DIY COTTON FACE MASK

DIY Cotton Face Mask

How to make an easy face mask at home?

This year has been a little different from the previous years, particularly due to the coronavirus outbreak worldwide. In some way it has probably affected every single one of us, some in more and some in less obvious ways. It have been some challenging months of anxiety, precautions, restrictions and social distancing. And there has been an understandable demand for protective tools in order to keep ourselves and others as healthy as possible.

Not all bad

On a positive note, despite the fear, uncertainty and economic drops there are many bright consequences to the situation too. The pandemic has reminded us to value our unconditional healthcare staff, dedicated teachers, the elderly and the sick. It showed us that the freedom to travel, to enjoy nature or even study or shop for groceries is not a matter of course. We have a chance to show care and solidarity to each other and that must be a good thing!

Today’s DIY Face Mask tutorial will help you make your own two-layer pocket face mask should you or your family need it. It comes in two sizes – adult and child – on FREE printable pattern!

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DIY Cotton Face Mask

Making time: 15-20 minutes each face mask

Note: In certain areas it is advised to clearly differentiate between the front and the back of the facemask, in order to prevent contamination. To achieve this simply use two different fabric patterns, one for each side. Alternatively – which is what I have done – you can iron one of the pocket sides slightly shorter for the back (the side which touches the face).

You’ll need:

• FREE Printable DIY Face Mask Pattern (3 year old kids option HERE, for ties you can use the same guide as for the adult face mask, alternatively use approx. 12cm of a 1-3mm elastic band which can endure 90 degree wash)
• 100% cotton fabric of your choice (Quilting cotton bundles work great for face masks and you can even choose different lovely designs for front and back!)
• sewing machine of your choice (Great and very affordable option is this signature Singer 4423 sewing machine ideal for beginners but fully capable of managing advanced sewing projects especially if you plan to take your sewing further!)
• pins
• scissors
• pencil
• non-woven filter fabric (optional additional layer)

Instructions

Adult Cotton Face Mask

Begin by printing out the FREE Printable Face Mask Pattern. This design is intended as a two-layer pocket cotton face mask which can also hold an additional changable layer for further protection. Despite three layers the mask is still comfortable for normal breathing.

Wash the cotton fabric at 60 degrees for initial cleaning and shrinking of the material. Iron the fabric, lay it down double in two layers and place the cut-out cotton face mask pattern on top. Trace the pattern with a soft pencil onto the fabric, including the markings on the sides. Cut the drawn piece out – with a double layer you should have two identical pieces to work with. If you need to, use scissors to cut the markings slightly for better visibility when folding later. The two square shapes will form the mask.

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Take one of the squares and fold the top. Fold again to create a hem and iron over the hem to secure it. Do the same at the bottom as shown on the images. Then use the side markings to form three folds facing downwards on the right side of the fabric. Begin at the top by pinching about two centimetres of the fabric, folding it so it points downwards. Iron over to secure the fold and continue with the second and third fold.

Do the same with both pieces. At this point you can also stitch across the top hem of each piece with a sewing machine. Then place both ironed pieces wrong sides facing each other and secure the bottom ironed hems with pins. Sew over these hems to stitch them together. Then stitch on the sides approx. 0.5cm from the edge to create a ‘pocket’.

Ties

You will also need two more pieces to make the ties. Draw a long rectangle on a double layer of cotton fabric, measuring 3 x 90 cm. Cut it out and fold the sides inwards lengh-wise, securing the fold with an iron as shown on the images bellow. Work along the entire piece. Then fold the ironed piece one more time in half and iron again. Do the same for both pieces of the fabric. You now have two long ties to attach to the face mask pocket.

To attach the ties, pin the middle of the stitched face mask poket side and the middle of the ironed tie piece. Then attach the two pieces at this point and secure with pins. Sew all along the tie, over the attached pocket part, all the way to the end. Repeat for the other side as well.

Lastly, insert a non-woven piece of fabric into the face mask pocket. This is optional but should add extra protection efficiency to your face mask. The non-woven fabric would be a thin synthetic surface wipe, thin hoover filter and such. This layer functions as a filter and should be thin enough to not compromize the breathing.

Care:

Cotton face mask is reusable and should be washed at 90 degrees after each use. Ideally, iron the face mask after the wash as well for further desinfection. Any extra layer inserted into the pocket should be thrown away and changed each time. After use avoid touching the face mask excessively, espeacially the outer side of the mask. Mask should be removed by undoing the ties, carefully pulling the insert out and put directly to wash/alternativelly into a boiling water on a stove.

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Disclaimer: This article may contain affiliate links. For more information visit the Terms & Conditions page.