Today’s post is taking on a bit more of a topical theme. We are looking at how to make a face mask, using a fat quarter piece of material, to be used to whilst you are out and about.
So, the news this past week in the UK is that from 24th July it is compulsory to wear a face-covering when you are out and about in the shops and on public transport. Whether you love or loathe the idea of wearing a mask, you won’t have a choice and are at risk of being challenged and fined should you attempt to shop without them.
Working in healthcare, I have a love-hate relationship with the face mask. I understand how important they are to wear, but when you have to wear them every day for full shifts, the thought of having to wear them out and about fills you with dismay. So, in a bid to make them feel more bearable and slightly stylish I thought I would put my sewing skills to task in creating my own face mask. I also know how many disposable masks are being used, so thought a re-usable washable mask would be perfect for reducing this waste and protecting the environment a little. Got to love an eco-friendly DIY!
Face Mask:
Now, face masks come in different levels, some that are higher grade that is being worn in high-risk areas, like the FFP3, to surgical masks which is what i have to wear at work, to these handmade ones. Any type of face covering is better than none, but it has been said by the medical field that a three-ply mask works the best, especially if they are well-fitting to your face. The better fit, the less chance of the particles of the dreaded c-virus getting into or out of the mask.
Just to add, even by wearing a mask, it is still advised to remain at a social distance. Although wearing a face mask can reduce the risk of spreading the virus, it does not completely stop it without other measures being in place. So make sure you do the right thing; don’t be that person who leans over another to get into the freezer or to the shelf when in a shop. You are not helping anybody by doing this and in my opinion, are a very inconsiderate person. You don’t know that the other person or yourself may be carrying the virus. Just assume everyone is infectious and keep your distance!
How to Make a Face Mask
So, now that I have had a little rant, it is time to actually get into the crafty project. For this, I have used a mask template from LoveCrafts. This is a great template to use and takes a bit of the hassle out of having to measure and mark your fabric to the correct size. I have altered the design slightly, to allow the mask to mould around the nose for a more secure fit.
You may remember I was gifted material from LoveCrafts in a previous post of, how to make a make-up bag. So, if this whets your appetite for sewing, there is another easy craft project using fat quarter pieces of material for you to try out.
If this project sounds like something you would like, then let’s get crafting!
You can also find the video version of this post at the end if you find watching a video easier to follow. Jump to the video
What you need:
To make the face mask, you are going to need the following.
*Some items on this list are affiliate links, which means I earn a small amount of commission should you make a purchase through this link. This is at no extra cost to you. All items will be marked with an asterisk (*)*
- Love craft template
- x2 pieces of cotton material – 1 for outer and 1 for inner
- Iron-on interfacing*
- Thin elastic ribbon* – cut x2 at 18cm long each
- Pipe cleaners – I bought mine as craft pack from Wilko.
- Matching cotton thread
- Scissors / rotary cutter
- Measuring tape or ruler
- Sewing machine
- Iron
- Pins
- Hand sewing needle
Step 1 – Prep Material
The first thing you need to do is prep your material. Now the advise is to use breathable cotton material, so for this tutorial I am using 100% cotton fat quarter material. If your material is new or hasn’t been washed, the very first thing to do is pop it in the washing machine. As with all sewing projects, you want to make sure that you wash, dry and iron your material before starting. This allows for any shrinkage or fraying to happen before you make the project. You don’t want the mask shrinking once it is made as it probably won’t fit well to your face!
Step 2 – Cut out material
Once the fabric is ready, it is time to use the template. If you don’t have the template, this is a rectangle measuring 23cm x 15cm. You want to cut two pieces for this. I have chosen to use plain inner cotton and a patterned outer cotton piece, but you can cut two of any cotton material. Pin the template to the material and cut this out. I found using a rotary cutter much easier than that of scissors, especially as I was making about 20 masks at once.
If you are using patterned material, make sure that you see which way the pattern is going, and how you want this to be on the mask before cutting it out. The mask is going to be a rectangle in shape, so you may want the design going horizontal.
Then you want to cut another rectangle, either using the template or measuring it out in the iron-on interfacing. This will help give the mask a bit more structure, by stiffening the material, as well as adding in a 3rd layer to the mask for extra protection.
Step 3 – Iron Material
If your fabric is not already ironed, then now is the time to do it. You want the cotton material to be as flat as possible to allow for easier and more even sewing. Take the outer piece of material and place this right side down.
If your material is patterned the more vibrant side of the pattern will be facing the table surface.
Then, take the iron-on interfacing, making sure that the shiny side of this is facing down, and place it onto the wrong side of the cotton material. Make sure the edges are as lined up as possible. Press on with the iron, and this should fuse the interfacing with the cotton material.
