Just a sample. I’ve used ties, bias tape, homemade bias tape, elastic, and ribbon. But I just got an order of elastic and twill tape, so I can continue. We have someone pick up any donated masks every Sunday at our church from a bin outside. She says she is swarmed everytime word gets around that there are more masks. Again, it’s the non-clinical staff, IT repair folks, janitors, receptionists, etc. etc. that just are not getting enough masks. And it saves masks for the clinical staff. And they are washable. I always use non woven interfacing with two layers of cotton. My stash is shrinking…amazingly it doesn’t look that much smaller.
Title: Mask Folding Template Masks for: Friends and family - a dozen or more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgHrnS6n4iA&feature=youtu.be
I’ve also made masks for friends and family that ask for them, and donated fabric and elastic to others. Others have donated elastic to me when I ran out and my order was stalled.
And I don’t make a filter pocket. It often goes unnoticed and most people quit bothering to put a filter in. I can make them if someone requests a filter pocket, it’s just a minor modification.
Some modifications I’ve made:
I use floral wire, 6" with 1/2 inch bends at the end, final length is about 5" I make a bunch and keep in a little box.
I also only do two folds. They are a bit bigger and much easier to do on the nice tightly woven fabric. Same result, pulled out, the mask is still the same size.
Depending on supplies, I either sew the elastic in as in the video, leave the sides unfinished and then use a 32-36" piece of bias tape as ties and closure to seal off the folded mask sides.
Add a channel for ribbon or bias tape or whatever to thread through for ties
When using threaded ties, this little tool has been my friend, a locker hook. The eyelet is large enough and the whole thing is long enough to make threading ties very fast and easy. Mine is about 6 " long.
Best idea ever! Created a folding template. Hold over the front, add the smaller one in the back and fold. I clip one end of the mask with fabric clips and stitch the other end, doing a continuous chain stitched batch. Then turn around and do the clipped end. This has sped things up amazingly.
THANK YOU for posting that video link! I knew there had to be a way to make the pleats quicker and I even looked online today but couldn’t find anything,
I’ve been hired to help a small business make masks for sale and I’m already tired of measuring and folding and I’ve only done 29. Tomorrow I’ll get my hubby to help me create one for my two pleats.
@Abbeeroad - I’m not trying to be silly or anything, and I don’t know how to machine sew but I have an idea…how is the wire in underwire bras put in so it doesn’t poke thru? Maybe that would help?
I’ve been using garbage twist ties, they work great, even better if you tear off two at once and fold them over together.
Look at the top wire in this photo, I would do that for pipe cleaner as well, even twist the fold over up a bit to more securely fasten it.
I saw a tutorial using a strip of aluminum from one of those disposable baking trays. That stuff is super easy to cut and fold the edges over and it makes a nice flat piece for shaping round the nose. It would work best for a mask with a flatter top edge like the HK pattern.
Title: 4 More masks for healthcare workers Masks for: We’ll be mailing these and the three we made before to a local hospital tomorrow. Pattern Link to Share:
As a super beginner, I found this pattern really challenging, and unfortunately don’t think I have the energy to keep making more of these. But I’m going to keep making lots of the fitted ones for friends and family!
I love this pattern. My mother and I have been working on these assembly-line style, and have quite a few more started (there will be at least four whale ones in total ;P). Even as total beginners, we are definitely getting the hang of it and it’s getting easier and quicker!
Great work! Tell me, do you find it comfortable to wear? I am tweaking this pattern so I falls lower beneath the eyes. I had a complaint from some children - SIGH.
Title: three masks for a friend. Blue to match her uniform Masks for: a police officer Pattern Link to Share:@magpies awesome improvement on the HK pattern
I just gotta say, it’s kind of overwhelmingly awesome how many masks this community is cranking out. Is anyone keeping a total tally? I’m sure it’s HUGE!!
