Sunflowerzz

Hi, I usually post in the vintage sewing machine section but my question would go better in this forum I think.

I have had trouble sleeping and have been doing lots of research on pillows. My symptoms lead me to the obvious conclusion I am allergic to my pillow. I had been having headaches for about three months that develope at about 1:30 am and last until 4 the next day and nothing would stop them. I thought I was just developing the dreaded migraines for my 60th year of life..LOL. Turns out it was a fluffy 100% polyester blanket given to me at Christmas. Whenever I got cold and pulled it up around my face I got the headaches and I didn't put it all together until last week because it was so random!

I have developed a slight case of rosacea or what I thought was but apparently it can be from pillow allergy. I have tried, latex, buckwheat hulls ( too noisy ) I am allergic to feathers, wools, lanolin's and a few other fibers but cotton and silk are good for me. I checked my current pillow and it is polyester. I get very stuffed up after I go to bed and about 1 hour after rising it clears so now I really need to make myself an organic cotton or silk or both? pillow with organic pillow cases and I hope it will solve my miseries.

I am a newbie quilter sewist and have only made one quilt many years ago and have decided to try out some of my beautiful machines ( I started a new hobby back in Sept.) with quilting projects. I know nothing about fiber fill, batting etc. What I have read though is that the cotton fiber mashes flat pretty quickly, some is washable some isn't. My question is could one use a combination of layers of cotton and silk batting and fiberfill to help maintain some loft? Or would that complicate the washing of the products? All cotton then?

Any suggestions where I could purchase quality organic products to make up the pillows? Any suggestions from anyone who has gone through this would be extremely helpful.

I think for tonight until I figure something out I will use the one bag of pure cotton batting I bought to learn to quilt with and put it into a cotton pillow case and if all goes well I will charge ahead and make pillows for hubby and myself and the guest the bed. I have no idea which would be hotter or cooler or fluffier or how to make it dense. I actually like two pillows to sleep with one is thicker and firm and the one on top is thin and soft so I can cuddle it and squish it.

Thank you to anyone making it through this long post and thank you for any helpful hints or experiences. Appreciate it very much.
Lorraine

Tartan

My mom swears by her feather pillow but I find them hard. I make my own pillows with the foam chips you can buy at Walmart. I made a rectangle out of a silky pre-quilted fabric and stuffed it with the foam chips and sewed the opening shut. I don't make it very full as I like to be able to mold my pillow. I make a little hallow for my head with a little extra fluff at my neck. I also tried the ergonomic foam pillow but I just couldn't get used to it.

Sunflowerzz

Thanks Tartan, I guess it will be just trial and error for awhile until I get the right combination. I think I will start with batting on the bottom and the organic fiber on top of that. The main complaint is of the cotton balling up and then being uncomfortable so maybe I can actually quilt the pillow into layers so the cotton fiber can flatten out but not really ball up? Well, I will just have to get started and see where I end up.

dakotamaid

If you do a search on Google for organic stuffing you come with lots of choices. Take a look.

https://www.google.com/search?q=orga...icial&tbm=shop

Jan in VA

Hobbs makes an organic all cotton, but, in my experience with it in pillows, it can be too firm--not like a soft pillow--as it is used more and more. If you were able to wrap it around another substance that is softer, it might work.

Jan in VA

Sunflowerzz

Thanks Jan I appreciate the response. I will keep combing the web for different fibers that I might be able to use with the cotton. For tonight or until I can figure something out I wrapped my bag of organic cotton batting with a nice fluffy 100% pure cotton towel and put it inside a 400 count Egyptian cotton pillow case I had so at least I wouldn't be sleeping on polyester anymore. I took a nap on it this afternoon and it wasn't bad, not great but not bad.

bibi

Be weary of feather pillows, they too can trigger allergies and can also aggravate an existing condition. Also pay attention how your upper back and neck is supported by the pillow. You can get very nasty headaches from muscle issues in the shoulder area.
Best wishes and hopefully you will be on your way to a more restful sleep.

Sunflowerzz

Thanks bibi, I have been allergic to wool, angora, any animal fibers since I was born and that included feathers too. So I stay away from all of those. I do well with real silk, not kapok silk which is now being used with cotton because it is fluffier and holds its shape. It comes from a tree and has a natural oil in the fibers so I am not going anywhere near it. I have reactions to most pollens, plant oils and plant extracts.

This leaves me with cotton and silk. I have even tried Linen and flax and they cause my skin to itch and turn red. The really great news is this morning when I climbed out of bed and headed into the powder room my face had almost none of the redness in the cheeks area. I always thought it was post menopausal or the beginnings of rosacea. It felt so good to glance at the mirror and see a normal colored face.
Thanks again

janjj

I bought what is called "My Pillow" made in USA perhaps google it and see what they are made of. I love mine.

Geri B

Being that you so many allergies to things that most pillows are made of perhaps you should just sleep flat on the mattress...no pillow at all. Or how about making a wedge pillow......