Step 4 – Pin and baste elastic
When the interfacing is fused, it is time to turn that piece of material over so that the right side is facing upwards. Then, take one piece of the elastic ribbon measuring 18 cm in length and pin it 1.5cm from the top on one side of the mask. Bring this down and pin at 1.5cm from the bottom of the mask. Make sure the elastic doesn’t twist and ensure the elastic is facing inwards onto the mask. Repeat on the opposite side of the face mask.
To keep these in place whilst sewing the whole mask together, it is best to secure with a basting stitch. Baste stitch is basically a temporary stitch to hold something in place. However, because you are basting elastic, the stitch has to be a zig-zag, as this will allow for the flexibility and stretch in the elastic.
Step 5 – Pin and sew face mask together
Now it is time for the face mask to start taking the proper form. Keep the piece of material with the elastic attached facing upwards, and then place the inner cotton piece right side facing downwards. Make sure the elastics are out of the way, and still facing inwards.
Pin the pieces together, making sure that there is around an 8cm gap in one of the sides of the mask. Don’t sew this part, as this is where the mask with be turned right-side out.
Sew a seam around 1cm deep around the edge of the face mask. Backstitch at each of the sides of the gap. When reaching the corner, place the needle down and turn the fabric to the direction that needs to be sewn. If this is a bit tricky for you, then you could simply run the stitches off each side, and the corner parts will cross at the seams (if that make sense?)
Step 6 – Turn mask right side out and press
It is time to turn the mask right-side out. Use the gap and gently pull the material through. Use a pen with a lid, or a seam ripper with the lid on, to push out the seams at the corners. This will help the face mask lay flat.
Then, grab the iron again, and press the mask, so that the edge seams are flat. Make sure the part where the gap is left, is folded in and press this close. This will make it easier to have an even edge on this part of the mask.
Be careful with the iron on the elastic pieces. Some elastics can melt and burn when hot heat is applied to them.
Step 6 – Add in pleats
To help the face mask fit the face and expand out to aid breathing, pleats need to be made into the mask. Create a pleat at the top part of the mask, this can be about 2.5cm down from the top, but experiment what works best for your mask (my pleats are far from equal, but still so the job).
To pleat, you want to fold the material one way and then back on itself.
I have seen a hack of creating a pleat using a fork, as this helps space it out in the folding process. I haven’t tried it, but it is worth looking up if you are having any trouble.
Pin the pleat in place, and repeat on the bottom part of the mask. Make sure the pleat is folding the same way. This can take a bit of trial and error to get right. You will know if it looks right, as it has a three pleat waterfall look. Pin this in place.
If the mask is going to be for yourself, and not someone else. You can test the mask out to see if the pleats work and allow enough room to fit on your face. Obviously don’t do this if you are making them for others unless you are going to wash them before giving them. Don’t want to be spreading those germs!
Use the iron again to press the pleats. This helps them hold their shape whilst sewing and wearing.
Step 7 – Top stitch to secure pleats
Use a top-stitch to sew the pleats into place and to create a nice finish to the face mask. This will also close that open gap left on the side. Now, ideally, you want a 1 cm deep seam/topstitch, however, if your pleat is quite near to the edge of the top or bottom, then this stitch will be narrower.
Start in one place on the mask, and sew all the way around. Drop the needle in each corner and turn to the direction of sewing. This will give the face mask a nice box outline around the edge of the mask. Start on the side where the pleats are facing /falling downwards. This will help with keeping them in place and is the easiest side to sew. The sewing machine may make a few protests and noises when going over the thick parts of the folds, so you may need to hand-wind the machine and gently pull the material through for this part.
Be mindful that you don’t catch the long part of the pleat in the seam. This will mean that your mask can’t expand and will remain too thin/small to wear.
You can leave the mask there and wear, or if you want a tighter more moulded feel to the mask, move onto the final step.
Step 8 – Secure in pipe cleaners
To create a better fitting mask around the nose, pipe cleaners can be used as they are mouldable. If you look at the surgical style masks, they all have a thin wire at the top part to make them fit better and create a seal.
Take a pipe cleaner and cut this to approximately 8 cms. They will cut easily with craft or everyday scissors, do not use fabric scissors as it will blunt them. Be careful with the pipe cleaners now as the ends will be sharp.
Place the pipe cleaner to the top of the mask, making sure it is about 1 cm down. Tack this into place using a hand sewing needle and thread. Make sure you only stitch through the inner material, as going all the way through will show the stitch on the front.
