31st October 2020

Make your own easy face masks

Here are three methods for making your own face mask – one sewn on a machine, one sewn by hand and one no-sew super-easy and quick version.

Machine sewn mask

You will need: cotton or cotton mix fabric, narrow elastic, thread

1. Cut two rectangles of fabric, 21cms x 19cms.
2. Measure 5.5 cms up from the bottom and make a mark, and 5.5 cms down from the top, and mark on both sides.
3. Fold the fabric in half with the right side of the fabric inside, and iron a crease to make a middle fold.
4. Fold the fabric using the side marks as a guide and press these along the middle fold, from the top, and from the bottom.
  Press from side mark to side mark with iron, and then press to the centre fold line.
  
  On the reverse it will look like this
  
  On the front it will look like this.
5. Along the top of both pieces turn over and press 0.5 cms along the top edge and machine down.
6. Cut two pieces of elastic, 16 cms each and machine on (as shown in the photo)
  Machine down the sides of one piece of fabric catching in the elastics like this.
7. Lay the other piece of fabric on top, right sides together, and machine around three sides, leaving the top open. Snip corners and turn through and press. Mark 5.5 cms in from each side along the open edge. Top stitch around the whole mask leaving an opening at the top.

Fold kitchen paper or tissues and place inside the mask – don’t forget to remove when you wash it. Place over your mouth and spread out, putting the elastics around your ears to hold in place.

Hand sewn mask

You will need: an old t-shirt, 2m cord, thread.

1. 1. Cut out 2 pieces of your old t shirt 25 cms x 15 cms.
  2. Pin to hold together, then sew a simple over and over or blanket stitch around the edges, leaving a gap of about 10 cms on the top edge.
  3. Cut the cord in half and place one piece along each side edge. Fold the fabric over and pin in place. Sew along with a running or back stitch.

Put folded paper towels inside the mask (don’t forget to remove when you wash it) Place over your mouth and tie the cords at the back of your head.

Very easy no-sew mask

You will need – a napkin or large piece of fabric (approximately 50 cms square, smaller for a child) two elastic hairbands – these can be small if the mask is for a child, or use bigger ones for an adult.

1. Lay the fabric right side down on the table. Fold the top and bottom edges into the middle, then fold in half, then in half again so you have a long strip of several layers of folded fabric. You can experiment with the size, it will depend on who will be wearing the mask.
2. Place a hairband over each end, about a third of the way along.
3. Fold each end in and tuck one end inside the other.