Many DIY face masks have bothersome elastic to hold them in place. Elastic can be rough and irritate your ears. So I decided to figure out how to make a face mask without elastic.
I decided to use a knit fabric in place of the elastic. It is stretchy, so much softer and much more comfortable.
There are just 5 seams to sew and I'll walk you through the entire process from start to finish with step-by-step pictures AND a video tutorial. Even if you've never sewn before, you can do this!
These cloth masks are sized for adults. My teens wear them and they fit fine. My youngest is 10 and they are too big for her. I will be adding a section with cut measurements for children's sizes soon.
These masks are for personal use and are not intended for medical purposes.
HOW TO MAKE A FACE MASK WITHOUT ELASTIC
↓ ↓ ↓ PIN IT ↓ ↓ ↓
↑ ↑ ↑ PIN IT ↑ ↑ ↑
SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR DIY FACE MASKS
- Cotton fabric - 16 X 7 1/2 inches
- an old t-shirt to cut up for the ear loops
- thread
- sewing machine
- scissors
- iron & ironing board
HOW TO MAKE A FACE MASK
Begin by cutting out a piece of fabric that is 16 inches X 7 1/2 inches. Cut two pieces from an old t-shirt that are 1 inch X 6 inches. These two pieces are your diy ear loops for your face mask.
Now fold the fabric in half hamburger style. The folded piece will be 8" X 7 1/2". Finger press along the fold.
Open up the fabric. Pin one end of the t-shirt strip close to the fold you just made.
Pin the other half of the strip near the bottom of the fabric. Be sure to pin it at least 1/2 inch from the bottom.
Pin the other ear loop in place on the other side of the fabric.
Re-fold the fabric with right sides together. Sew along each side with 1/4 inch seam allowance. Make sure the ends of the ear loop fabric is caught securely in the seam.
Turn the fabric right side out. Press the mask flat. Fold the edges of the open edge inside about 1/4 of an inch. Press flat.
Sew along the open seam to close the opening.
Fold two pleats in the mask. The mask from top to bottom should be approximately 4 1/2 inches. Adjust the pleats accordingly and pin in place. Sew along both edges of the mask to secure the pleats in place.
Want to watch the video? ↓↓Click the link ↓↓
MORE EASY SEWING CRAFTS
Don't forget to pin it!!
Another soft stretchy loop option is to use a horizontal slice from the leg of toddler tights. (Heavier weight adult tights would work too.) The rest of the tights can be used to make a mask carry bag, or soft stretchy plant ties or to make or replace cuffs for tshirts or jackets...
ReplyDeleteYes, that's a great idea! Tights or leggings would work great! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI told my husband that I had a great idea for making ear loops which weren't painful. Just use cut-up T-shirts. He thought it was a good idea, too. The next day I saw your website and I quit patting myself on the back. Yay for you!
ReplyDelete