I’ve been sewing cloth face masks for almost 2 months now. It’s been a roller coaster of emotions, but I think I’ve finally come full circle. I’ve shared a lot of how I’ve felt throughout the process on Instagram, but wanted to share everything I’ve learned along the way here too.
There’s a lot of great information available on how to sew a face mask, but it can be super overwhelming. Instead of sharing another tutorial, here’s a rundown of what I’ve learned:
- It doesn’t matter the style as long as it’s snug on your face. If you can sew, pick your favorite among all the patterns available. If you can’t sew, there are easy no sew methods to make your own. Don’t let the abundance of options overwhelm you to the point that you don’t know where to begin. The CDC’s recommendations sums it all up nicely with a few easy tutorials.
- There’s no need to go to the store to get supplies. Any 100% cotton will do like a pillowcase or bandana. Elastic hair ties, headbands, or an old t-shirt cut into strips also work for ties.
- There will be mixed emotions that come with this. Know that you’re not alone. Watching my kids try one on “just in case” they ever need to leave the house is surreal.
- If making for friends/family, they fit wonderfully into a large manilla envelope. You can send up to 4 with a couple of stamps. More than 4 and postage is roughly $3. Also serves as a decent frisbee when doing porch drop offs from a safe distance. Print postage at home and you’ll never have to come into contact with anyone. If donating, 75+ fit into a flat rate envelope.
- Headbands with buttons (for those wearing masks all the time) are easy to make. Add buttons to an existing headband or hack any headband pattern available. If you want to make something different, headbands, surgical caps, and laundry bags are also great ideas.
And don’t forget the single most important thing:
Face masks are NOT a substitute for social distancing.
I’ve personally chosen one pattern and stuck with it the entire time, because it’s worked and I haven’t felt the need to branch out. Using the supplies I have on hand (which happens to be a lot more than I thought possible), I’ve been able to make hundreds of masks for organizations, family and friends, and anyone in need. It’s been rewarding to help from home, but it’s also been incredibly emotionally and physically draining. Taking breaks and doing other projects has helped immensely.
The pattern I started with (and ended up tweaking for my own preferences) came from Seams Right Designs. I’ll share in another post what I’ve changed for anyone interested, but this pleated pattern makes it easy for me to batch sew.
If you feel like sewing a mask, that’s great! If you don’t want to sew a mask, that’s great too. Everyone can contribute to flattening the curve in their own ways by staying at home, cutting down on unnecessary trips, and social distancing.
For more tips, I have a Face Mask highlight on Instagram for easy reference.
Have you been sewing face masks? If you have any useful tips to share, feel free to leave them below.
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