I read today that adding a layer of panty nose over your mask improved effectiveness by quite a bit. cut an 8-10 inch wide piece from a leg and stretch over your head and over the mask. It improves the seal around your face. Now to just see if I have any panty hose that have not crumbled into dust…can they do that? I haven’t worn them in years!
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Cool, thanks @Abbeeroad! I used a similar pattern for the man, it’s the shape he likes most to fit over his beard. You can see him wearing it above, it’s green and orange tie-dye 
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I sewed it inside out like a pillow case, the same way I’m stitching most patterns. The way handy girl has it adds a lot of bulk to the seams and extra work I prefer to avoid. I’m working on a revised pattern to share, maybe you’ll test it out for me?
I made a couple of the one I linked above, the strap goes around the neck under the ears and closes with a button and elastic loop. I can see it being an option if you really couldn’t stand anything touching your ears or head but it doesn’t feel secure to me. I worry about hands on face adjustments happening. I guess better than nothing for a fussy wearer though.
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I’m not sure I could wear a nylon stocking over a mask personally. I have trouble breathing with a mask that’s too close to my face already. Good option if you are really feeling sick but have to go out and trying to keep your germs to yourself though.
Even when I wear a mask, I have the luxury of staying away from people. It’s an option and if it improves the effectiveness for those who only have fabric masks available in health care scenarios, it’s an easy and cheap addition…if you can find panty hose. now there will be a run on L’eggs! Remember when they came in eggs? Whoops, age reveal.
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I do remember! LOL. Last time I bought a pair it was at the dollar store for cutting up to tie tomatoes.
I posted another mask with pattern review and tweaks.. It’s an interesting style and I found it satisfying to make. Not sure I would again, it’s not easier than some others though it does seem to take way less elastic.
I made my own pattern for my neighbor who works at a grocery store, I wanted something QUICK
Took about 15 minutes, including cutting
2-6"X9" rectangles
4-18" bias tape strips (1 package gave me 6 strips so 2 went unused)
Lay 1 rectangle right side up then place the 4 bias strip pieces 1/4" down from top edges and 1/4" up from bottom edges of fabric, leaving open edge of bias tape towards the top and bottom. Pin. Lay second rectangle right side down and reposition pins to capture all 3 layers. Starting off center on the bottom, stitch with 1/4" seam allowance making sure to only capture the edges of the bias tape in your sewing. Leave 2-3 inch opening in the bottom for turning. Turn, poke out corners, and press. Starting on one end of the bias tape, sew along the open edges and across the mask top. Repeat for the bottom portion of the mask sewing the turning hole shut as well. Make 2 pleats equidistant on the sides and pin. Sew 1/4" away from edges and VOILA!
I would not recommend these for medical personnel but for private use (running errands, etc…) they’re great
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Love the fabric. and that’s pretty much the way I make the most of my donation masks.
To insert the wire, since trying to stitch around a wire has caused a few needle breakages when hitting the wire…it’s not always as straight as one would hope, I use floral wire, which I have lots of…and it’s not very straight, I do my best, but…
I had to draw it out. It has saved me a lot of time by reducing the fussing with the wire. And I can chain top-stitch the bottom and do multiples. If I leave both ends open because I will be adding bias tape or a threading channel as the final step, I just stitch straight across the top and slip the wire in from the end before finishing off the sides.
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That seems very efficient, thanks for sharing your illustration. I have no idea how to render computer images like that, I sure wish I did.
I’ve been trying out a lot of patterns. These are mostly for friends and neighbours but I’ll make more now that I’ve worked out a favourite. I have photos ready to post a tutorial tomorrow, hopefully some of you will test it out and give me feedback.
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Wow love the different styles. I’m just in production mode, churning out the basics, we’ve just added a nursing home where one of my dear friends resides. And of course, they have the virus in the facility. She’s still safe, but it’s scary.
An I’m a professional graphic/web designer, and that was a 5 minute hack in Illustrator. My printer/scanner is kaput or I would have sketched it out. Ha.
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I really like this layout, wish I would’ve been smart and drawn mine out first!
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@bethntim that fabric is spectacular, way to us your mask making game!
@marionberries now that’s a skill I would really like to acquire. We’ve been suggesting graphic design to our girl, she’s nearly 13, in 7th grade this year. She is such a little artist, always always making. I could see her being good at it. I studied fashion design so I’m excessively fussy about pattern drafting and fit. There are so many mask making patterns and tutorials out there, each with it’s own great elements but … also each with something that I can see improvements for. It’s an enjoyable challenge working on it. And here there isn’t much call for fabric masks for workers yet so I’ve just got a short list for family and friends.
@Magpie graphic design is fun…but a hard field, it’s very economy based, every time things get tight, jobs vanish. But, with all the online apps, websites, social media advertising, a designer background really helps. So let her also dive into social media marketing areas along with graphic design. Also designing apps needs coding skills and design skills. I’m of the rubber cement pasteup era, then Mac, and now have my fingers in all kinds of online eLearning, websites, help system, training documents, it goes on and on. A design background really helps. Even if it’s PowerPoint…design makes you look sooooooo good.
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I posted a tutorial for the best fitted mask I’ve been able to figure out. It is very fast and easy to make, hopefully some of you will give it a try and post your feedback.
We are now being told we should wear masks in enclosed spaces, I think from Wednesday, maybe today, who knows?? he briefing we had yesterday was just confusing.
So I made a couple of quick masks:
A couple of modifications, I didn’t do flat pleats because if was too baggy at the sides. So I tried to make them tighter.
I used knicker elastic - because that’s all I had in the right size. I figure it will be softer on the ears!
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@Renstar, do you recommend the pattern you linked? It might be helpful to read a bit about why or why not, what you thought worked or could be improved.
I’ve posted another quick and easy fitted mask pattern here, this one can be made with different fabrics for front and back.
If you want a quick, easy tutorial with options for adding a filter and a nose thingy, this is good enough.
I’d recommend checking the pleats before sewing because mine was to baggy at the sides before I adjusted them.
The video’s only 4minutes long so not too much to take in.
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