Then take a scrap piece of the inner material and cut it slightly larger than the pipe cleaner. I used pinking scissors to reduce the fabric fraying. Then use a blanket stitch to secure this in place over the top of the pipe cleaner. This will make it comfortable to wear around the nose are.
There is probably a better way of securing the pipe cleaner within the inner seam of the mask, but my brain couldn’t figure out to do it at the time of making. So, it is on the inner part of the mask instead.
There you have how to make a face mask using a fat quarter piece of material.
Wearing Face Mask tips:
A good way to test how well your mask is fitting is to try to blow out a flame whilst wearing it. This will give you an idea of how much air is going through the face mask. Check out this video by Bill Nye “the science guy”. He explains it well:
Listen to Bill Nye. pic.twitter.com/F34Ke3xlsC— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) July 9, 2020
Also, be warned, if you are a glasses wearer, your glasses may steam up when you are wearing the mask. This is because hot air you are breathing is escaping slightly from the top of the mask. If the mask is well-fitting around your nose then this should reduce the number of times your glasses steam up.
There are a few methods to help if you find that the mask needs to be tighter fitting to the face or the elastic starts to hurt behind your ears. If you have long hair then you could tie this up in two bunches. Then place the elastic loops around the bunches rather than your ears. If you can’t do this, then you could use a fabric headband with buttons positioned on it to secure the loops too. Similarly to this, you can use small knit bands with buttons on each end. Place this to the back of your head, and loop the elastic around the buttons. This is what I use at work anyway and swear by them. Check out the end of my video version to see these methods!
Face Mask Advice:
A little bit of advice when wearing the face masks.
- Make sure that your hands are clean (either washed or sanitised) before and after placing on the mask. This will help reduce the spread of germs from your hands to the mask and mask to the hands.
- If the mask becomes damp, wet or damaged, then it should be changed and not used.
- Make sure it is covering both the nose and mouth.
- Don’t remove the mask to speak – it defeats the object of the mask.
- It goes without saying, don’t share a mask.
- Try not to touch the mask when you are wearing it, other than first positioning it on your face. Refer to the handwashing point above.
- Make three of these masks – one to wear, one in the wash and one spare.
Check out How to make a drawstring bag for perfect storage of your used masks. The bags can be placed directly into the washing machine, without having to remove the masks. The masks will be washed inside the bag and removed when they are clean. How good is that? I use a large pillowcase drawstring bag to wash my uniform this way.
Let me know what you think of these face masks and if you have any tips for wearing them in the comments below!
How to Make a Face Mask Video:
Check out the video version to this post here! If you enjoyed the video, don’t forget to Like and Subscribe to my channel. Would love to see you over there!
How to Make a Face Mask – Pin it!
This is such a helpful post especially as they’ve become compulsory in the UK as of the 24th thanks for sharing!! X
Glad you found it helpful. Looks like this will be the new way of life for a while now!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
This is such a helpful post. I already have a face mask which someone kindly made for me but I’d love to have a second one, so I’m going to give this a go.
Glad you found it helpful. Once you get into making them, they become so much easier to do. I found the pleats the hardest part to get right, but they all work well enough!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
Looks better than some of the flimsy ones I’ve seen being sold on the shops!
The interfacing gives the cotton a bit of structure, so fingers crossed they last a few washes at least!
I can’t believe how much some are being sold for!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
This is so useful!!
Will definitely come in handy right now for those who want to make their own!
Love Lozza x
http://girlygabble.com
Hopefully, it will help if anyone wants to make their own. I reckon we will have another shortage if we are not careful!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
Thank you for sharing this face mask making process now that it will become mandatory to wear one in confined spaces! Could this also be made by hand stitching if a sewing machine is not available?
You could definitely have a go at hand stitching it. It will take longer to do, and you will have to make sure that you have a strong stitch/seam to withstand the wearing of it. I guess you could also use some form of fabric glue as well, but I am not sure how well that will wash.
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
Oh thank you! Goodness knows we need more masks. Commuting to work daily gives me the shivers, but with a mask a day my budget is taking a hit! A reusable and washable one would be much more useful and better
Definitely re-usable are the way to go. These aren’t medical-grade, but they definitely offer up more protection than not wearing one, or a scarf. I think we will start to see a shortage of masks before long, as this looks like it is going to be the way of life for the near future!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
I’m definitely going to try and make my own asap. I’ve been buying lots from small businesses lately as I think that is so important!
Love, Amie ❤
The Curvaceous Vegan
Definitely important to buy from small business. Hopefully, the demand will help them out loads at what probably is a really difficult time to have a small business. Deffo great to stock up on a few, especially if you can make them yourself as well!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
Yes to the face masks Aimsy! These look so pretty! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Glad you like them! So important at the moment, I reckon we will have these for a long while!
