Small Strokes Big Oaks

DISCLAIMER: These are NOT meant to replace medical equipment. If you are making masks that are meant to take the place of medical-grade personal protective equipment, you’re going to need a different tutorial, of which there are plenty on the internet. I have several friends who are healthcare professionals who are being asked to reuse their N95 face masks until they are visibly soiled, and these were designed as basically splash guards to cover the N95 masks to extend their use, NOT as replacements for them. Contact healthcare providers specifically to see what they need and decide if this design is right for you.

Let me just start by saying it is bullshit that I should even have to be writing this tutorial. I know it is not likely that anyone in my limited audience would be hoarding N95 face masks right now, but just in case… STOP. IT. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Drive your boxes of masks straight to your nearest hospital and drop them off. No one will ask any questions. They will only be glad you came to your senses.

Let me also say – because I think this IS my audience – that I get it with the handmade masks being problematic thing. Hospitals are sometimes inundated with donations like this in times like these. Fabric masks can never and will never take the place of medical-grade equipment. The latest I heard was that some people are allergic to latex which makes up a lot of elastic so we should keep that in mind. To which I say: WE ARE DESPERATE. Medical professionals do not have access to enough personal protective equipment (PPE) to outlast this crisis. If they get sick, there’s no one else to care for us. These masks aren’t meant to take the place of medical-grade PPE; they are meant to extend the life of the PPE they have. And as far as latex goes… they’re doctors. They know about elastic and latex. They’re also very smart. Let them decide if they can use these or not.

So, if you want to make these fabric masks, I would suggest having someone specific you are in contact with who has decided for themselves if they want or need them or not. I, personally, have five healthcare professionals who have requested I make these for them; I imagine they are not the only ones. They are being told to use their N95s until they are visibly soiled, and they believe that wearing these over the N95s will help extend the life of the medical-grade masks. This is where we are. This is how desperate we’ve become.

The altruistic criticisms of fabric masks are valid, to be sure. But let’s not let perfect be the enemy of good here. Let’s instead do the good we can.

To that end, here’s an easy picture tutorial for how to make fabric masks.

Remember as we go, DO NOT LET PERFECT BE THE ENEMY OF GOOD. This will be a theme as we progress. These masks will work for their intended purpose even if the pleats aren’t measured and the lines aren’t perfectly straight.

It’s also worth mentioning that I used leftover fat quarters and old men’s shirts I had thrifted for this tutorial. They are meant to be splash guards, not medical masks. Use what you have.

OK. So, first, you need to cut one square of fabric 8″ x 14″ wide. I made like 20 of these today, so I taped and cut card stock into the proper shape and cut several layers at a time. Pro tip: If you put a can of beans or soup (which we all have because we all stocked our pantry, right?) on top of the pattern piece, it does a nice job of holding it in place while you cut.

You will also need two pieces of 1/4″ elastic (or 1/8″ works in a pinch), each 6.5″ long.

Fold it in half with the shorter ends touching; right sides together.

Next, sew around the three sides, pivoting at the corners. Leave a space at the beginning or the end so you can turn this thing right side out.

You can see where I left a space at the top here, where my left pointer finger is. Cut the corners so it’s easier to poke them out to points when you turn it right side out.

Turn this guy right side out, and use your fingers or a pencil eraser or chop sticks to poke the corners. Then, fold the seam allowance into the hole and top stitch over it. You will be able to see this. It doesn’t matter.

Next, pinch two pleats into the sides. These should be straight-ish, but, again, it doesn’t have to be perfect. I use clips to hold the pleats in place, but you can use pins or your fingers if you’re feeling lucky.

Next, put your elastic, facing outwards from the mask, in the corners and pin or clip the ends.

Then, sew a straight line over the elastic and pleats (back stitch a few times over the ends of the elastic to be sure they hold in place) on both sides of the mask.

Voila. You have a reusable face mask.

It’s not perfect. It’s not pretty. Trust me, they do not care. Healthcare workers are just trying to make this all work with whatever they have and they don’t have much.

Talk to a doctor. Ask if they need these. Ask if their hospital has any specifications and see if you can meet them. Start sewing.

Also, stay inside if you can. Wash your damn hands. Stay safe out there. <3

UPDATE! Because someone asked for it! I ran out of elastic. Elastic is out everywhere. So I used some other things. These may or may not work for your purposes. Good luck!

From top to bottom:

1. Elastic cord from a drawstring bag I never use.
2. Old elastic headbands
3. Strips of t-shirt fabric (cut, pull them tight so they roll, cut again to your measurements)

The one that has worked the best for me is the old elastic headbands. The t-shirt fabric functions and is comfortable, but it’s not as sturdy as real elastic so, depending on your purposes, it may or may not work for you.