My factory

Ian and I were talking last night after I got a call from a friend with questions about mask-making. I told him I doubt many people realized how much we are all collaborating behind the scenes. I know the image most people have of someone who sews is a sweet old lady happily sewing all alone.
That is partly true--this is mostly a solitary sport, but when we're all working on something this important, we're constantly trying to improve, speed up and provide the most useful and practical thing we can.
I've done about a dozen iterations on how I make my masks, based on feedback from friends making masks, scientific articles on which fabrics are most effective, and from friends in healthcare who tell me how they are using the masks and what is most comfortable for them.

I thought I'd share some photos of my workspace for everyone. It hasn't been this organized in years--because I moved everything not related to mask making out so I could focus and stay organized.

My workhorse. I bought this a couple of years ago for making costumes and spare my high end machines from the wear and tear. It is absolutely perfect for this. I only does a straight stitch, but it does it FAST. Knee lift and thread cutter help a ton. The attachment is the bias binder I bought for my Berninas, but it works perfectly on this machine.

My overlock. I'm using this to finish edges of the lining. That's a stack of strips from a flat sheet to the right, ready to be serged.

Set up a staging system for masks that are complete and ones that need nose pieces added.

King size sheets waiting to be cut into bias strips and lining pieces (thanks, Gina!!)

The very last of my quilting cotton(thanks, Mom!) cut and ready for assembly. I have two fabric orders pending--one should arrive by EOD today.

Please share photos of your work space! I'd love to see how you guys are set up.

Thank you all for doing what you do!!!
Juliette

Looks like we're going to be making a lot of these....

I decided to start a new post since these instructions are specifically geared toward folks making a lot of face masks.
I've lost count of the different methods I've tried, and I did start out using fabric left over from other projects, so the following technique wouldn't really work. Thanks to my mom, I have a stack of quite a few lovely prints in fat quarters and yardage.
This method can be used for both elastic and fabric ties.

Here are some of the tips/important points I've picked up from friends who have been making these masks for for health professionals:

1. Use two distinctive fabrics so the wearer knows which side was against their face last.
2. Use lighter colors for the inside of the mask so it is easier to see if the mask is soiled
3. The pockets are appreciated as they allow the wearer to add filter material
4. Right now it seems to be easier to get sheets delivered than fabric, so I've order a king sized sheet set to use for lining and fabric ties. 
5. Fabric ties are better than elastic in medical settings as they can sterilized and offer the option of being tied behind the ears or around the head.

Fabric prep:

1. Cut 6" wide strips of the public fabric (5" for kids)
2. Cut two 4" wide strips of the lining fabric (3.5" for kids)
3. Finish one edge of the 4" strips (I overlock these)
   

   

   Cut one strip 6" wide, two strips 4" wide

   

   Overlocked lining fabric

   
   
   
     
   
   
   
   
   
    

Sewing the strips together:

1. Place one of the 4" strips right sides together with the public fabric, raw edges together
2. Sew with a 1/4" seam
3. Repeat with the other 4" strip

Pressing the strips:

1. Lay the piece right side up and press the fabric flat, seams pointing toward the lining pieces
2. Turn lining pieces wrong side to public fabric and press again

Cutting:

1. Cut to length (9" for adults, 7.5" for kids)
2. Cut two pieces of elastic 7" long

I'm using foldover elastic when I run out of braided elastic

Adding the elastic loops

1. Lay the piece flat, right side up
2. Pin elastic pieces to the two short ends
3. Fold the lining up & over the elastic and pin in place
4. Stitch with 1/4" seam allowance

 

Finishing the mask

1. Turn the mask right side out
2. Stitch 3/8" from the top edge
3. Pin tucks along the two short edges
4. Top stitch over tucks

 

Adding the Nose Bridge Wire

1. Cut a piece of twist tie 12" long.
2. Double over and twist together
3. Make a small slit on the back side of the mask at the top
4. Slide the twist tie into place.

