Menu
Joe, June and Mae
  • Shop
    • New patterns
    • All Patterns
    • Animals
      • Animal portraits
      • Birds
      • Farm animals
      • Wild animals
      • Cats and Dogs
      • Ocean creatures
    • Appliqué Patterns
    • Asian Decor
    • Buddha/ Mindfulness
    • Beach/ Boats/ Nautical
    • Classic patterns
    • Christmas
    • Easter and Spring
    • Flowers, Trees and Plants
    • Food/ Drinks
    • Fall/ Autumn
    • Halloween
    • Oktoberfest
    • Stars
    • Woodland Creatures
      • Bear Cottage
    • Valentine's Day
    • Quilted items
    • Specialty patterns
      • All mixed pattern
      • Ballet
      • Baby
      • Buddha/ Mindfulness
      • Fairytale
      • Viva la Frida/ Dia de los Muertos
      • Village Patterns
      • #BLM support
      • Let the good times roll
  • Home
    • Quilt Safari 2024
  • About
  • Blog
  • Publications
  • Etsy
  • Crafty Shirts
  • Deutsch
  • Shop
    • New patterns
    • All Patterns
    • Animals
      • Animal portraits
      • Birds
      • Farm animals
      • Wild animals
      • Cats and Dogs
      • Ocean creatures
    • Appliqué Patterns
    • Asian Decor
    • Buddha/ Mindfulness
    • Beach/ Boats/ Nautical
    • Classic patterns
    • Christmas
    • Easter and Spring
    • Flowers, Trees and Plants
    • Food/ Drinks
    • Fall/ Autumn
    • Halloween
    • Oktoberfest
    • Stars
    • Woodland Creatures
      • Bear Cottage
    • Valentine's Day
    • Quilted items
    • Specialty patterns
      • All mixed pattern
      • Ballet
      • Baby
      • Buddha/ Mindfulness
      • Fairytale
      • Viva la Frida/ Dia de los Muertos
      • Village Patterns
      • #BLM support
      • Let the good times roll
  • Home
    • Quilt Safari 2024
  • About
  • Blog
  • Publications
  • Etsy
  • Crafty Shirts
  • Deutsch

How to sew a quick and easy face mask at home?

21/4/2020

7 Comments

 
How to sew a quick and easy face mask at home?
As it becomes more and more evident that we will all be wearing face masks soon whenever we go out, I 'll show you a quick and easy way to make your own face masks.

You'll probably want to make several face masks, as they should be washed frequently,
preferably after each wear.
This is a free face mask pattern.
The CDC says homemade cloth masks can help slow the spread of the coronavirus.
These fabric masks can help protect you in places like the grocery store, public transport, pharmacy and so on, where it's harder to keep a safe six-foot distance from other people. This works best if everyone wears them because people who don't have any symptoms can still be spreading the virus.
Picture
As more information about the coronavirus pandemic develops, some of the information in this blog may have changed since it was last updated. For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, please visit the online resources provided by the CDC, WHO, and your local public health department.
Whats the best fabric to use for a home made face mask?
Researchers tested the effectiveness of a wide range of materials for homemade masks. They measured how well the materials you have in your household could capture and filter small particles.
Test data shows that the best choices for DIY fabric masks are tightly woven cotton materials, such as sheets, or other cotton materials. Using a double layer of material for your DIY mask adds a small increase in filtration effectiveness.
Other research found that the most effective masks were constructed of two layers of heavyweight “quilters cotton” with a thread count of at least 180, or had a thicker and tighter weave.
As I am a quilter, and have a ‘small’ selection of quilters cotton in my home, this pattern is made with quilters cotton on the outside and cotton sheet as a lining.
This face mask pattern has 2 layers of cotton fabric.
Fabric and material requirements:
  • Outside and lining  fabric : any tight weave cotton fabric ( washed)
  • Elastic band or cotton ties or ribbons , to tie the mask behind your head
  • small wire aprox 3", for a better fit  around your nose( I use wire twist ties for plastic bags)
  • Fabric scissors or rotary cutter
  • Ruler
  • Pins or clips
  • Sewing machine and thread


Cut list for three sizes of face masks:
Men/ large :

