Stitchnripper

I have made about 25 for immediate family. Mostly the pleated ones but some family has requested the “Bala” pattern - facebook group has requested for one of the hospitals. I’ve tried other patterns but turns out for us one size or design doesn’t fit all so I’m down to custom masks for comfort and fit. I had been using floral wire for the nose piece but came upon real nose pieces and put them in the masks. I started using precut ear elastic with that knob that makes it adjustable. Makes it all much easier. Also put a piece of elastic on the bottom long enough for the wearer to drop the mask like if in the car between stops without it going anywhere.

Evy

Good Morning. I am looking for the face mask that instead of having elastic at the corners the elastic goes thru a casing at the sides of the pleated mask. I know I can probably figure it out but would appreciate a pattern. If anyone knows of a link to it or the name of that style I would very much appreciate it.
Thanks
evy

Stitchnripper

There are a lot of patterns here.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/threads...atterns/%3famp

otherwise google face mask pattern with casings.

abc123xyz

https://youtu.be/BCJcE-r7kcg
Hopefully I have loaded this correctly. It is a video that shows how to make masks with a placket for elastic. I have used this as a base for over a hundred that I have made. Message me if you have questios.

Pinkiris

I have made masks of several different styles for family. Hubby has hearing aids, so ear loops don't work. He likes elastic that goes around the head on top and separate ties behind his neck. After using up every inch of narrow elastic that I had, I've switched to t-shirt yarn for ear loops. I use pony beads to make the ear pieces adjustable. This is really comfortable and allows a personalized fit.
I'm using 1/2" bias tape for a channel for nose wire. A narrow zig-zag is all that's needed to sew it in. It can be added to almost any finished mask. I'm using pieces of pipe cleaners as wires. Cut it a little longer than channel and it's easily removable for laundering the mask.
I'm praying that this virus will soon be under control.

bearisgray

Question about removable filters -

A lot of masks have a pocket for a removable filter - but what do people use?

I've been using non-woven interfacing - being careful not to put pinholes through the center of the piece that goes over the mouth and nose - which seems to me to be more practical than attempting to insert some sort of filter. I either fuse it to the outer layer or sew it to the outer layer.

I had DH buy some vacuum cleaner bags - but then read that using them is a bad idea.

Stitchnripper

I’ve heard coffee filter or paper towel. Mask filters are available on amazon and relatively inexpensive

janiebakes

The best bet for the material to slip in as a filter is polypropylene, which is derived from plastic, says Chu. "If you go to Walmart, you look for Oly-fun, which is the brand name of that fabric. It's also called spunbond," says Chu, who's a scientific adviser to the World Health Organization and helped craft its recent detailed guidance on cloth masks.

Chu says polypropylene is great as a physical filter but has another benefit: It holds an electrostatic charge. In other words, it uses the power of static electricity. Think of the static cling that can happen when you rub two pieces of fabric together, says Chu. That's basically what's happening with this fabric: That "cling" effect traps incoming — and outgoing — droplets. "That's what you want — the cling is what's important," Chu says.

And unlike other materials, polypropylene keeps its electrostatic charge in the humidity created when you breathe out, says Yi Cui, a professor of materials science and engineering at Stanford University who co-authored the Nano Letters study with Chu.

Cui and Chu note that polypropylene will lose its electrostatic charge when you wash it, but you can recharge it by ironing it or by rubbing it with a plastic glove for around 20 seconds. Once you've got static cling, ka-ching — you're back in business. Cui says a two-layer tight-weave cotton mask alone can filter out about 35% of small particles. But adding a filter made out of two layers of charged polypropylene could boost that filtration efficiency by as much as another 35%, Cui says. You still want a cotton layer closest to your face, he says, because it's a more comfortable material.

Rhonda K

I've been making masks for family and friends. Like others here on the boards, my technique has evolved.

The die works great and you can just cut the front pieces and the pieces without the filter pocket. I use plastic nose pieces which wash well. I didn't want to use wires, pipe cleaners, etc as I didn't think they would hold up in the washer.

I just started with a 3-D pattern and found that the CG ruler will work on the upper curves. I can cut 4 layers of fabric at a time. Use the 45 mm ruler on the straight cuts of the pattern and the 28 mm ruler on the curve parts. These will have adjustable elastic loops which allow the wearer to adjust for comfort.

The hardest part of stitching them has been to fit different people. My favorite is of course, the little ones made with dino fabrics for Dgrandson.

Good luck to all stitchers!

Julienm1

Yesterday sewed, washed, dried 21 masks for DIL who works front office in elem school. She's really nervous so I told her I'd make a few masks for her to wear. She's already at school but they have no idea when kids will be back or the schedule. I can't wait for her to see them tomorrow. All of them are reversible so she will have more options.