I have very few complaints about the yoga studio where I teach my weekly class. There are lots of friendly, smiling faces, a gorgeous skylight, and ample props. But I've always been a bit peeved that the studio offers foam rollers, tennis balls, wedges, a small yoga ball, and a lot of props I wouldn't even know how to begin to use, but it has only one (two, if we're lucky) eye pillows for students to use during restorative poses!

But nobody likes a complainer. So I've decided to take matters into my own hands, literally. This weekend, I gathered a few materials, and set to work making lavender-scented eye pillows. I made five and brought them to my class, and, lo and behold, had exactly five students! There were a big hit.

Here's what I did! (Pardon my pictures. It's not easy being crafty and taking pictures at the same time!_

Materials (Yields 1 Pillow)

• Organic Flax Seeds (2 cups per pillow should be about right)


• A 9-by-9 inch square of a soft fabric (Organic fabric is best, but use whatever you have onhand—fabric remnants work well, too.)


• 1 Heaping Tablespoon of Dried Organic Lavender Per Pillow


• 1 Funnel


• A Needle, Thread, Sewing Machine (with zigzag stitch), Scissors, Measuring Tape

Step By Step
1. With the right sides together, fold the fabric in half.

2. Sew a straight edge around the three cut edges, leaving a 5/8-inch seam allowance. IMPORTANT: Leave about an inch at the corner not sewn!

3. Zigzag stitch around the raw edges, to keep your fabric from unraveling. Again, leaving about an inch at the corner not sewn.

4. Turn the fabric inside out through the opening you left at the corner.

5. Insert the funnel into the opening.

6. Using the funnel, fill your pillow approximately half of the way with the flax seeds and dried lavender.

7. Sew together the one-inch opening in the corner with your needle and thread. Make your stitches as close together as possible.

Voila!