My allergies have been incredible this year, and by that I mean that they have been worse than they have ever been. (Please, please, please do not suggest medical advice here. Much appreciated.) I see an allergy specialist who gives me 2 shots, 2-3 times a week to help with my symptoms. They have helped a lot; however, Juniper Ash (Cedar Fever!) here in Austin is 6 times worse than average this year, and boy oh boy, do I feel it. She suggested that I wear a face mask when I go outside to help reduce the amount of pollen that is going into my lungs and sinuses. After going to a few different stores to purchase some, I found that many other Austinites had already bought them out. No worries, right? I know how to sew. I will just make one. When I finished, I had many requests for a tutorial, so here you go:
Materials needed:
- 1 piece of fabric measuring 8” x 14”. Until you get familiar with this tutorial, I would suggest a non-directional print. One that has a scattered image printed on the surface such as the one shown.
- 2 strips of fabric measuring 1.75” (1 3/4”) x 6”. This will be the accent edge piece. It can be the same fabric as the main piece or a small-scale print or solid.
- Two pieces of 1/4” width elastic. These will be about 6 1/2” long.
- Ruler
- Fabric marking tool.
- Pins
- Scissors
- Sewing machine, threaded.
Fold the main piece of fabric in half, right sides together. Sew along the 8 inch width edge, using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.
Turn this tube shape inside out, so that the right side of the fabric is now on the outside. Press this flat, keeping the seam to one end of the flattened tube.
Place the tube of fabric so that the raw edges are on each side and the seam edge is at the bottom. Using a ruler, measure and mark a line 1 1/2 inches from the bottom edge. Make another line 1 inch above this line, or 2 1/2 inches from the seam edge. Don’t use a pencil as you see in the picture, use a fabric pen, or fabric chalk. I used a pencil for illustration purposes.
Fold the seam edge up (or down in this picture, as I turned it upside down…sorry) making the crease on the first line that you just marked. You should have 1 1/2 inch edge here.
Flip the tube piece over. Match the crease edge to the second line that you made earlier. Press. The pleat that you just created will be 1/2 inch deep. Pin the pleat down on each raw edge end.
Now you will mark the lines for the second pleat. Mark a line measuring 1/2” from the top crease of the last pleat, (or 2″ from the bottom seam edge). It was difficult to see the top of the crease in this picture, so look at the finger indicator above.
Now mark another line one inch above the last line that you made (or 3 inches above the seam edge). Using these lines as your guide, repeat the steps that you followed to make the first pleat.
You should now have two pleats, each one being 1/2 inch deep. Repeat the steps you used to make the second pleat, so that you end up with three pleats total. Press.
This is what your main piece should look like at this point.
Using a 1/8” seam allowance, baste stitch the raw edges.
Repeat this step so that both raw edges are basted as shown in the picture above.
Pin one elastic piece to the raw edge, making sure not to twist it before baste stitching it to the edge at both ends. I placed mine 1/8” from the top and bottom edge of the main pleated piece. Baste elastic in place 1/8” inch from raw edge. Repeat, to attach remaining elastic piece to the other raw edge.
Your pleated piece should now resemble the picture above.
Fold each accent strip of fabric lengthwise in half, matching raw edges, as shown in the picture above. Press.
Place the strip on top of the elastic. Make sure the raw edge is facing outward, and the creased edge is facing the main body of the pleated piece. It will be a little longer on the top and bottom and that is okay, as we are going to fold some of that to the back.
Tuck about 1/2” of the top edge to the back as shown in the picture above.
Pin all layers in place.
Trim the other end of the accent strip, so that it is about 1/2” longer than the bottom edge of the main pleated piece.
Fold the bottom edge of the accent fabric strip to the back, just as you did with the top edge.
Pin both ends in place.
Using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, stitch the length of the entire edge, making sure to back stitch at the beginning and end.
Open the the accent fabric strip seam by flipping it outward away from the main pleated piece, then press.
This is what the mask should look like if you flip it over.
fold the ENTIRE accent piece down toward the main pleated piece, encasing the raw seam. You will now see the accent piece on this side, but not at all on the flip side. Press. Pin edge down.
If you are a good sewist, you will change out your presser foot to a straight stitch foot. If you are lazy, like me, you will keep that 1/4″ presser foot on your machine and struggle your way through this next step. 😀 Stitch this accent strip down to the main body of the mask, sewing along the edge, making sure to back stitch at the beginning and end.
