DIY Face Mask Tutorial

After sewing a few of the pleated style face masks, which I shared in my Instagram Story highlights, I decided I wanted to try sewing the more sleek style with the seam down the middle. I partnered with Cricut to use my Explore Air 2 to create this DIY face mask sewing tutorial. It’s a simple fitted face mask with patterns in various sizes, including children and adults. It has a pocket inside so it can hold a disposable filter for additional protection.

If you don’t have a cutting machine, no worries! You can still download the printable template and cut it out with scissors. All the steps after that are the exact same. I simply used my Explore Air 2 to quickly draw and cut out the pattern.

Printable Face mask with filter pattern:

• Adult large
• Adult small/medium
• Youth large
• Youth small/medium

Visit the Cricut Millions of Masks page for the Cricut design files to draw and cut the patterns with your cutting machine.

I made a few tweaks to the sewing process so it differs from the tutorial that you see on the Cricut blog. After sewing a few of these, I found a simpler way to sew these which I included in my video tutorial below.

There are also a few different methods and materials you can use to wear the mask. My preferred method was to use one 6″ length of 1/4″ elastic sewn in a loop on each side. I found this to be the most comfortable style and it is easiest to put on and take off. The original tutorial on the Cricut blog suggests using one long piece of elastic sew in a large loop. While you may prefer this method, I found it difficult to put on and it didn’t stay on my head.

Update: I recently found these super soft adjustable elastic straps and they are now my favorite thing to use.

If you don’t have any elastic in your sewing stash already, you can also use scraps of jersey fabric or even an old t-shirt cut into long strips to create ties or used in place of elastic for ear loops.

If you are healthy and want to sew masks to donate to those who need them in your community, you can join Cricut in making face masks. Their goal is for the DIY community to make 2 million face masks—with their machines or with their many templates. If you would like to join the challenge and sew some masks, feel free to share what you’re making with hashtag #togetherwemake.

Please let me know if you have any questions while you’re sewing and please stay safe!

 

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A post shared by Sarah Rivero Khandjian (@sarahhearts) on Apr 15, 2020 at 8:39am PDT

These masks NOT rated for disease control and not considered PPE. Please visit the CDC website for more information about face masks.