DIY Network

Flaxseed and Lavender Eye Pillow Here’s quick-knit project that will bring rest to your weary eyes! From "Knitty Gritty" episode DKNG-603

Are your eyes tired from a long day? This clever eye pillow stuffed with soothing, aromatic dried lavender is designed by Cat Bordhi and demonstrated by Jennifer Worick.

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Materials:
yarn
  1/2 skein of Euroflax Linen in Neptune (#15)
2 size 4 (3.5 mm) 24-inch (60 cm) circular needles - adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge
stitch markers
tapestry needle
1/8 yard (.11 m) cotton fabric for lining eye bag
sewing needle and thread
small amount of smooth waste yarn
1 cup flaxseed and 3 tablespoons dried lavender

Gauge
24 sts and 28 rows = 4" (10 cm) in streaming leaves pattern after washing and blocking.

Finished Size
About 3 1/4" (9.5 cm) wide at the widest point and 8 1/2" (21.5 cm) long.

Stitch Guide
Two circular-needle invisible (provisional) cast-on

1. Make a slipknot and place it on one cir needle (do not count slipknot as a st). Using a second cir needle in place of waste yarn, work provisional cast-on as follows:

• Hold the needle containing the slipknot in your right hand and hold the cable portion of the second cir needle below this needle (this is the starting position).

• Hold the yarn and the cable in your left hand with the yarn over your index finger and the cable below your thumb.

• *Bring the right needle under the cable and over the yarn, forming a loop on the right needle, then return to the starting position (1 st on needle; 1 st on cable).

Figure A

2. Bring the right needle over the yarn and cable and down behind the yarn to make another loop, then return to the starting position (figure A).

3. Repeat from *, each time adding 2 sts to the needle and 2 sts to the cable.

Knitting in the rnd with two circular needles

1. Knit across the sts on the first needle, using both tips of that needle while the other needle rests.

2. Let the first needle rest while you knit across the sts on the other needle, using both tips from that needle.

3. Throughout, one needle will knit the sts it holds while the other needle rests, then the other needle will knit the sts it holds while the first needle rests.
   

Figure B

Eye Pillow

1. Using 2 cir needles and the two-circular-needle invisible method (see "Stitch Guide" above), CO 9 sts onto each of the 2 needles (figure B). Place marker (pm) for beg of rnd.

2. First rnd: Knit all sts on both needles (see "Stitch Guide"). Note: It will be necessary to change —9 sts on each needle; 18 sts total.

3. Knit 1 rnd even. Work Rnds 1-72 of Eye Pillow chart. Knit 1 rnd even.

4. Place the live sts on a smooth piece of waste yarn. Secure the waste yarn and the tail so they will survive a few softening trips through the washing machine.

5. Machine wash in warm water at least two times, then machine dry. Iron flat, pressing piece to its full width.

Figure C

Lining (figure C)

1. Draw a pillow shape onto paper (Eye Pillow Chart -- click to download).

   Add 5/8 inch (1.5 cm) seam allowance on all sides.

2. Cut two pieces of lining fabric to these measurements.

3. Sew the two pieces tog, allowing 5/8-inch (1.5 cm) seam allowance, and leaving one end open. Turn inside out. Use a wooden spoon or knitting needle to push lining to the inside, aligning the open ends.

Figure D

4. Fill with flaxseed mixed with dried lavender (figure D).

5. Sew end of lining closed.

6. With the yarn tail threaded on a tapestry needle and using the Kitchener st, or any other stitch, graft the two sets of 9 sts to close remaining end. Weave in loose end.

RESOURCES :
Getting Started Knitting
Author: Jennifer Worick
Publisher: Interweave Press (2006)
ISBN: 1931499942