Protective Face Mask Sewing Tutorial

Worried about all of the germs floating around in the air when you are out in public? With this Corona virus pandemic people are coming up with creative ways to protect themselves from these awful germs. Besides washing your hands and not touching your face with your hands you may want to consider wearing a protective face mask.

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Finding the medical face masks is next to impossible right now so many people are resorting to making their own. Today I'm going to show you how to make your own fabric protective face mask! This is a simple sewing project that even a beginner can do.

I have been using the Deaconess Hospital pattern to make my own fabric face masks. I did make a few "tweaks" to their pattern which I will show you as we go. 

If you need a mask right away you can also purchase a ready made one from my Etsy shop HERE.

These fabric face masks are not medical grade but some protection is better than none! If Deaconess Healthcare is requesting hand sewn face mask protection for their medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, that says to me that they do provide some protection against viruses and germs. 

Face masks are also great for keeping particles of dust and other pollutants out of your lungs.

Let's start on sewing a face mask! This mask can be adjusted from an adult size to a child size depending on your needs.

Sew Your Own Protective Face Mask

Supplies Needed

• Sewing machine
• scissors
• thread
• 1/8" flat elastic 
• cotton fabric 
• flannel fabric (used as soft lining)
• pins
• rotary cutter & cutting mat (optional but helpful!)

Directions:

1. Cut a rectangle measuring 9"x 6" (adult size) or 7.5" x 5" (child size) from both the cotton fabric and the flannel fabric. The cotton fabric will be on the outside of the mask and the soft flannel fabric will be on the inside against your face. Cut two pieces of elastic measuring 6" (adult) or 5" (child).

2. Place the cotton rectangle on the table with the right side facing up. Then lay the flannel rectangle on top of the cotton piece with the wrong size facing up.

3. Place a pin through both fabrics along one of the longer sides of the rectangle. Put a second pin about 1" away through both fabrics. Leave the space between the two pins open so you can turn the mask inside out when you are done sewing them together.

4. Begin sewing your fabrics together starting just after one of the pins. As you approach your first corner of the first short side stop sewing when you are about 1" away from the corner. Lift the top fabric and slide one of the elastic straps between the fabrics and line up one side of the elastic strap to the corner. Close the fabric and then sew over the elastic band several times to ensure it can't pull out. I suggest using a shorter stitch length.

5. Sew down the short side of the mask and again stop about 1" from the corner. Lift open the fabrics and pull the other end of the elastic band and line it up with the corner. Make sure the elastic strap won't be caught in your sewing. Your fabric will bunch up when you pull the elastic to the second corner - don't worry that is OK! Sew over the corner securing the elastic strap. Do the same for the second short side of the mask. Stop sewing around the perimeter of the mask when you get to the last pin marking the 1" opening making sure to back stitch a few stitches in place.

6. Turn the mask inside out through the 1" opening. Finger press or iron the mask flat. Make sure the opening you used to flip the mask inside out is lined up flat so when you sew around the perimeter of the mask it gets sewn shut.


7. We are now going to make three pleats along the short edges of each side of the mask. I find it is easiest to locate the center of each short side then make a 1/2" pleat and pin it in place. Make a another 1/2" pleat above the center pleat and another 1/2" one below the center pleat, pinning each pleat for a total of 3 pleats. Do the same to the other side making sure the pleats on both sides go the same way! The short side of the mask will now measure about 3 to 3 1/2 inches now that you have added pleats.

8. Top stitch around the entire perimeter of the mask using a 1/4" seam allowance. Make sure you sew the 1" opening along the top edge closed too. Also, as you stitch over the pleats I recommend removing the pins as you go so you don't break a needle.

9. Sew a second top stitch about 1/4" away from the first row of top stitching around the perimeter of the mask.

That's it! You are all done - Congratulations! Easy wasn't it? Now you can feel more protected from the nasty germs, dust and other debris floating around the air.

Since your mask is 100% cotton you can wash it and dry it over and over so it can be used multiple times.

This is a great project to use up scrap fabrics you have been storing too! Make a bunch and bring them to your local assisted living center to give away to staff and residents.

**ATTENTION - URGENT NEED**

Check out this amazing database put together by Deaconess that shows nationwide locations that need hand sewn face masks.

Also, if you are unable to make your own fabric face mask you can purchase a ready made one from my Etsy shop Sapucha HERE. 

How To Teach Children To Count Money & Make Change

Are you new to homeschooling or maybe you have been doing it awhile but you are looking for a creative way to teach your elementary aged children about money.

Don't miss out! Pin this for later!

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks!

