After researching and reading this and that, I’ve come up with the following method of making face masks:
Fabric
Pipe Cleaner (8") (to bend over the nose and cup the cheeks)
Elastic - please, no larger than 1/4" wide for the sake of the ears! ACTUALLY 1/8" IS BEST - YOU CAN TRIM 1/4" TO 1/8" EASILY! Just like you can trim 1/2" wide elastic to 1/8"
Cut main fabric 9" x 16"
Cut from main fabric for facing 9" x 1.5" then cut in half to make 4.5" x 1.5"
Cut 2 pieces of elastic 7" long
With wrong side facing up on ironing board, fold both ends of large piece about ½" and press.
With right sides together, pin, then stitch along the pressed fold about 1.5" - reinforcing at the 1.5" mark. This will keep seam from coming apart when folks insert their coffee filter.
Press seam open.
Turn tube right side out.
Place opening near the top and press folds above and at the bottom.
Take to machine, open up and carefully stitch 1/4" from bottom fold (of the opening). I can only stitch a few stitches before I have to readjust, making sure I don’t catch extra fabric underneath!
Then take the tube and find the pressed top fold. Stitch through all layers to make a tube for the pipe cleaner.
Insert pipe cleaner. Leave at least 1 inch from the end. Use wire cutters and cut the pipe cleaner. Scoot the pipe cleaner down where both ends have about ½" of NO pipe cleaner! You do not want to stitch over the wire because it might just break a needle (or dull it)!
Take back to ironing board. Give the over all (now 9" x about 7.5") piece a good press.
Working on the ironing board, with the front facing up and the pipe cleaner tube is on top, make the first fold.
Press each fold as you go. You’ll have three nice folds about ½" deep.
Pin folds in place (I’ve drawn too much blood pinning the folds as I go!)
The last hanging down part, I pin underneath (backwards) for really the 4th fold, to cup underneath the chin better.
From the front, pin the elastic in place, making sure not to twist.
From the front, pin the facing in place on each end right sides together, wrapping the ends around to the back. *Stitch through all layers using 1/4" seam allowance (Double Check Where the Pipe Cleaner Is!!!!).
Double stitch over the elastic a couple of times to reinforce!
*Don’t forget to remove pins as you stitch, before stitching over them!!!
Take back to ironing board and press stitching to set. Pull out facing and press folded a rounds, then about 1/4" along the edge. Fold over, then stitch in the ditch.
Ta Da!!!
