by Who started the apocalypse!
The current situation with the world is terrible, the year so far has shown that not everyone has common sense and reasserting that there are a large number of vile people. I am classing 2020 as a write off year – after it ends I hope to not think of it again, but take away lessons that have been learnt. With my anxiety making me feel like I am asymptomatic and will infect others and potentially ending up killing someone, making masks to prevent a lot of germs leaving me and bothering others is helping me feel like I can leave my flat and see other people – at a distance!
The masks I have been making can be made with or without using a sewing machine. No pattern is needed as long as you own a plate. If you want to try making a make of your own, feel free to use this method.
What you will need:
- Fabric for your mask
- Scissors (fabric scissors are preferable but not essential)
- Plate – a round dinner one
- Pencil (to draw round the plate but you can cut straight around it if you like)
- Elastic/ ribbon or leftover fabric for the ear ties
- Needle and thread
1. With the ‘right’ side of the fabric facing down, drawn around the plate (or cut straight around – this can sometimes make the edges jagged). This will give you a circle of fabric which will make your mask.
2. Fold your circle of fabric into quarters and cut along the folded edges to give you 4 pizza slices of your mask.
3. Take 2 slices of your fabric quarters and put them together. Make sure the ‘right’ side of each piece is facing each other.
4. Sew along the curved edge leaving the 2 straight edges open. You will need to do this with the other 2 slices as well.
5. Once you have sewn along the curved edge of the 2 sets of quarters, you should have 2 separate halves that we connect now. Turn one of these fabric bowls ‘right’ side out and place the 2 together with ‘right’ sides facing each other.
6. Sew along the straight sides, leave an inch free at the beginning and end of each of the strap points. We will use these to turn your mask outside in so the right side is facing out.
7. Push one of the open corners through the second one corner like turning a tube inside out. I sometimes use a lone chopstick to help push the material through tight gaps.
8. With the mask now in the right way, we need to attach the elastic/ribbon to the corners so the mask stays on your face. Cut 2 lengths of your chosen binding agent, make sure it is long enough to go around your ears. It is better to have too long pieces that you can tie tighter than have straps that don’t reach your ears. Depending on whether you want to slip the straps over your ears or tie a bow, I do recommend making a small knot on the end that is going to be attached to the mask, this will stop the strap from slipping through loose stitches.
9. Pop the knotted end into the openings you used to turn the mask the right way around. Fold the points of the openings in between the 2 layers of mask covering the end of the strap. This should make the sides small straight edges rather than a point. Sew the edges closed with the strap wedged inside.
10. Try on and be safe.
Thanks for taking the time to read my post. Let me know in the comments if you have tried this or any other mask making tutorials. I hope you all stay safe and well during this trying time.
How to Emma 
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