Counting money, making change and budgeting are valuable skills all children need to learn. It can be kind of boring or hard to grasp the concept if the only exposure they get when learning about this is from worksheets or online.

What has worked very well with my children when they were learning about money was to use actual money and create their own store right in the comfort of our home! 

Today I'm going to show you what we did so you can give it a try at your house and bring the lessons about counting money and making change to life.

Fun Way To Teach Your Child How To 

Count Money & Make Change

Getting Started

I will assume at this point your children have had some instruction on what all the coins and paper currency in our country look like and what the value of each one is. If you haven't gotten that far yet then it is time to crack open their piggy banks and spend some time exploring coins and paper bills. 

Once your children have a good grasp on coins, skip counting by 5's, 10's and 25 it is time for them to open their first in-home store. Here is how we set ours up!

Gather Store Inventory

Have your children gather up toys, clothes, games and any other items they no longer use or want. I gave each of my kids their own fabric bin to fill. We picked an area in our house that was an open space and each child was given a small table like a snack tray or coffee table to set up their things. 

Tip - this is a great time to talk about how stores position certain brands to draw customer's attention! 

Once your children are done setting up their stores it is time to create a store name and sign. Pull out the craft supplies and let them go wild creating, decorating and designing their own store sign and logo. When they are done have them tape or post their store sign to their table or close to it!

Price To Sell

Allow your children to set the prices for the items in their shop. I recommend keeping the math simple by providing them with pricing guidelines. Using whole dollar amounts as well as amounts equal to the coins they are learning about help keep the math simpler as they start.

Tip - talk to your kids about the price of items they see you buying at the grocery store or mall. Show them how brand name items are usually more expensive than generic. 

Not every item in their store needs to have individual price tags. A pricing sheet could be used instead where they list a brief description and a price like this: stuffed animal = $1, Perler bead creations = $0.25.

Cha....Ching!

Time to let the kids open their stores! They will be super excited to show off their goods and will be ready to start selling. It is best to establish ground rules regarding sales. Kids should decide if all sales are final or if this is just for fun and everyone gets their stuff back at the end.

Since the whole purpose of this exercise is to teach your kids how to count money it might be best to have mom (or dad) be the keeper of the cash/change box. This ensures that all transactions are done correctly and under supervision (preventing any problems!).

I also find it best that the money used for shopping and making change is provided by Mom/Dad. Kids who are just learning about money might get confused or worried that their own money won't be returned to them when all of this fun is done. So next time you are at the bank ask the clerk for a variety of small paper currency and a few rolls of each denomination of coins to use as the store cash box and shopper cash.

tip - my kids have a cool little toy cash register toy that dings and has buttons to push that we use when we play store. Using a toy cash register isn't necessary but it sure is a lot more fun! 

Making Their First Sale

Once the stores are open it is time for the kids to do some shopping. Let your children take turns being a shopper and a store keeper. If you choose to invite neighbors, grandparents or friends over to shop their stores set a time for the stores to be open and closed. Make sure everyone knows this is just for practice and all items and cash will be returned at the end.

When a customer selects an item to purchase, have the child who owns the store bring the item to the cash register. Have the customer pay the child then you can help them count back change. After your child gets the hang of counting back change let them try it on their own.

tip - explain to your child what good customer service is and how they can be a better store owner by practicing what you discuss.

This is a super fun way to teach kids how to count money and make change that they won't forget. I hope you children enjoy creating their own store and selling their inventory as much as mine love this activity.

Teach Your Child How To Tell Time

Looking for more homeschooling help? I've put together another great post that will help you teach your children how to tell time on an analog clock! Check it out and remember to Pin it for later too. 

Click To Read Full Post

How To Sanitize & Kill Germs On Your Child's School Bag

Stopping the spreading of germs is of utmost concern lately especially since the new Coronavirus outbreak. Washing hands, covering coughs and practicing good overall hygiene is key but what about dangerous germs that are lurking on your kid's backpack, gym bag or even your own purse? How do you get rid of them?

Who knows what kinds of germs your child's bag has picked up from the school floor, locker room or bus but it is time to eliminate the germs before they make your little one or you sick. 

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my Disclaimer page.

How To Effectively Sanitize Your Child's Backpack & Your Purse

Before we got to the cleaning part you will need either a large bucket, sink or bathtub so that you can completely submerge the bag or purse. It is recommended to clean one bag or purse at a time with fresh water for each.

1 - The first step is to completely empty the bag or purse tossing out all wrappers, food, and other items that need to be tossed out. Once your child's bag or your purse is completely empty flip the bag inside out. 