This step isn’t necessary. It just gives it a nice finished look, and helps to give that elastic a little extra stability. Stitch down the edge of the mask close to the elastic side.
The front of your mask should now resemble the above picture.
The back of your mask should look like this. Following the previous steps, attach the remaining accent fabric piece to the other end of the mask.
You should now have a reusable, washable mask that measures approximately 4″ x 7″ (unopened).
It took a few hours to put this free tutorial together for you. For this reason, I am greatly appreciative for any mentions that you can give me if you should use this tutorial. If you post a picture on social media, you can use the hashtag: #buttoncountermask. Feel free to share this page, and please tag me in your pictures so that I can see your beautiful creations. Last, I appreciate constructive criticism, so if you notice something that doesn’t look right, or does not make sense, bring it to my attention. I am happy to clarify any steps where you may have questions.
Enjoy!
P.S. Obviously, the elastic length can be adjusted to your facial measurements.
EDIT (March 24 2020): Because this tutorial has recently been used on a large scale, I will be adding a few things here as frequently asked and answered questions, suggestions, and reminders.
- This tutorial was happily shared by me over a year ago. This is not a new tutorial created in light of the current virus pandemic. I am not in charge, nor affiliated with any organization or entity requesting masks to be made. There are multiple organizations that are using this tutorial for their requests. If you have any question regarding what their requirements are, you really, really, really need to ask them. Please understand that I cannot and will not tell you what you should use, or how you should make your mask different from my tutorial.
- Keep in mind also that there are multiple entities that are using this tutorial for their requests. One entity may have completely different requests regarding features than another entity. (for example one organization is requesting a 4 layer mask, while another is fine with the two layer, as their thoughts are that they can be doubled up or used as a cover or liner to another kind of mask.) So, there is no correct or incorrect mask. Who are you making your mask for? Those are the people to whom you direct your questions.
- CHILD OR BABY MASK: After much thought, I have decided that it is in my best interest to NOT supply a mask tutorial for anyone other than an adult. One of my reasons for this is that I feel that a mask could pose as a choking hazard, and I do not want to have any part of that scenario. My suggestion is that you really should ask each individual child’s doctor or provider what their guidelines are, and go from there.
- I will not be held responsible for any mask misuse or malfunction.
- ELASTIC OR TIES? The main reason why my tutorial uses elastic is so I don’t have to tie it behind my head and mess up my hair. That’s it. So, if you are making the tutorial, and you don’t like the elastic, or if the person who you are making your mask for, requests ties; by all means put ties in yours. My pattern is very easily adapted to your preferences. There are organizations specifically asking for elastic, and some that are asking for ties only.
- ELASTIC LENGTH: I have read that a few of you recommend longer elastic; however, mine ended up being slightly loose. Therefore, I will not alter my pattern. I have stated in the tutorial that elastic length will need to vary due to the fact that human heads are not uniform (Thank goodness).
- I don’t have a PDF or printable version of my tutorial. If I decide to do that, I will; but it will be in my own time. I have received many hateful comments (that I deleted) demanding that I provide this. I need to remind those few sour apples that I am under zero obligation to do so. If my absolutely free visual tutorial isn’t to your liking, I invite you to go find one that makes you happy. If you are a person who often finds themselves using the words ”I need you to…”, you might fall into this category.
- I am completely honored that many of you are using my tutorial, or even certain aspects of it to help people in need. Even if you are using a completely different tutorial or pattern and just stopped by to check this one out, I applaud you for being a maker during this time. I cannot express enough how happy it makes me feel to see so many humans getting together to do something for the greater good. Please continue being that human. Those are the best ones.
I am signing off now to take care of my family, who needs me now more than ever. Thank you all for your kindness and understanding. God Bless.
Button Counter 
Sorry people have been mean towards you. I for one want to say thanks. Stay safe!
Jules, Thank you very much. Take care.
Thank you for being so generous to give a free tutorial like this. At this difficult time, it is so appreciative that people go out of their way to do something so kind and helpful. My wife and I sincerely thank you.
Andrew, I really wish that I could claim that I shared this during this time of viral pandemic, but in truth, I created the tutorial over 2 years ago. Either way, I am beyond happy that it has been beneficial to so many people. I hope that it made a difference in some small way for the general good. Thank you for your comment.
Thank you so much for sharing your tutorial with me. I love the way you patiently explain the procedure. I am definitely going to give it a try.
Once again, thank you!
