On this page I am including patterns for several face masks that I have tested that are easy to make.
These patterns offer various degrees of fit, filtration and safety. There is also information on what makes masks safer. Also some hacks I have found to replace materials that might be hard to find.
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This is currently my favorite mask to make and to wear. It goes together like magic and has lots of space in front of the mouth so you don’t feel smothered with your breath. It has a filter and a nose wire. Here are the directions to make the 3-D Shaped Mask
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Masks to Use in Public Situations
This is a modification of the Deaconess Hospital pattern. I designed it with room in the top seam to insert a nose bridge. It allows the addition of a wire, twist ties or pipe cleaners without zig zag. Here is a link to the post that gives the instructions:
Pleated Face cover with metal bridge.
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Comfortable Mask with great Protection
Dora Cary one of our guild’s quilters and the owner of Orange Dot Quilts has worked out a quilt pattern That nurses in hospitals in our area find comfortable to wear. Apparently they are able to use it in situations that are not high risk for the virus but where some protection is still necessary.
This mask has good coverage according to medical personnel and filters the air with batting. The only small air gaps I felt are way under the chin.
This seems a safe mask and Dora has had a doctor and nursing staff who approved this mask. The Mask is designed with ear loops but can also be made with Ties or wider elastic around the head. I hear that hospital nurses in our area are using this mask when they need protection that does not rise to N95 level
Great Job Dora!
OrangeDotQuilts-pattern-SimpleMask20201*****************
Fitted Mask with Non Woven Center layers for better protection
Here is a good video that talks about masks and has links to more patterns.
In the instructions for this mask they suggest various materials for the center including fusible non woven interfacing. I tried that and found that the mask did not breathe! The interfacing by itself was fine. When I fused it to the fabric though that changed. I think the glue clogged all the microscopic pores. When I tried this mask with fusible interfacing the air came out at the sides of the mask. My second attempt made a well fitting and comfortable mask.
Learn from me and use only the non fusible interfacing or the spun polyester fabric from shopping bags.
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Here is a set of templates for making a sized mask to fit your face. It is called the “Jesse Mask“. This link has about 28 sizes for the mast.
You get your size by measuring from the top of your nose were you want the mask to rest to your chin and also from the top of your nose to your ear hole. (If you want pictures it is on page 29 of the pdf after the patterns). When I made my mask I found it a little large.
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Mask for men with beards and no elastic
Here is another mask pattern that is especially good for men who have beards. It is easy, has a good fit and does not use elastic. It uses cotton clothesline that loops around the neck and ties at the top of the head.
It’s downside is that the bottom of the mask rubbed my neck.
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Information and Strategies for Masks
The Ideal Mask is an N95 Mask that has been fit tested before it is worn. This can only be done in a lab setting. Most masks fail because of gaps around the edges. A recent study showed that all masks improved significantly if people covered the mask with a ring cut from the leg of a nylon stocking.
Strategies that improve the fit of a mask help to make them more effective. This is why all these patterns include the metal nose bridge at the top. When you make a mask, put it on and see where your air is coming from. The less drafts you feel around your face the better.
A better filtering mask is not always the most practical mask because they make it harder to breathe. N95 masks will limit your exertion level because you can only draw in a limited amount of air with each breath.
A cotton fabric mask is fine for breathing, but the gaps allow viruses through. It is best at keeping you from spreading viruses into the air. This is the mask to wear out in public. It stops pre-symptomatic people from sharing their viruses with others and right now we all need to act as if we are pre-symptomatic for Covid19.
Surgical masks have better filtering ability in part because they include a layer of non woven polyester fabric. This is the material used in protective gowns you see in hospitals. It is also used for those cheap re-usable bags that are gifted as promotional items and is the material in non-woven interfacing.
A material that is proven effective in filtering viruses is autoclave fabric. These sheets are usually blue and used to wrap items before they are sterilized in an autoclave. It is washable.
N95 Masks rely on the static charge of the polypropylene fiber to attract the viruses and achieve their 95% filtration rate. There are other materials that develop a static charge and so improve filtration in that manner. The best is a chiffon/Spandex fabric closely followed by a cotton/polyester batting, and natural silk. See these Fabrics tested. Using these materials in a mask should help.
Here is an interesting article on Aerosol Filtration. It talks about the effectiveness of various fabrics in filtering particles. It was limited to woven fibers.
they liked Flannel but it is important to note that they used a cotton/polyester flannel. There is nothing on quilter’s 100% cotton flannel. There is reason to believe it is not as good. Mixed fibers have static charge that seems to attract small particles.
Their conclusion was that tightly woven cotton, natural silk and a polyester chiffon with a bit of spandex were effective materials. That they worked better when combined but that a good fit for the mask was more important thanthe material used.
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A Hack if you need Elastic
There has been a shortage of cord and ΒΌ” flat elastic. I found a great hack Lycra fabric.
I once planned on making bathing suits and so had a great stash in my closet. I was able to turn it into yards and yards of comfortable non raveling and very stretchy ear loops. I mostly cut it 1/2″ wide with the length in the stretchier direction. It does not ravel and some curls nicely.
Having a band of metal as a nose bridge makes all the masks fit better and prevents the fogging of glasses. Here are some easy items to use. Three inches finished is a good length for most masks. Here are good suggestions:
- A soft aluminum or copper wire with the ends curled.
- A double thickness of pipe cleaner
- Two twist ties (washable)
- Plastic garden twine with a metal center