My sister asked me if I was going to be making face masks. I hadn't planned on it. But since various agencies have started recommending them, and I had cut out a pattern printed in the New York Times, I decided to try. The NYT's pattern was a rectangle with pleats, which was a simple style and looked good, but it turned out not to fit so well. What next?
Because I live with a prepper (that's what people who pre-plan for emergencies are called), we had a variety of masks (we sent our N95 masks to Kaiser Permanente). One mask was small and folded nice and flat, and it became my pattern. This mask is pretty simple to make, takes four main pieces: two form the doubled front, one back top flap, one back bottom flap, and four strips for the ties.
Masks can be scary, so I chose a chicken pattern I had leftover from a quilt I made for my son long, long ago. I've made this mask a little rough around the edges, but the ties are smooth and tidy. If you are a good sewist I suppose you could add 1/4" to the pattern and turn the edges under. Not really necessary, though. Seam binding is another added option, as is using interfacing or doubling the top and bottom pieces as well.
You can download a .pdf of the pattern here (DIY Sewn Face Mask Pattern). Plain printer paper happens to be just the right size to print out the pattern. The mask is 8 1/4 inches wide and about 4 inches tall when flat. And it is completely washable and machine dryable. (You may want to wash it in a lingerie bag so the ties don't get tangled up.) It took me under an hour to make.
Materials: four pieces of cotton fabric (enough so you have four pieces approximately 8 1/4" x 4"); four strips of cloth for the ties (1" wide by 18" long)
Tools: paper pattern, pins, sharp scissors, a marking tool (optional), sewing machine (or needle and thread), iron and ironing board (a spray bottle or steam iron is good)
In addition to the three outer patterned pieces, this photo shows two unfolded (tie) strips and two complete folded, ironed, and sewn ties, as well as a paper pattern. A white inner lining is under the large front piece.
4. Iron the ends in to the center fold to make it long and thin and tidy. (So that's three valley folds, total.)
5. With the open edges/two folds on the left, single fold on the right, sew down the center of each folded strip. As you go, monitor the two folded edges and make sure they are aligned and are being sewn together.
6. Of the back pieces, hem the top of one and the bottom of the other, using a zigzag or other sturdy stitch.
7. Begin making a little sandwich: First place the mask front on the table, pattern side down; put its inner front mate on top of it (if it isn't there already). Place one tie at the lower corners, on either side of the mask, with about 1/2" of the end of the ties facing in, the rest out like open arms; align the bottom flap with the bottom of the mask.
8. Pin together, making sure you pin the tie ends inside.
9. Sew the sides and across the bottom with the zigzag or other stitch. Make sure you sew all the way up the sides.
10. Place one tie at the upper corners, on either side of the mask, with about 1/2" of the end of the tie facing in, the rest out like open arms; align the top flap with the top of the mask, overlapping the bottom flap; Pin together, making sure you pin the ties inside.
11. Sew the sides completely and across the top with the zigzag or other stitch. You can trim to the stitching, if you like.
If you enjoy ordering from small businesses here are two nice textile-related places to support: kimonomomo and Bay Quilts.
Addendum: 4.14.20: In the paper version of this article, I saw a photo of how the ties could also be the seam binding. In that case, you would need only two strips, each about 42" long. They would be sewn to the outside of the face covering, rather than sandwiched inside. After hemming (or using more seam binding) on the top and bottom back flaps, hem (or bind) the sides (all pieces together), then sew the folded/ironed (but not yet sewn) strips from one end, around the pinned pieces, and to the other end in one long motion.
Because I live with a prepper (that's what people who pre-plan for emergencies are called), we had a variety of masks (we sent our N95 masks to Kaiser Permanente). One mask was small and folded nice and flat, and it became my pattern. This mask is pretty simple to make, takes four main pieces: two form the doubled front, one back top flap, one back bottom flap, and four strips for the ties.
Masks can be scary, so I chose a chicken pattern I had leftover from a quilt I made for my son long, long ago. I've made this mask a little rough around the edges, but the ties are smooth and tidy. If you are a good sewist I suppose you could add 1/4" to the pattern and turn the edges under. Not really necessary, though. Seam binding is another added option, as is using interfacing or doubling the top and bottom pieces as well.
You can download a .pdf of the pattern here (DIY Sewn Face Mask Pattern). Plain printer paper happens to be just the right size to print out the pattern. The mask is 8 1/4 inches wide and about 4 inches tall when flat. And it is completely washable and machine dryable. (You may want to wash it in a lingerie bag so the ties don't get tangled up.) It took me under an hour to make.
Materials: four pieces of cotton fabric (enough so you have four pieces approximately 8 1/4" x 4"); four strips of cloth for the ties (1" wide by 18" long)
Tools: paper pattern, pins, sharp scissors, a marking tool (optional), sewing machine (or needle and thread), iron and ironing board (a spray bottle or steam iron is good)
In addition to the three outer patterned pieces, this photo shows two unfolded (tie) strips and two complete folded, ironed, and sewn ties, as well as a paper pattern. A white inner lining is under the large front piece.
1. Cut out the pieces. I pinned the pattern to the cloth and cut around the edges. You may want to trace around the pattern and cut to the lines instead. If you have a patterned fabric, you may want to center a part of the pattern before you cut out the front piece (in this case, a chicken).
2. Put the two fronts together, wrong sides together. Make sure the two fronts are trimmed to match exactly.
3. Make the ties. Begin by ironing each of the strips in half.4. Iron the ends in to the center fold to make it long and thin and tidy. (So that's three valley folds, total.)
5. With the open edges/two folds on the left, single fold on the right, sew down the center of each folded strip. As you go, monitor the two folded edges and make sure they are aligned and are being sewn together.
6. Of the back pieces, hem the top of one and the bottom of the other, using a zigzag or other sturdy stitch.
8. Pin together, making sure you pin the tie ends inside.
9. Sew the sides and across the bottom with the zigzag or other stitch. Make sure you sew all the way up the sides.
10. Place one tie at the upper corners, on either side of the mask, with about 1/2" of the end of the tie facing in, the rest out like open arms; align the top flap with the top of the mask, overlapping the bottom flap; Pin together, making sure you pin the ties inside.
11. Sew the sides completely and across the top with the zigzag or other stitch. You can trim to the stitching, if you like.
It fits!
Cluck, cluck.
You can do it.
Because of its smooth front there are many possibilities for creative expression. I keep envisioning those animals masks with snouts and such. Poetry, jokes, paintings, iron-ons, etc. Endless ideas. It's an overwhelming and serious time, but we need outlets where we can find them, especially when we are avoiding one another and are covering the smiles that can connect us.
Take care.
CDC has more ideas here.
The Prepper added toggles for easy on/easy off access:
Addendum: 4.14.20: In the paper version of this article, I saw a photo of how the ties could also be the seam binding. In that case, you would need only two strips, each about 42" long. They would be sewn to the outside of the face covering, rather than sandwiched inside. After hemming (or using more seam binding) on the top and bottom back flaps, hem (or bind) the sides (all pieces together), then sew the folded/ironed (but not yet sewn) strips from one end, around the pinned pieces, and to the other end in one long motion.
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