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This may surprise a few of you, but I have a very basic sewing machine.
As we all know, anyone who can sew is making masks. A couple months ago, I made a few masks for family members. I made a pleated mask. Maybe I should say, ‘I ATTEMPTED to sew a mask.’ My sewing machine cannot go through pleats well. It just can’t chew through that many layers of fabric well. The stitch doesn’t stay a consistent length, and I have to pull and tug a bit to get my machine to stitch through the pleats.
Below is my first attempt at a mask. This is the one my husband wears.
I didn’t understand why everyone else around the world can sew masks. I sew for hours every week. I own an Etsy Shop with home sewn goods. I make quilts. I love patchwork. But I can’t sew a mask.
I tried another version of a pleated mask. Instead of two layers of fabric, I made it with only one layer. All was going well until I had to sew through the elastic on a hemmed edge. It was too much for my machine.
(I don’t have a serger. I have to hem everything.)
You can see my one layer mask below. I’m pleased with how it turned out, but if you look closely at stitching, it leaves a bit to be desired.
(This one is 7.5 by 8.5. Two pleats. Hemmed around each edge. 7 inches of elastic looped for the ears.)
Then I FINALLY tried a double layer mask WITHOUT PLEATS. Without hems. Bam. Smooth sailing for me. These were simple for my basic sewing machine. The tutorial calls for interfacing as well. Since I had some on hand, I used it. Maybe they’d hold shape without the interfacing. I’m not sure. I’d recommend using it at this point since you want the mask to hold shape well.
These masks are also completely reversible.
I used 1/8 inch white elastic.
I used this tutorial: https://blog.treasurie.com/diy-mask/
Scroll down half way through the page until you see the video. (I apologize for sending you to a sight full of ads. I usually try to find places that are a bit less cluttered and easy to read.)
Right below the two tutorial videos, there is a simple free download for the pattern. I only changed one thing. See the pictures below.
Instead of sewing the elastic on last thing on the outside of the mask, I sewed it on during the ‘right sides together’ step.
Here’s another picture. Lay them right sides together and put the elastic on the inside. This is right before sewing around the perimeter and flipping it right side out.
Tuck the elastic in at each corner. When you flip the mask right side out, the tails of the elastic will be on the inside where you can’t see them.
See the image below. This is what it looks like once you turn the mask right side out.
Here’s a picture of the finished product. It was cotton floral on one side and linen in chambray on the other side. Completely reversible.
Feel free to trim down the pattern a bit if you don’t like large masks. And welcome to my life. Hat. T-shirt. No make up whatsoever. Baby in the Ergo. 😉
But at least the mask was simple to make.
Where are my favorite places to buy adorable fabric? Click through to my post to find all my favorite shops: https://www.thewillowmarket.com/my-favorite-fabric-shops-and-stores/