Thank you fir making such a easy toi understand tutorial. Very nice
Ginger, You are welcome! Enjoy.
Love the detail of this tutorial. Easy to follow and reference. I wear glasses, so elastic is the best for me. PS I cut my 1/4 elastic in half lengthwise – since nobody has 1/8 size for sale. The smaller size fits my ears better with glasses. And this mask style fits the bill. ANY protection is better then none.
Stephen, That is a fantastic idea. Yep, elastic is really scarce right now, but it should start showing up again soon, hopefully. It’s good to hear that you were able to make this pattern work for you. Thank you for your comment and information. Happy sewing.
get 1/8 elastic from Etsy!!
As a teacher, I have had to work with my school to distribute hundreds of computers, books, packets, etc. Gratefully, we had one of our retired staff members donate some masks for us to use to keep safe. She used your pattern, and I am so grateful to you for sharing that. It has been such a blessing. Today, my girls and I are using your pattern to keep others safe. Thank you again for your willingness to share and help us all.
Elizabeth, This is such a wonderful thing to read. I am appreciative to your former co-worker, and to yourself and your girls, for taking your time out of the craziness to sew up a few masks using my tutorial. I hope it was simple, and still fun as well. Happy sewing.
thanks so much for this tutorial,I have several hundred masks to sew.iv been sewing elastic inside it’s taking longtime,is it ok to see my elastic n ties to outside of the mask,I don’t want to do the end pieces as my masks are colored fronts ,white backs ..
Patricia, You are welcome to modify my tutorial in any way that benefits your needs. I hope that makes things simple for you. Thank you so much for making such a high number of masks. That is amazing to hear. Good luck.
Thank you SO MUCH for this easy mask tutorial! My sewing skills are pretty basic, and I had no problem following your instructions. These turn out so cute that even my teenager and my twenty-year-old don’t mind wearing them. I can’t wait to make more!
Jen, Good news. Your sewing skills are no longer basic! You are making pleats now for crying out loud. Great job! I am so dang happy to hear that you are doing this, and enjoying it. Sew on.
I am having brain fart. Can’t figure out how to get the last part to be that way.
When I go to turn contrast piece over not only is elastic on wrong side but very very little material and there IS the back part showing.
I’m just not getting it. Help me
Rebecca, you are not folding that accent strip at the correct place. Keep pulling that accent strip to the other side until you don’t see it anymore on the other side. this means that the elastic will be coming out of the edge of the mask, instead of the back. Your accent material showing on one side when done should be aprox. 1/2 inch wide, and zero on the other. Take another good look at my pictures. Good luck!
Thanks for answering this in a way that made sense and got me unstuck, Monica!
Thank you as well for giving your time and talent to creating this tutorial that’s helping so many!
Does this mean that the back of the mask up to this point becomes the front of the mask now? I know it shouldn’t matter, but I have some selvage edges I didn’t trim off because I didn’t think they’d be seen 😂
Thanks so much for the tutorial! Much appreciated.
Great question Rebecca, thanks for asking it—I got a little stuck in exactly the same spot!
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this tutorial, the directions are much easier to follow than the ones I saw on YouTube without any written instructions just music playing in the background. My first mask has a few mistakes but the 2nd one will be so much easier to make. Thanks again!
Flo, Believe it or not many of the tutorials that you see have been made within the last month or two, so they may not be perfect yet, and might be going through some adaptations in the near future with any feedback that they are given. My tutorial was made two years ago, so with the help of you all, I have simply worked through those improvements already. 🙂 My first mask was a little funny too, but all of the following ones after that (and there have been many) worked out perfectly, so I hope for the same results for you. Thank you so much for your comment and kind feedback. Enjoy it!
I just finished making this mask and it turned out great if I do say so myself, very easy to follow instructions
thanks
Lindsay, Super news! I love that it was simple enough, and hopefully fun to do as well. Take Care.
I am having a difficult time with the accent piece and the elastic for the ears and I’m wondering if someone would be so kind to give me some advice. I can’t tell if I am overthinking this, reading it wrong or not understanding so I would be so grateful for someone to give me any tips.
When I get to the steps for the accent piece, I’m not understanding the flipping the folded piece away from the body of the mask.( in the step listed: Open the the accent fabric strip seam by flipping it outward away from the main pleated piece, then press.) and then in the other step listed with the instructions: fold the ENTIRE accent piece down toward the main pleated piece, encasing the raw seam. You will now see the accent piece on this side, but not at all on the flip side.) When I try to do this, I cannot get the ear elastic (I am using jersey fabric as elastic) to now be on the outside of the mask, and the accent piece to not show on the opposite end.
