Best Face Mask Yet

Best Face Mask Yet
Best Face Mask Yet

I feel like I made progress on a face mask I can make quickly that will work with my/DH’s/ YM’s glasses. The original pattern for this one came from the video tutorial I talked about before. I like this pattern because of the shape and the ease of making it. I tweaked the pattern to make it work better for us.

Some of the changes I made:

I added a nose piece. Julie sent me some nose pieces, which work really well. Since they help keep our glasses from fogging up, I have been adding them to masks I make.

I made the top and bottom gussets (not sure if that piece is a gusset or not) longer to try and ensure that the raw edges were covered. That is something that didn’t work as well as I had hoped. All the pieces were too thick and hard to sew through when I went to make the channels.

Face mask with stretchy cord
Face mask with stretchy cord

I used stretchy cord from Maker’s Mercantile and a cordlock. This allows me to really pull the  mask tight around my face. The bad part is that I was wearing my hair down and the cordlock got caught in my hair. 🙁 I think it would work ok while wearing a ponytail. I don’t, however, want to have to always wear a ponytail.

It is still not ideal, but the good points are:

  • doesn’t fog up my glasses as much
  • I can pull it tight because of the cordlock
  • relatively quick to make
  • The good part of the stretchy cord/cordlock combo was that it didn’t add more stuff to my ears. I went out to drop off a gift wearing this mask and wearing glasses, headphones and elastic on my ears is too much.

Points on which to work

  • encasing raw edges  – I think I will keep the gussets the original size from the pattern and sew the raw edges closed.
  • try adding elastic around the back instead of stretchy cord
  • The channels were to small to insert the cord. I used the Purple Thang, which worked pretty well, though it kept getting stuck on a seam, I think, inside the channel. Inserting the cord was not a smooth process. Deirdre talked about using a stainless steel straw to keep the channel open. I don’t have one of those, but my get one and try it.
Face Mask front
Face Mask front

This is not the same pattern that I used before, but I did use the same fabric. It is double gauze and I thought it would be comfy.

I haven’t given up on other patterns, especially the one my friend Deirdre sent me. I will try that one with a nose piece and elastic around the back to see if that works for me.

Author: JayeL

Quiltmaker who enjoys writing and frozen chocolate covered bananas.

One thought on “Best Face Mask Yet”

  1. After you posted this, I watched the video and was all set to do it. My friend did the pattern before me and made a template. I got stuck when I couldn’t figure out the folding/sewing for the “gussets.” my friend walked me through it on FaceTime. I serged the raw ends. I couldn’t get the tie through the openings so I ripped them out. Then, I laid my long cord (t-shirt raveling) on the fabric; folded it; and sewed it. If the cord comes out, I will have to rip out of the seam. I like this mask a lot. Have only made one, but plan to do more.

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