There are two reasons why one would need an eye patch – to protect the eye or to use it as an accessory for a costume. Either way, an eye patch can easily be made at home if you have the right things.
An eye patch is a patch made of cloth, plastic or glass that is worn over one of the eyes. It is held in place by a string or an elastic band that goes around the head.
However, wearing it in this way can get quite uncomfortable – especially for people who are prone to headaches and so it may even be pasted on using an adhesive tape. The earliest references of people wearing a patch on their eye, date back to the time of pirates. Pirates – because of their lifestyles – were quite prone to injuring their eyes. To cover up the injury and to keep it protected from further damage, they would wear a patch on their eyes. It was such a commonly observable phenomenon that the image of a pirate is now incomplete without an eye patch. Can you imagine Johnny Depp minus the eye patch in Pirates of the Caribbean?
These days an eye patch is worn by many people as a style statement (for example, at costume parties). Kids love to play dress-up, and if they ever plan to dress up like a pirate, they are going to want a patch! The patches that you get in the stores are all pretty much the same. But what if you could design your own custom-made patch that is unique?
Shopping List
Get hold of as many of the following things before you go on to make an eye patch. You probably wouldn’t need them all, but you would definitely need some! However, make sure you check around your house to find out if you already have all or some of these requirements – chances are you will find many of them lying around your house! Once you have conducted a thorough search, go ahead and hit the mall! Buy what you need.
For the Patch
You can use any of these materials to make your eye patch. The choice is strictly personal. Felt is really comfortable, as it is soft. But that is just our opinion – you pick one that suits you.
- Old sunglasses
- Felt
- Velvet
- Elastic cloth (Lycra, Spandex, etc.)
To Hold the Patch
The benefit of using an elastic band is that it fits well and does not loosen up. But if the elasticity wears out, that can be a problem. Ribbon will make your patch look a little fancy and unique. You can pick any one of the following.
- String
- Elastic band
- Ribbon
- Lace
To Decorate the Patch
If you are going to make it on your own why not go all the way and jazz it up as much as you can? You do want it to be distinctly unique after all, don’t you? You can choose from below.
- Glitter
- Fabric Glue
- Fabric Paint
- Plastic Gems
As we said previously, an eye patch maybe made up of cloth, plastic or glass. Before we move to the actual procedure of making the patch, decide which one you want to make. Both the types of patches have their own advantages and disadvantages. The cloth one is more durable, washable and scratch-proof. The plastic/glass one will be sturdy and won’t tear. There will be no problem of lint entering your eyes in case of a plastic or glass patch. You be the best judge.
3 Step DIY Eye Patch
Once you have decided on the material for your patch, simply follow the steps below to make a patch in under 15 minutes… that is all the time it takes!
Size the Patch!
If you are using an old sunglass to make the patch, remove the glass from the respective side of the sunglass (depending on which eye you intend to use the patch). If you are using cloth to make an eye patch, cut out a size of the cloth that will cover your eye completely. You can even add a cotton padding in your patch if you want it to be really comfortable. You need not necessarily cut a circular patch. Go for a shape that suits you the best – oblong, oval, or unknown!
Drill Through!
Make holes on either sides of the patch. These are for you to sew the string through the patch. Using a drilling machine from your garage to make a hole if you are using old sunglasses to make your eye patch. In case of a cloth patch, make sure the holes are neat and that the threads of the fabric do not come out loose from the hole.
String ‘Em!
Measure the length of the string you are going to need. Now string the patch. You can attach two pieces of string to the eye patch so that you can tie it up. Another way would be – use twice the length of the string you need; string the patch like you would string a pendant on a chain. While wearing the patch, pull the string from between the two holes on the patch and wear it around your head (like you would wear a pair of swimming goggles) and secure the free ends of the string behind your head. Such a patch would be adjustable and more secure.
Bedazzle Your Eye Patch
A regular plain patch can look quite boring. Besides, if you take the pain to make an eye patch at home and it turns out to look like one of the patches that you can buy from a store, what’s the point? Here’s how you can give your homemade patch a special personal touch.
Add Sparkle!
Use the sparkle glue to draw a funny cartoon on the patch. You can draw a skull and two bones (the typical ‘DANGER’ sign, also associated with pirates). You can draw a Hello Kitty. You can draw your favorite flower, a butterfly… You can even use plastic gems or fake diamonds and personalize your eye patch so that it carries your initials! How cool is that?
Fancy String!
You do not have to use plain old boring string to tie your eye patch. One nice alternative would be to use a piece of ribbon for the eye patch. Looks so much better than plain cloth. On the other hand, you can use fabric paint and glitter to add small thumbnails onto the string (if it is a broad string). Looks really cool, like a pair of sunglasses.
Over The Top!
If you really want to go over the top and spice up your eye patch, how about adding a fancy tag to the eye patch? Like the price tags on new glasses? However, this tag will definitely be more fancy than a price tag. You can hang anything from a piece of paper quilling to an embroidered patch. Just think really wild!
So that’s how you make an eye patch. Hope you make a really fancy and unique patch! Good luck!