I hope I am making sense with this description. Did anyone else find they had difficulties or is it just me? haha. I am not a pro sewer, but I do know my way around a sewing machine. This has just stumped me.
Wonderful tutorial. I’m working with a couple different patterns and found this one to be really crafted beautifully with the accent piece. I just cant figure out that one step which is of course the part that I find truly unique and more polished than other masks without it!
Truly appreciate any advice that any other sewers who had success might have. Thank you all! Stay safe everyone and thanks for this tutorial.
Amanda, I am thinking that you were successful with sewing the accent strip down on top of the elastic, yes? Well after this, you simply flip that accent strip away from the back of the mask. I use the word ‘open’ because the small top and bottom of the accent strip has to be flipped away from the mask too. Press this with an iron during this step. Now, fold that whole entire accent strip to the front of the mask. All of the accent fabric will only show on the front side now, and your elastic will be coming out of the edge of the mask and not one side or the other (neither front or back, but the edge) Sew that entire accent strip down, encasing the raw edge. I hope this helps you. Good luck.
I think I figured it out! Make sure that you pin the elastic to the inner side. After you sew your seam you turn the trim right side out and over the raw edges and, wala! It works beautifully! I had it backwards.
Thank you for your tutorial! I am not very experienced at sewing, but your model was easy to make and looks great. At first my eyeglasses kept fogging up when I wore the mask, but I took a large paperclip, reshaped it to follow the contour of the upper part of my nose, and inserted it into a channel I built into the top of the mask. Your time spent creating the tutorial was so worthwhile when you consider all of the people you have helped!
Monique, I am so glad that this tutorial has served you well. I am hoping that soon, people won’t need it as much as they currently do. Thank you for your kind words and feedback, it is greatly appreciated.
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If I was wanting to make two masks and my fabric was only 27 inches long for the main fabric. Would it be ok to just take a 1/2 inch off of both masks? So the original fabric would be 8″ x 13 1/2″?
Short answer: I think it would be fine, just make the first marking line at 1 1/4″ instead of 1 1/2″. Especially if they’re for personal use, you should be fine.
Longer answer: On my second mask, I sewed the first seam on 5/8 instead of 1/4 inch allowance (I know better, always read your directions first!). I did a bit of math to make sure the pleats still sat in the middle and continued as usual. I lost 3/4 of an inch in height with my mistake, you’ll only lose 1/2 inch. It results in a shorter mask (unless you make the pleats shallower), but that works for me as I’m a small person, as are my family members I’m making them for.
Thank YOU! I made a bunch for nurses at Emory Hosp. I like how your elastic was applied on top, had the cute end pieces. I was cranking out as many as poss. so that was an extra step. However the placement of the elastic on the insides of mine was tricky, depending on the elastic. Loved how you addressed the naysayers too. God bless you!
Teri,
Yes, that elastic can be tricky or not depending on the kind used. I ran out of elastic a long time back, and have been putting ties in instead, and by the time I am able to get more elastic, this will already be over (hopeful thinking). Thank you for your feedback. I am sure the nurses at Emory appreciate you too. Kind blessings in return.
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Thank you for your tutorial. My sisters and I have been making masks for our families and anyone who asks for one. God bless you and keep you safe!
Evelyn,
You are welcome! And a big thank you to you and your sister for being makers during all of this. You are very much appreciated, I am sure.
I looked at a ton of mask tutes and just keep coming back to yours. I modified the pattern a bit for my wants and needs. I have given away probably 50 so far, and people really like them. I also sold a few, and just now am thinking to ask you if this is permissible.
Amelia,
I am glad that you are able to use the pattern and modify it to your specific needs. I think that in legal jargon, if you have modified it more than 10 percent, it isn’t anything that you need my permission for, as you have changed it to be your own. If you are selling masks using my tutorial without changes, I only ask that this tutorial be referenced as the pattern origin, and nothing more. Take care, and happy sewing.
Monica, I am happy to give you credit for inspiring my masks. Thanks again!
Thank you very much for your detailed & clear instructions. I started to make one to-night but realized I had far too heavy material but will try again tomorrow as I do have quilting cotton etc. & have sewed most of my life. I have sketched a paper pattern from yours & was also able to save yours to my word processor in case I was not able to find it again. I just would like to say that I was impressed by your friendly & down to earth suggestions & remarks to the comments – Plus you sound like a very lovely person. Thanks again.