Thanks for commenting!
Aimsy xoxo
Your one looks so pretty! I’ve got a family friend making me a couple but this guide is really useful and helpful to know where to start. Thank you!
Aww thank you. I love how personal you can make these, so you can have any style and colour. I’ve made my sister-in-law Harry Potter ones!
There are so many different ways to make the mask, so I am glad that you have found this one helpful!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
Thanks for sharing this, very useful for people right now! Love the dotty material you’ve used for this one too. x
Glad you found it helpful, hopefully, it will help a few people. I have feeling that masks are going to be with us for a while, so might as well make them more enjoyable to wear. The dotty one is lovely, isn’t it?
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
Thanks for sharing! It seems easy but as for my sewing skills i will struggle for sure. Lol! I will share this to my friends. With the coronavirus still around it is our responsibility to protect ourselves and others.
Glad you like them! After the first one, you will be sewing away. I think I found the pleats the hardest part to get right, but with a bit of practice, I am sure you would have lots of beautiful masks. We definitely all need to work together to protect one another, and take some responsibility in reducing the virus spreading!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
Great step by step guide!!
Glad you like it! Happy mask-making 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
OMG! This is by far the easiest diy for face masks I’ve seen – thanks for sharing! I love the fabric you picked out too!
☼ cabin twenty-four
Glad you like it! Once the first one is made, the rest get a lot easier! I love the more simply prints, but the vibrant ones are ace too!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
This is genius Aimsy! Thanks so much for such a detailed post and what a great idea to use a pipe cleaner to shape the nose part. I’m passing this post on to my Mum who is a whizz with the sewing machine.
Cuteek.com | Geek Lifestyle and Tech Blog
Glad you like it! I knew that it needed something on the nose part because the surgical masks I have to wear at work have some form of wire in them but didn’t know what. Then it just came to me…pipe cleaners! They are so cheap as well, and always in the kid’s craft section!
Hope your mum has fun making the masks! Also thanks for retweeting, it is very much appreciated! 🙂
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
It is so important that we have enough reusable face masks! I always use a different reusable one every day and wash them accordingly. I love that you can use different patterns! It is great to see how the masks are made. Thanks for sharing this easy to follow tutorial!!
Nancy ✨ exquisitely.me
Oh, so important. Especially as this is looking like the new normal for the near future! You can definitely make them as fancy or as simple as you like, which I love.
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
Love the Music at the beginning of the video. This post is very important right now as mask are made compulsory. Thank you for the guide.
Glad you like the project, and the song is lovely isn’t it? Hope you found it helpful!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
I used a made at home mask for three weeks without a problem. This comes very handy and can use it multiple times. thank you for sharing it.
Once you have it fitted right they work great. Bet your mask looks lovely, it is great being able to make your own, isn’t it?
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
I was surprised at how easy it was to sew a good mask when I first tried it, though the shape of my face turned out to be a bit of a problem. Because my chin is so pointy, I have trouble wearing a normal mask so it sticks securely to my face. That is one of the reasons I love being able to sew my own things! Any number of adjustments can be made to make it perfect. 🙂
I didn’t realise how easy they would be to make until I looked into it. I have seen more done shaped masks, but I’m not sure how to make this style. That is the beauty of being able to make your own, isn’t it? You can make them fit better!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsu xoxo
It’s nice to see them in prints looking colourful! Such an informative post about tips for using them too x
Sophie
I love the colourful prints, those ones are for my mum Glad you like the tips, just a few I have picked up in the months of donning masks!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
Ooh I love this! Great info and very helpful 🙂
Glad you like it and found it helpful!
Thanks for commenting
Aimsy xoxo
This is such a cute pattern! I’ll have to give this one a try
Glad you like it! Would love to see your masks if you do give it a go!
Thanks for commenting
Aimsy xoxo
Great step by step instructions
Thank you for sharing this information
JENISH | https://knowafactfromj.blogspot.com
This is a really helpful post! Thank you for sharing. I have found it hard to find affordable reusable masks, or ones that don’t fog up my glasses when I breathe. I think I will have a go at making my own as it’s a great DIY and you can personalize them more! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Em | http://www.loveemblog.com
Glad that you have found it helpful! I have seen some handmade ones being sold at ridiculously high prices. If you have some cotton material and a few sewing skills, you can even do these by hands, then it makes sense to have a go at making your own. Not only do you get a mask, but you get a bit of sewing practise in as well! I would love to see how your masks turn out!
