is one of the best (although Sabrina will always be my personal favourite!). Today’s September Short Project is inspired by the inimitable Holly Golightly, and her classic glamour sleep mask. Because, really, why shouldn’t you be glamourous in your sleep?

I think she is actually the most beautiful woman who has ever lived.

I began by cutting out the basic shape I was after, using one of my trusty Qantas sleep masks as a template. I used a thick, satiny fabric for the front, and a double layer of fleece for the inside (i.e., the part that’s on your eyes). I used the front fabric to make about 50cm of bias binding to go around the mask also. In a way, it’s kind of like a mini quilt! :)

I’m not very good at machine embroidery, so I drew my design on to baking paper, and pinned the paper onto my front mask piece. Then, it was a simple matter of sewing over the lines on the baking paper, and, once complete, ripping the paper off.

I sewed on some little seed pearls to glam up my mask a bit. Once I was happy with the embroidery, I sewed my three layers together using the bias binding I had made earlier. This was definitely the most difficult part, as the bias binding had zero stretch to it, and really did not want to go around the corners.

Breakfast at Tiffany's sleep mask
Once I finished fighting with the bias binding (I won’t lie, I may have used a bit of super glue…), I hand sewed some cream braid around the edges. It felt wonderful to go back to hand sewing, where everything does exactly what you want it to! Finally, I sewed some elastic on to the back.

Breakfast at Tiffany's sleep mask

“I’m like cat here, a no-name slob. We belong to nobody, and nobody belongs to us. We don’t even belong to each other.”

I made this whole project with offcuts and bits and pieces from mumsy Sue’s very organised craft room, so it didn’t cost me anything, and from start to finish, it only took about an hour and a half. Now I can sleep in luxury! :)

***

“I don’t want to own anything until I find a place where me and things go together. I’m not sure where that is but I know what it is like. It’s like Tiffany’s.“

“Tiffany’s? You mean the jewelry store?“

“That’s right. I’m just CRAZY about Tiffany’s!“