How to Make a Face Mask (Multi-Options) for Yourself or to Donate in Videos and Print

Mask from Videos 2 & 3

World Health Organization (WHO) recommends wearing masks when outside the home or in healthcare positions.  Sewers may want to raid their supplies for interfacing and cotton fabric to make washable masks for yourself and family.  Why make or wear a mask?  See #Masks4All (video 1).  Do not wait for U.S, Center for Disease Control (CDC) to require you to wear a mask.  For statistics on what type of masks are most effective, scroll to "Even Homemade Masks Are Effective" section in article Benefits of Wearing Masks for Protection From Infection.  Protect yourself and others - wear a mask!

Cloth Masks - JoAnn Fabrics and many other organizations are encouraging people to buy/donate masks to medical facilities, first responders (firemen and police officers), and military.  Others ask sewers to make surgical grade face masks to donate to medical facilities or homeless shelters.  If you know you are germ-free and a good sewer willing to donate your time, you can get supplies FREE to make masks from JoAnn Fabrics ,as well as the pattern making and sewing instructions (video 2) for elasticized (accordian-style reusable/washable surgical-type) masks that secure over the ears.  You can make the same mask as a tie-on mask by sewing 42 -inch long seam binding strip centered over each pleated side to create knots behind the head.  If text instructions are desired, see homemade fabric face mask with ties or elastic instructions (video 3) that secures around the head, along with downloadable PDF for printing.  The PDF has sizes to cut fabric for both adults and children. You can convert their print instructions for over the ears by using shorter elastic like other video.  If making a mask or each person in the family, consider  using: a favorite color cloth, different print, or another top-stitching thread color.  This way everyone has a unique mask and they all know which is theirs.

Alternative Styles - If you want to make a contoured mask with a pocket for inserting disposable filters (video 4), you will need lots of special equipment in addition to fabric and a sewing machine.  Or you can do the no-sew bandana and rubber bands mask (video 5) - the pipe cleaner and coffee filter are optional.  There is also the wearing a fashionable infinity scarf as a mask (Video 6) in a matter of seconds!  If you are really desperate for a personal mask and do not have any fabric scapes or a bandana, you might consider getting the glue and create the silly-looking bra conversion masks (video 7) (Ha!Ha!).

Paper Masks - If you are not a sewer and can not find facemasks in the stores, then check out making a disposable face mask out of paper towels and rubber bands (video 8) using a stapler to secure.  You can use these paper masks fro yourself or your family.  There are also videos out there on making disposable masks from coffee filters.  Both of these are not sufficient for medical use, so you should not donate these styles. No matter what you have read, do not use vacuum cleaner bags (video 9)!

What do you do if the mask you made or bought is too loose?  See Methods to Tighten Behind-the-Head Face Mask or How to Clean Your Reusable Face Mask for an ideas that meet your needx.

NOTE:  I am not promoting any of these masks as the best to use.  I used cotton broadcloth with interfacing for shape/filter in my samples.  Since I had to iron the mask flat before pleating I did a quick method to get 3 evenly spaced pleats too: 1. fold sewn rectangle in half, iron that fold in for center pleat, 2. Flip over and fold one side into center fold for another fold and iron it in place, 3. fold other side into center fold  and iron it.  Now I have perfect lines of outward fold and just need to pin the 1/2" fold inside to make each inward pleat for sewing sides of mask.