FACE MASKS: One No-Sew, and One Sewed

Click on the below link to learn more about 

wearing a face mask:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cSftJQomNE


This blog includes 2 face mask designs: first one is a simple no-sew, and second one requires sewing.

MASK #1
A NEW KIND OF MASK-NO SEWING NEEDED!
Here we sat, confined to our house, me 75 and he 81, seeing that we were going to run out of food soon.  What to do, as we have gloves but no masks.  E-e-e-k! The CORONA VIRUS!!!  No joke, it is a serious matter and we know it.  Well, as an artis I can think out of the box when necessary, so I worked up some prototypes, and came up with a good one.  I wanted it to be washable, maybe bleachable, however when you put them in the dryer all contamination is gone anyway.  I also wanted to make it a simple design  so that I could share it with others who may need them.  This is so fast and easy I don't know why no one thought of it before.

WHAT FABRIC TO USE?
I started out with white T-shirts, cut them up, kept designing until I came up with a size that fit my face perfectly.  Then I went through my pile of jersies and blouses in my "donations" bin, along with my husband Bob's old shirts.  Some of the face masks were smashing - tropical, bling, stripes, camouflage, etc., and you can have your child make his/her own with appropriately patterned fabrics for them.  Fun stuff, and a nice project to do with them to make for others.

So anyway, here it is:

ILLUSTRATION (A)

Cut fabric 12" x 6" - no need to hem.
Cut 3" slits one inch from each side.
Round corners as indicated.

OR ... for faster cutting if you are making many of them, see Illustration (B)

ILLUSTRATION (B)

Fold the 6"x12" piece of fabric in half, then in half again as illustrated.
Cut a 1-1/2" slit one inch from the raw edge.
Round off all 4 corners all at once.
Done.

ILLUSTRATION (C)

Grasp both ends of mask (C) as shown
Pull each side backwards towards your ears, give it a twist and tuck the ear straps behind your ears.

ILLUSTRATION (D)

This is what your mask should look like when it is installed properl (D)Note that the section coming from the nose is underneath that coming from the chin.  This angle keeps the mask from slipping down, and fits snugly against the face so that no droplets can get in.

Be sure to tuck the loose fabric under the fold coming up from the chin, as indicated.



MASK #2
2-LAYERS, REQUIRES SEWING

Sewed masks are more professional looking, but requires a lot more work.  Fun thing is, you can make it reversible, with 2 different fabrics.  This one will hold up in the washing machine a bit better, as all raw edges are sewn.  Many of my masks are made with discarded clothing.  For little girls masks I cut up an old sparkly princess dress which my granddaughter outgrew.  For men's, I used old shirts of my husband's.  For something special I used an antique napkin and folded it in a way that the fancywork was in the front.

So for this mask, you will need a sewing machine (or you can do it by hand), 1/8" to 1/4" elastic cording (fabric-covered elastic), thread, and enough fabric to make however many masks you want.

First, cut 2 pieces of fabric 9-1/2" x 6".  Put them together, right sides facing, and sew the two longer edges together, about 1/4" hem (illustration A).

ILLUSTRATION (A)

Turn sewn piece right side out and iron it if needed.  Cut two pieces of cording 6", and slip the ends into the raw edges of fabric as shown, for the ear straps.  Tack them in place. See illustration B.

ILLUSTRATION (B)

Working on one side at a time, pleat and stitch as shown in illustration C.

ILLUSTRATION (C)

Sew in zigzag stitch along both sides as in illustration D, which further secures the elastic and finishes off the raw outside edges.  With this addition reinforcement the ear straps should hold tight and be safely washed without getting damaged.

The mask should fit snugly around the face, with strap fitting securely around ears.  if it is too tight, you may have to make the ear straps longer.

This mask of course is not of an accepted medical quality, but if you have no masks this one should stop airborne particles from directly entering your mouth or nose, and it will protect others from getting your own breathing spray.  It is not just the particles you can see which fall to the ground over several feet, it is the minute particles you cannot see that become airborne from normal breathing and which float in the air for much longer.

BE BETTER PROTECTED

• If you insert a coffee filter it would give you even more protection.
• Spritz the outside of your mask with lemon juice to create an acidic environment--Corona virus doesn't like it.
• Make sure the mask fits snugly, but comfortably as shown.  You may have to make adjustments with the size of the mask, depending on the size of your face, distance from ear to ear, size of your nose, chin, etc..
• Wash with hot soapy water (washing machine ok), bleach it if it is white or light, then dry in dryer for additional sanitation.
• If you are making a large amount of masks, take them out of the dryer with sterile hands and put them in a ziplock to keep them sterile until delivery.

As I watch TV and see all the carnage out there, and hear the medical workers crying for supplies and equipment and protection for themselves and their patients ... I realize this pandemic is one that will not all of a sudden go away  Unless of course our wonderful scientists find a cure or a vaccine.  We all should be praying for that to happen.  In the meantime, God bless all who are serving in any capacity at this time--from doctors and nurses to scientists, grocery handlers, mail carriers and delivery people, druggists, and of course kind neighbors and friends who offer help.

 If you find this face mask helpful, please feel free to pass it on.  I found success in distributing them by e-blasting my friends, students and neighbors, offering them free if they just drive into my driveway and pick one or two, or however many they need for their families. Not many opportunities in this lifetime to do something so simple that could mean a life saved or a bad sickness averted, so why not?

Stay safe, keep your face covered and wear gloves when out with the public.

Judy Burgarella
Blogger
Sebastian, Florida
www.burgarellaart.com
www.artbyburgarella.blogspot.com
www.burgarellaportraits.blogspot.com