Happy crafting!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
Such a useful post, especially as masks are now compulsory! Thanks for sharing!
Tash // A Girl with a View
Glad you have found the post useful and you enjoyed it!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
I love it.
http://www.rsrue.blogspot.com
Glad you like it!
Aimsy xoxo
Thank you for posting this. When you have a hard time finding masks, this post is pure gold.
I am glad you like it. Definitely great to be able to make your own, especially if there comes to be a shortage!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
At the start of quarantine, I tried to make a mask because I had the time and I needed something to do during lockdown. Long story short, it was a fail. That being said, I still have all the materials and perhaps I’ll try again. Your instructions are easier than the one I initially followed. I’m happy to try it out.
xxxx
https://ooomaye.com
Not going to lie, my first attempt wasn’t the best, but after making a few I got the technique down. If you want to make several at once, I would recommend cutting out all the materials and then following the steps for each mask at the same time e.g. ironing on the interfacing in one go. Makes it much more productive when you are not swapping and changing from the sewing machine to the iron all the time.
Hope this helps you make your mask…I would love to see how yours turns out!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
I loved your face mask tutorial. This is so timely and helpful. I’ve been required to wear a face mask in public for weeks now here in Arizona.
So glad you like the tutorial! Hopefully, it will help in the making of a few masks. Looks like masks will be the way forward for the near future at least.
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
This is such an incredibly useful tutorial – making your own seems to be the better way to go!
Glad you found it useful! Hopefully, it will help in making your own mask… I think mask-wearing is going to be with us for a while!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
This is a really helpful post. I shared it on twitter too as it will be really helpful if people can’t find a place to buy one. Thank you for sharing.
Lauren | http://www.bournemouthgirl.com
Glad you found it really helpful, and thank you for sharing it on twitter. Hopefully, it will help a few people out!
Thanks for commenting too 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
Great tips for masks!
Thanks, glad you like them!
Aimsy xoxo
Thanks for this. They look great 🙂
Hope you found it useful, and glad you like it!
Aimsy xoxo
You are so talented and this is a really cute mask! Nice way to add the pipe cleaner in at the end too! 🙂
We don’t have to wear masks yet as there are so few cases here in Queensland but they are requiring them in another state where there is a lot of community transmission, and I am sure that it will only be a matter of time before they require them here. The ladies at the opshop made some so I picked up a few just in case, so I’m prepared if we have to wear them suddenly. I don’t have the skills to make mine myself, I can’t sew! And there have been shortages in the other state when they were made mandatory.
Hope that your week is going well 🙂 It’s a cold and wintery one here!
Glad you like them and thank you! I took me ages to think about that pipe cleaner, but such an easy fix to get the mask fitting around the nose.
Hopefully, the cases don’t start to rise where you are, but you will have your masks in case! I am sure you would be able to sew a few together with enough practice, but it is great that you were able to buy them from the opshop. A least the money you have spent will be going towards a good cause.
I am so glad it is the weekend. We are keeping our fingers crossed for a bit of warmer weather over here!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
These look great. Me and my wife were discussing making them last week. She’s going to have to read this – not because I’m a massive chauvinist, but because I’d just end up with a piece of cloth with random stitches here and there, that I’d have to stick it to my face!
Glad you like them. Haha! Well, hopefully this will help her make a few masks for you both!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
This is such a great DIY. Especially for right now. Luckily, I work at a dental office so I am always close to masks when I need them!
Glad you like them! That is so handy to have them so close. We have plenty at work, but have to use our own when out and about.
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
Great post and mega helpful right now! I imagine continuously buying new masks can get pretty pricey. I think the benefits of making your own is that you can get so creative with materials and patterns!
Thank you, and glad you like. I hope it does help some make their own. It will definitely get pricey, especially as companies keep increasing the prices to match demand. Deffo can get more creative with all the different materials and patterns!
Thanks for commenting 😉
Aimsy xoxo
This is such a great post! I would love to make my own mask these instructions are super handy!
Amber – The Unpredicted page
Glad you like them and that the instructions are useful!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo
Thanks for this. It’s so helpful. https://kaynuli.com/albanian-music/
Thanks, glad you found it helpful!
Aimsy xoxo
The masks will probably stay with us for a long time. A very useful post.
Definitely, I think we will be wearing a mask for quite a while now. Glad you found it helpful!
Aimsy xoxo
Greta post! We all need these right now and this allows us to get creative and have fun with it!
Elise | http://www.elisebythepiece.com
Glad you like it! Definitely a great excuse to get a bit more creative with it. Looks like the masks will be around for a long while yet!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Aimsy xoxo