*Before you begin the deep cleaning please note that this method is only recommended for faux leather, plastic and cloth bags and purses. This could ruin leather purses or bags so please contact a professional for cleaning advice for leather material. 


2 - Next measure 1/4 cup of liquid laundry detergent into a large bucket or tub of cold water. For a smaller purse or clutch use 1/8 cup laundry detergent. Using a yard stick, broom handle or even a sturdy hanger, stir the detergent and water together then submerge your bag or purse into the soapy water. 

Continue stirring for 2-3 minutes. You might notice the water becoming dark and dirty- YUCK! Empty the dirty water out of the bucket or drain the tub. Rinse the bag with cool fresh water to remove the soap. 

3 - Refill the bucket or tub with fresh water and add 1 gallon of vinegar to the water. For a small bag or purse use a half gallon of vinegar. Again submerge your bag or purse completely for 1-2 minutes. Empty the bucket or tub and rinse with fresh cool water again. 

4 - It is highly recommended to hang your bag or purse outside to dry however if the weather does not allow for this you could put the bag in the dryer on the low or air dry setting to help speed the drying process along. 

Alternative Method To Quickly Sanitize The Outside of Your Backpack, Bag or Your Purse

If you are short on time and can't thoroughly clean your child's bag or your purse grab a multi-purpose Clorox disinfecting wipe and wipe the outside surfaces of the bag. Don't forget the handles or straps! 

Caution - Don't Put Your Purse On The Kitchen Counter!

It is best to make sure bags and purses are not placed on any surface where food is prepared. The kitchen counter top or island is NOT a good place for bags and purses. Food and other things like plates and utensils can easily become contaminated with the germs from the bottom of your purse or bag!

Instead create a place specifically for your kids to hang up their bags after school. Pre-made hook racks are easy to install, look great and keep bags organized and off of counter tops. 

We are all trying to stay healthy so do your part and clean your child's bag to help prevent the spread of those nasty germs!

5 Easy Spring Cleaning Tips & Tricks To Clean Your House Fast

Spring is finally here which means it is time to bust out your spring cleaning tools and get busy chasing away the winter dust bunnies! 

Adopting these 5 habits listed below will help you whip your house into shape in no time.

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my Disclaimer page. Thanks!

5 EASY SPRING CLEANING TIPS TO CLEAN YOUR HOUSE FAST  

DIVIDE AND CONQUER

Make a list of all the spring cleaning chores that need to be done and divvy up the chores among your family members. From toddlers to teens get everyone involved so that the spring cleaning doesn't overwhelm you and gets done faster. Remember it might take you a little extra time teaching your young ones, but have patience and remember that in years to come the tasks will get easier for them and require less of your time too.


YOU SLOP IT YOU MOP IT

Adopt the habit of cleaning up your mess as you make it. Model this behavior to your children so they too begin cleaning up as they make messes. For example, when you bake cookies put the individual ingredients away after you add them to the bowl so when you get to the baking part you are over halfway done cleaning up!

tip - I highly recommend these antibacterial / antimicrobial dish cloths for your kitchen clean up!


YOU SNOOZE YOU LOSE

Before heading to bed send your children on a "treasure hunt" finding toys and other items that should be put away prior to going to bed. Make it fun and cheer on the treasure hunters so they stay motivated to get the job done quickly. A little race and fun before a bedtime story can help the transition to bedtime go more smoothly.

tip - give the treasure hunters a fun pirate eye patch or decorate a basket to look like a treasure chest to keep clean up time fun!


DON'T MAKE A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLE HILL

Spending some time identifying the areas of your home that seem to be the high traffic areas will help you know where to spend the majority of your time cleaning. Identify your key problem areas and then make a plan to stay on top of keeping it picked up and clean.

tip - draw a floor plan for each level of your house and keep it on a clip board in a handy place so you can make changes as you go. 


OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND

If cleaning supplies are not handy it can be tempting to skip cleaning altogether. Gather a few plastic baskets or buckets and fill them with handy cleaning supplies like toilet bowl cleaner and brush, Clorox wipes, sponge, glass cleaner, Pine Sol and rubber gloves. It is a good idea to have one full cleaning tote per floor of your home so you can stay on top of keeping each floor clean.

tip - label each bucket or basket so you know which location the bucket of cleaning supplies belongs when you are done. 

Spring cleaning doesn't have to be a drag if you implement these simple and useful tips! Your house will be spring ready in no time so you and your family can get outside and enjoy the nice weather.

Whole House Cleaning Planner

via:Sunny Day Family

Not sure where to start cleaning first or worried you might forget something? No problem! Check out this amazingly helpful house cleaning planner that includes everything you will ever need to make sure every inch of your house gets cleaned.