Sew Your Own Cloth Face Mask With These Tutorials
I’ve been making some sewn face masks lately: I’ve made some personal masks for myself and my family, and I’ve also made some for a local crafter group working to make masks for our healthcare workers, homelessness workers, and other groups in need right now. Several people have asked me for recommendations on tutorials and patterns, so here they are.
NOTE: Please do not go out to buy fabric or elastic to sew masks. The best way to help right now is to stay home. If you do not have a stash of fabric at home, consider using a cotton dishtowel, or cutting up an old tablecloth. The tutorials listed here call for tightly woven cotton fabric, so look through your home for possible sources, or order something if you must.
ALSO NOTE: I am not a medical expert, and I am not making any claims regarding the protections these masks will give you during this pandemic. I am simply collecting here the resources I have used in the past two weeks for others to use in their own mask-making. Some of the tutorials listed below include links to research and current information about effectiveness of sewn cloth masks, I encourage you to read them and stay informed.
Of course, there are plenty of mask tutorials out there besides just the ones listed below, and the question I’ve been asked the most is, “Which tutorial should I use?”
Answer #1: If you are sewing masks for healthcare workers, or an organization, sew whatever mask pattern they are asking for. It’s best to find a specific request from a hospital, or a local organized crafting group in your area working directly with organizations, and follow their instructions.
Answer #2: If you’re sewing personal masks for yourself and your family, I recommend a pattern that is not too complicated, easily washable, and does not require elastic. Elastic is increasingly difficult to find right now, and is a priority material for healthcare worker’s masks. If you already have elastic in your stash at home, feel free to use it for your masks. If you don’t have elastic, resist the urge to go out looking for it, and sew fabric ties instead. Some patterns and tutorials offer alternatives to traditional elastic, and make use of hair ties and headbands. If you have these items at home, go ahead and use them in your masks, but again: please do not go out shopping for these supplies.
Tutorials I Recommend:
A.B. Mask by jessica.nandino on Instructables
This tutorial can be made as a cover for healthcare workers to wear over their N95 masks, or as a personal mask for wearing to the grocery store, etc. It’s an efficient design that should hold up well in the wash and does not require elastic.
DIY Cloth Face Mask by ashevillejm on Instructables
This tutorial is the one I used for my personal masks and the ones I made for my family. The pattern is a bit more complicated than the other two listed here, but if you have some sewing experience this yields a nice, form fitting mask that contours well to the face. Adding top stitching to the center curved seam before combining the layers will help the mask hold up better in the wash. This tutorial also includes recommendations on filtering material.
Deaconess Mask Tutorial
This tutorial is the first one I made, we used this pattern in our crafting group for a group working with the homeless during this time (images below). It’s a quick and simple pattern that is good for beginners or those who haven’t touched their sewing machine in a while. It also includes an option using fabric ties instead of elastic, and child sizing.
Sew a Cotton Face Mask by Erin St Blaine on Adafruit
This tutorial shows you how to make a mask with simple hand sewing, no sewing machine required. There is also no need to shop for supplies, as it uses a dishtowel and some hair ties. If you don’t have hair ties, you can substitute cloth ties: cut the folded hems of your dishtowel off and use them as your ties.
The How and Why of Sewing Homemade Surgical Masks by Clarissa
Finally, watch this fantastic video by Clarissa at Make It and Fake It. She explains why it might be a good idea to make these masks, and shows you how to make one, all in less than 5 minutes. You definitely have 5 minutes, so go watch it!