Elaine,
Thank you for your kind comment. I would love to say that I am a perfect model of communication and kindness, but the truth is, I struggle the same as anyone does. I have goofed big time, and I have gotten things right. It’s all part of growing.
I hope that you had better luck with different fabric, making this mask. Let me know if you were successful. Happy sewing.
Monica, thank you for taking the time to do this — I really appreciate it!
Elaine, I’ve been having the same difficulty as you, since I’m using a tea towel for the liner, and the bunching of material makes it difficult to stitch across the pleats. (I’m also very new to sewing, and have had a machine for less than a week!) I’d love to learn what you adjusted in your pattern. Thanks so much.
I just wanted to mention that I have made two different masks. One with the 1/4″ elastic and one with 1/8″ elastic. Both work, but for myself I find the 1/8″ elastic to be more comfortable behind the ears. Just for those that were curious about elastic size.
Thank you, Marcala. I wish that I had the 1/8 elastic on hand when I made this tutorial, so I appreciate your feedback on using the two different sizes. Happy sewing!
Thank you. Sorry for the nasty comments you received when you were just trying to help. I can make my own adjustments with elastic and actual size of fabric on my own. Tutorial was great. God bless you!
Donna,
You are welcome! It is good to hear that you were able to modify this to your needs. I tried to make a simple, plain tutorial that could be altered in many ways, so I am happy to see that being done. Thank you for your comment, and blessings in return.
Thank you do much for this tutorial on how to sew these masks. You presented nice, clear, easy instructions. I am not a sewer much after having a lousy teacher is school!, but your instructions were great for a novice like me. Thank you again an Stay Safe!!
Linda,
This is so great to hear! I hope that you feel good about trying the sewing thing again soon, but this time for enjoyment instead of necessity. I am sorry to hear that you didn’t have the optimal instruction experience in school, but this stuff is fun, I promise. Give it another chance, we have many good cheerleaders in the sewing world. Enjoy.
Thank you so very much for this free, and very useful tutorial. I’m going to try and make some bright, rainbow inspired colours (fingers crossed 🤞 😁)
Thank you again. Stay safe and well xXx
Nicola,
Anything bright and cheery will be spot on! I have seen many homemade masks lately and the bright ones are my absolute favorite. Good luck with this, and happy sewing.
Thanks so much for this super helpful tutorial. Best wishes to you and your family.
MsMgs,
Best to yours as well. I hope that you were able to punch a few of these out with success. Happy sewing, and thank you for your kind comment.
This is the best and easiest mask I have made and the outcome is almost always high quality. The directions are very thorough and easy to follow and I appreciate that because I am young and in the very early stages of sewing.
Thank you very much for helping me stay safe in the most creative way possible!
Lillian,
Boom! This is so fantastic! I get all excited when I hear of a newer sewer having success with a pattern or tutorial. I hope this opens many other sewing ideas and interests for you, and that you have a bunch of fun along the way. Welcome to the circus. 😀
Thank you for taking the effort to show us how to make the mask. Much appreciated. Those who post negative comments are free to go look elsewhere. It is sad that there are so many nasty souls out there. Thank you once again.
As a maker making for my office team (once I’ve done a couple of practice runs!) I just wanted to say you have made a brilliant tutorial and I was saddened by some of the things you have felt the need to put in the edit March 2020. To those people, I too say just be grateful that there is something here you can use at all. I don’t usually post on these sorts of things but I wanted to let you know that I found this really useful as a pattern and want to wish you well, may you and yours be safe in this odd time we are in. Don’t let people giving in to hate because they cannot control their fear get you down.
Also, homemade masks are a great break from the medical masks when I’m not doing direct patient care, so I for one am very, very grateful that you and many others have posted patterns online for the rest of us to use 🙂
Regardless of when you shared this originally, it has been very helpful to so many especially now. So thank you. My sister actually recommended this one to me also, as she said it was her favorite by far to make! I can’t believe you would have horrible comments. Thank you again for a beautiful tutorial to follow. Stay healthy, stay well.
Thank you for an easy to follow tutorial. I’m using your pattern and making some adjustments based on experience and requests. Your guidance gave me the confidence to “sally forth” and be part of the solution.
I am so glad to find your tutorial. I am a 77 year old lady who has not done any sewing for about 40 years, BUT I am going to try this and see what comes out…
Thanks again for making this for old eyes…
Thanks so much for this. Very easy to follow with a nice result.