Fabric Face Masks

***Update*** I don't know why I was making this more complicated than needed. Why oh why would you cut 5 and 4" strips when 4" is plenty??

Directions for pleated fabric masks

***I will add photos this evening for more clarity. Please let me know if you have any questions.

I’ve read quite a few descriptions and discussions about these masks. The bottom line is that they aren’t as effective as the medical grade, but they’re better than nothing, and many hospitals are in dire need of anything to help protect their staff and help make what supplies they do have last longer.

I’m using instructions I found online and have elaborated on the instructions and made a couple of minor changes to make things go faster and improve the function.

What Fabric should you use? the easiest to find is 100% cotton. The quilting cotton they sell at JoAnns fabrics is perfect. If you want more information on this, check out this analysis: https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/best-materials-make-diy-face-mask-virus/?fbclid=IwAR2FAv9BQSWifq6EQ_A7BPphhLPxUoirfbWHJjzN75soJsy94W63kRLfteU

Cotton sheets will also work.

The instructions I've provided here are for a a simple pleated mask with filter pocket and fabric ties. Based on feedback from friends in health care, these are preferred for medical settings over elastic loops since they can be sterilized.

N95 covers:

Some health professionals are using these homemade covers to extend the life of N95 masks. I just learned from a friend in radiology that there are (at least) two styles of N95 masks: Cup shaped (similar to dust masks you buy at Home Depot), and duckbill. The pleated face mask can be used with the cup shaped N95, but not the duckbill.

Ray works in radiology in the ER in an Austin area hospital. He usually wears a surgical mask, and is now wearing the cotton mask over it. They are only supposed to wear N95 masks around high-risk patients that are being given CPR or being intubated.

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Face mask with filter pocket and fabric ties.

These instructions use semi-production methods to make a large number of masks more quickly

What you'll need for a single mask: 

• 1 piece of fabric, 6x9"
• 2 pieces of contrasting fabric, each 4x9"
• 2 - 34" lengths of 1-1/2 bias

Here's how I make this go faster when making multiple masks at once:  

Public fabric:

1. Cut or tear a strip of the "public" fabric 6" wide
2. Cut into 9" lengths

Lining fabric:

1. Cut or tear a strip of lining fabric 4" wide
2. Overlock one long edge of the strip of lining fabric
3. Cut into 9" lengths--you'll use two of these for each mask

Fabric ties:

1. Take a large piece of fabric (bedsheets are great for this) and fold point to point so fold is on 45 degree angle to finished edges
2. Line up folded edge to a straight line.
3. Using a rotary cutter and straight edge, cut 1-1/2" strips.

Sewing the mask:

1. Place two pieces of lining fabric (overlapping) rights side together with the public fabric, with the finished edges of the lining in the middle of the mask.
2. Using a 1/4" seam allowance and a short stitch length (2.2 - 2.5mm), sew along the two long edges.
3. Turn right side out and press.
4. Stitch a 1/4" along the top edge to create a casing for the nose bridge piece
5. Machine baste along each short end while creating three deep tucks. Make sure tucks on both sides point in the same direction
6. If you have a bias binder for your machine*:
1. Mark the center point of the two bias strips
2. Feed one strip into the bias binder, sewing until the mark is about to reach the needle.
3. Feed the mask in as you sew so the binding wraps around the short side of the mask.
4. Continue to sew until the ties is complete
5. Repeat for the other tie and side of the mask. 

*If you don't have a bias binder for your machine:

1. Fold and press the bias in half lengthwise, then fold each raw edge towards the center fold (this will give you a "C" fold bias strip.)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. At the center point of the bias strip, wrap around the short ends of the mask and sew from one end of the bias strip to the end
3. Repeat for the other long edge.

     7. Trim the end of the fabric ties and knot.

     8. Make a small slit along the top edge of the lining fabric and insert a twist tie. This can be bent along the bridge of the wear's nose to give a closer fit