Hello fellow sewists! Seems like everybody is interested in making masks for the population. According to Mr. K, who is constantly keeping up on coronavirus news, consuming only info from experts, masks are going to be with us for a very long time.  Remember how silly people in the airport wearing face masks seemed months and years ago? Well, they learned from experience and had the right idea, any protection is better than none.

 

I found this pattern on the University of Minnesota website, it’s a good one;  tucks for a 3D fit, wire over the top edge to conform to your nose and a pocket for a filter. A PDF with instructions is here:  DYI Face Masks

I tweaked the pattern a bit, it’s a quite large mask, fits Mr. K perfectly, so I graded the pattern for a medium size, fits me well and a small size for children. I changed the method of inserting wire across the top; the pattern instructed to thread the wire through a channel at the top, what a pain! Instead, I zig-zagged the wire onto the mask before closing it up:

I also changed the elastic from going around the ears to going around the head. This made the masks much more comfortable, and you’re less likely to touch your face to adjust for comfort. When you get to your safe zone, you can let the mask hang around your neck until it’s needed next. Quite the fashion accessory! I used fine quality, 100% cottons from my stash, and coffee filters for the pocket…so cute!

 

Let me know if you’d like a tutorial on making this most excellent mask!

 

TTFN