Outside fabric: 10”x 7,5”
Lining fabric: 7”x 7,5”
Elastic band approx.: 2 x 9”
if you’re using cotton ties or ribbon, you need 4 strips of approx. 15”-18” length. If the ties are too long, just cut them down to the size you need.
Women/ medium:
Outside fabric: 9”x 7”
Lining fabric 7”x 7”
Elastic band: 2 x 7,5”
Children/ small:
Outside fabric: 8”x 6,5”
Lining fabric: 6,5”x 6,5”
Elastic band: 2 x 7”
 

Picture
Cut the fabric and elastic depending on the size you want to sew.
Picture
Place your fabrics right sides together leaving a 1" seam allowance on each side.
If you want, pin or clip in place.
Picture
Picture
First you sew one seam about 1/4" from to edge. ( If you used pins or clips, you take them out now)
Then place the wire centered between the two layers of fabric against your seam.
Fold the fabric back right sides together and sew a second sean about 1/8" from the previous seam.
Picture
Then sew a third seam, again with a 1/4"seam allowance, along the bottom edge.
Picture
When you're done sewing,  turn the face mask right side out  and iron the seams.
Picture
Picture
Fold 2 evenly-spaced 1/2" pleats. Pin or clip in place and sew to secure.  the width of your mask should be about 4" for the large mask ( 3,5" for the medium mask and 3" for the small one.)
Picture
Fold over the seam allowance at the sides twice 1/2" and pin in place.
Picture
insert eleastic , or ribbon or cotton tie as shown above. In case your ribbon or cotton tie is too thick you can just attach it on top as well.
Picture
With a 3/8″ seam allowance, sew each side of the facemask with two seams. Backstitch over the elastic or fabric ties to secure them.
Picture
And there it is, all done :-)
Picture
Picture
Picture
I made two of these masks for my husband and son,
Guess ( from the fabric used :-)) what kind of work my two men are doing? 
happy guessing :-)
Are you looking for something fun ?
How about these two beauties? Fun face masks for Mr. and Mrs :-)
You can shop the pattern here.
Picture
7 Comments
Iris Gallagher
21/5/2020 10:20:15

I've been looking at several patterns for a pleated face mask and yours, by far, has been the easiest to understand. I'm "sewing challenged" so the easy explanations helped me "get it". Now, I'm off to make my first pleated face mask. Thanks!

Reply
Pat Kennedy link
6/10/2020 22:57:34

I made one of these masks. Like anything, the first one was difficult. BUT....I love the way it turned out. I did not make ear straps, however I used 25 inches of elastic, 1/4 inch and pulled it through. Several people have liked that it goes over the head and is easy to move on and off when going in and out of stores, etc.
Thank you so much for this great tutorial.

Reply
Ingrid link
7/10/2020 11:58:47

Hey Pat,
that sounds like a really great idea, thanx for letting me know.
Since we will be wearing masks for the next little while it's important to make them as comfortable and fun as possible.
And thanx so much for your compliment :-)
Ingrid x

Reply
Pat Kennedy
19/10/2020 14:31:58

Silly me! Sorry, I did not mean to delete your posts. I pressed the wrong button. Please keep me signed up.
I was searching for the instructions for the mask. I truly love this pattern and want to make some for my son’s
Coworkers.
Undo that delete, please!
Pat

Reply
Ingrid Alteneder link
20/10/2020 02:16:21

Hey Pat not to worry,
it's all there :-)
thanx for your compliment again.
we made tons of these masks as well, they're really handy indeed.

Have a great day
Ingrid

Reply
Nancy link
11/11/2020 16:37:55

works well for ladies and teens thank you

Reply
Daniel link
21/6/2022 04:05:42

Thanks for the information and very useful :)

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Author

    Ingrid Alteneder

    Archive

    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    September 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020

    Categories

    All
    #blacklivesmatter
    Chinese New Year
    Christmas
    Design Collab
    Dia De Los Muertos
    Fabric Recycling
    Foundation Paper Piecing
    Free Stuff
    Halloween
    Mindfulness
    My Book
    Projects With My Blocks
    Tips And Tricks
    Tutorials

    RSS Feed

Picture
Visit us at
Newsletter
Contact
Retail Partners
Imprint
Privacy Policy
Terms and Conditions
Joe, June and Mae
Ingrid Alteneder
Germany
[email protected]