19 June, 2020

Mask Making 2.0

More mask making; for friends and family, from my favorite pattern, but with a new twist.
 The Valami mask, in children's sizes, their Mom just so happens to be an Auburn Tiger. 

The Valami face mask (linked above) has now added the ear-loop option as well as children's sizing. I am continuing to make mine with batiks, (believe it or not, I'm getting down to the bottom of my batik stash) as the tighter weave provides added filtration, and lining mine with a soft, cotton knit. These masks also feature a pocket that will accommodate an extra filter, if desired, and copper nose wires, sewn in, for the perfect custom fit. The first masks that I made had over-the-head, tie-behind-the-neck, fastening with soft, T-shirt ties. For these most recent batches I've turned entirely to the easy-on, easy-off, adjustable (with a pony bead) ear loops; also made with soft, non-chafing, T-shirt ties. Thanks, Valami, for continuing to tweak and improve on an already superior pattern! You can download the free pattern here.  It's looking more and more like North Carolina is going to go under a state mandate for mask-wearing in public; the capital city here has already fallen under that mandatory law beginning today. That being said, face masks are going to be around for a the forseeable future; you might as well be wearing one that fits well and properly, for everyone's protection. I have plans to go through my overflowing scrap basket (scraps too small to re-shelve) tomorrow and see how many more masks I can make toward this effort.
And sew it goes...
Life is Good!

4 comments:

Quiltdivajulie said...

I have converted three of mine to ear loops instead of the toggles that I was using for behind the head style. They are so much easier to put on and take off - Memphis city has a mandated mask law (although it appears over half the residents are ignoring it at present - sigh). The County (where we are in another municipality) has a STRONG recommendation for masks - we wear ours every time we go out. I think I need to make a few more for variety . . . I agree, they are part of our foreseeable future.

AnnieO said...

I'm continuing the mask making too! The T-shirt ties you're doing--did you buy cotton knit for them? I like the adjustable fit with the pony bead and will try that on future masks. One adjustment I tried on the Shannon Fabrics mask pattern I was using did not work, as it made the ear loop too low and then the nose piece would not stay on people's noses. Sigh. I am now trying Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts' mask pattern. She only uses two layers of fabric but also has three sizes in her free pattern.

Janet O. said...

I have also been making my masks out of batiks with cotton knit lining (aside from those made with the local university logo fabrics for a few diehard fans). We do not have a mandate for wearing them, but it is "strongly recommended". I have never seen more than 1/2 of the people in stores wearing them, and usually it is more like 1/4. In small stores I am sometimes the only one. Just finished a batch for neighbors heading out on a mission to Argentina. I think that makes it about 170 total now. And in the beginning of all this I thought I wouldn't make masks. LOL

Tanya said...

Thanks for the pattern link. I need to make a few more masks too... Pony beads! Who would have thought!