With demands on healthcare facilities and workers growing daily during the COVID-19 Pandemic, PPE supplies are rapidly hitting critical low levels throughout the US.
In times of emergency, when all compliant supplies have been exhausted, the CDC allows fabric masks to be used. Learn more about CDC Guidelines Here. Sewists can work together to help boost the supply during this critical time.
Disclaimer: While wearing a homemade face mask may not prevent someone from catching Covid-19, it can decrease the spread of large particles when someone who is infected sneezes or coughs.
You should wash and sterilize your face mask before and after use. Use a color safe bleach such as Clorox 2 in hot water. If you are inserting a disposable liner, remember to remove and discard the liner before laundering.
This fitted face mask pattern includes four sizes: X-Small (ages 3-6 years), Small (ages 7-12), Medium (teens and women) and Large (men). This mask is lined and has an opening to allow you to insert additional filtering material if you wish. A good filter insert would be a non-woven fabric or material. I used a coffee filter which was light weight, so it was easier to breath while adding an extra layer of filtration.
Download the Stitchwerx Designs Fitted Face Mask Pattern here.
Materials & Supplies
- Main Fabric: Tightly woven cotton (such as quilter’s cotton)- 7 x 14”, prewashed
- Lining Fabric: Tightly woven cotton (such as quilter’s cotton)- 7 x 14”, prewashed
- Non-woven light weight fusible interfacing- 7 x 14” (Heat n Bond or Pellon)
- 16” of 1/4” flat elastic (14″ for kid’s sizes)
- Sewing machine
- Thread
- Scissors
- Water soluble fabric marker
- Iron
- Safety Pin
- Bendable nose piece (optional)
Before You Sew
- Prewash and dry fabric.
- Use Adobe Reader to print pattern page. Print at 100%, No Scaling. Measure the gauge box on the pattern page. It should measure 1 inch.
- Seam allowance is 3/8”.
Construction
Clip curves. Press seam to one side. (Same for outer and lining sections).
Note: the outer fabric should be extending 1” beyond the lining at the left and right edges.
Bring elastic ends together overlapping the edges about 1/4” and stitch together. I tacked first by hand, then stitched again with the machine using a zig zag stitch. Sorry I missed taking a picture of this step! Note: Be sure to turn the elastic ends toward the lining, so it will loop over the ears when sewn together.
Optional Bendable Nose Piece
You can use bendable flat jewelry wire, florist wire or even a pipe cleaner to make a nose piece. If you use wire, bend the ends in so they’re not sharp. I had some old painting masks, so I was able to cut the bendable nose pieces off those to use on these new masks.
If you like this pattern, please share using #stitchwerxfacemask on Facebook and Instagram! Be sure to tag us too! Thanks for using this Stitchwerx Designs pattern! Happy Sewing!