Monica,
Thanks so much for your tutorial. I used to machine sew as a teen & maybe early twenties, but that was 30 years ago, and mainly with Simplicity patterns. I searched the internet for *days* to find a mask to sew, and everything seemed so complicated. Plus I knew I wanted pleats, I felt it would make a more comfortable mask. Then I came across your tutorial. I knew it would be the one to use. I ran into a little confusion with laying out the first pleat right (I still had the raw edge folded and pinned under). But I sat and studied the photos (which are spot on, gotta say), and realized where I went wrong. The rest of it was smooth sailing. Just look at the photos and follow the steps, one at a time.
Thanks again. I’ve got enough fabric here from an old shirt for 2 more masks, and I’ll start on them tomorrow. 🙂
Thanks so much for posting this! I wonder if I measured the elastic correctly. It’s too short for me. It’s so tight that it pulls my ears forward and the mask falls off. Has anyone else had this problem?
I feel blessed to find your site. This mask was just what I was looking for to make for my community. Buttoncounter.com is now at the up of my favorites. You are awesome!
Thanks so much
Thank you SO much for this tutorial. My neighbor, who has made many masks for our neighborhood, showed me this. Now, I’m making some for my family. We had purchased a few, but the masks using your tutorial come out so much better and fit very well. So easy to follow!
Thank you very much for taking the time to create this tutorial. Very easy to follow. God’s blessings to you 🙏
Thank you! This is helpful. No need for a pattern when you can simply use a ruler. I think this is fabulous!
I also say THANK YOU for your wonderful tutorial; it is very clear and descriptive. Thank you for posting it! Wonderful work. Stay well, and take good care.
I’ve made a few mask and your pattern looks to be the best going to be making a lot of these next few days, thank you 🙏
This tutorial with pictures of each step and instructions in my opinion is by far the greatest pleated mask that I have found. Thank you so much buttoncounter.com for sharing this awesome mask project. Sincerely M. Stuart
I think u did a good thing! Good step by step. U r helping a lot of folks! 😁 God bless you! 🤗
I am going to attempt your pattern but with cloth for ties instead of elastic. I wear glasses as well as hearing aids so I will try ties but with velcro fasteners. I also do not do well with youtube videos or written instructions. I am very thankful for your tutorial. You are a blessing to have had this posted for allergies. Thank you.
I need help with the accent piece. I am not understanding how to do it. The rest of the mask turned out wonderful but I am so confused on adding the accent piece. I don’t understand how the elastic is on the backside and the turning out of the accent piece. I cannot get it to work. Please help me! Thank you so much
Melissa, did you figure this out? The elastic is not on any side, but comes out of the edge of the mask. in order for that to happen, you have to sandwich it between the main body of the mask and that accent strip. Then the accent strip gets tacked down to one side of the mask to enclose the raw edge.
I want to say Thank You for providing this tutorial. You provided me with helpful information. Jane
This is wonderful, you are wonderful for doing this. My allergies have been so bad this spring.
But the beautiful flowers all over my yard are so worth it!
I am a big huge sewer, but I love to see what everyone else is doing and their techniques.
There is always time to learn something new.
Thank you
Thanks again! I’ve now made 10 masks and people keep asking!
Thank you for this helpful tutorial! I added a nose piece to help the mask stay closer to my nose and face and reduce the steaming up of glasses. I used a flat twistie-tie that was on a bag of coffee. It is 5.25” long. After I make the first seam but before making the creases, I put a stitch half an inch from the creased 8” edge. Then I run the twistie inside and proceed. I tried a piece of metal removed from a disposable face mask, but it isn’t as pliable and does not prevent glasses from steaming up as well as the twisty.
Monica,
Thank you so much! I’m a beginner and it came out looking… better than acceptable! 🙂
I’ve made over 600 of your masks, mostly for the Northern Navajo Medical Center in Shiprock, NM. My daughter is an ER nurse there. Thanks for sharing your pattern. They look so much nicer than most masks.
600!!! oh my, that is fantastic. I would have been exhausted by the 200th one. Bravo!
You are an absolute doll! This great-grandmother is making masks for my children and my grandchildren. Yours is, by far, the best and most attractive mask that I have found to make. It is easy to understand, even for an 80 year old!! Thank you so much for your gracious sharing of your knowledge.
Please ignore the people who always want more for free. God bless and keep you and your family safe.