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.