Adventures in Somewhat Unsatisfactory Mask-making

[nineveh_uk]

Making masks is proving less of a fun way to use up fabric scraps and create a well-fitting, comfortable, attractive new necessity, and more of an exercise in frustration. So far I have tried five patterns, and am yet to come up with something that makes me feel like a dashing highwayman with comfortable ears.

* They are small. Small things, especially small things that need to be turned inside out, are a pain.

* Pattern sizing is vague to say the least.

* They're a really annoying place on the body to try to fit closely without a custom-fit design. Faces vary a a lot, and they vary in multiple dimensions. A fabric mask that is mass-produced (including ordinary surgical masks) or has been home-made but not to an individual tailored pattern is by definition of not being made to fit an individual face shape not going to "seal" to the fact, and a "snug fit" is going to be pretty challenging if not impossible across the upper edge of cheeks and nose. Nose wires make a bit of difference, but can't make up for a poor fit or simply the effects of such things as occasionally needing to move the jaw in order to speak.

* Speaking of nose wires, bits of wire inevitably end up poking through the material, and the dedicated "nose bridges" only really worked in the pleated type of mask. There is no getting away from it: glasses with small lenses steam up. I suspect it doesn't help that If I am doing anything other than sitting absolutely still, and sometimes even then, I have to breathe through my mouth to some extent, so the warm air isn't being directed downwards as it would be by my nostrils.

The patterns...

(1) SleepingBaby The first I tried, and so far the best. Unfortunately, I traced the pattern off the computer screen as I haven't got a printer at the moment, and made it a bit too small. The instructions are a bit limited, but there's a comprehensive video to help. Does have the disadvantage that there's quite a bit of fabric over the mouth, which tends to be pulled towards it when breathing. I might try a piece of plastic boning down the centre seam. However this plus trying a couple of purchased ones suggests that it is the shape that works best for me, and I'm going to try it in the correct M size next.

(2) Burda. Lives up to everything you have every heard rumoured about Burda's terrible instructions. Despite being produced by a commercial company, the photos are useless because it uses the same brown gingham for the outer and lining fabric and it is impossible to see what process is being illustrated. The linked instructions are in German because I am 100% not recommending this to anyone so felt no need to go and find the English ones again. Having said all that, it's reasonably comfortable to wear, but there are much easier ways out there to achieve the same result.

(3) Pleated. Pattern over-complicated for what it is, presents the machine with a lot of layers, and the sides don't fit very well, whether in home-made or the blue surgical style. That said, the flat fabric over the mouth is comfortable.

(4) Japanese Creations. Courtesy of caulkhead. Not a terrible pattern, it has the considerable virtue of simplicity, but size M is too small, and the nose shape will obviously be wrong for me in a larger size. I like that you don't have to press a centre seam, but the turning things inside out bit was pretty tricky. It also doesn't allow for different outer and lining fabrics, not a simple interlining.

(5) Dhurata DaviesThis was the clear winner on many fronts. A straightforward pattern that - uniquely - gave face measurements to help select size. Good instructions with clear photographs, and easy to sew. Unfortunately, the finished mask didn't work that well for me for two reasons. Firstly, that while the nose-to-chin fit is excellent and the chin dart a really good idea, the mask fabric lies far to close over the mouth for my comfort, although this might not be an issue if you breathe through your nose more than I do. Also, despite the good lower shape, the fit above the tip of the nose over the bridge* and cheeks was too big for me. This could easily be tweaked by using a larger dart, but due to the fit over the mouth, it is the second choice for me of the five.

I am persevering, because my reward when I have the perfect pattern will be to make a mask out of peacock-feather printed silk and it will look amazing. In the meantime, I'm sticking to scrap cotton.

*I am increasingly getting the feeling that my nose is relatively short in length for its height at the nostrils.

Comments

[antisoppist]

I made the SleepingBaby one from the link from you, and Son and I are both happy with a Medium. He has just tested his for this first time in enrolling at college and going into two shops and has requested more of them, ideally in purple. But possibly he and I have longer and pointier noses than you do, which keeps the fabric from clinging to our mouths. He also has the pointiest chin of all. That probably uses up more of the fabric in the front too.

The pleated one pinged off everyone's ears and I had to make tie behind your head rouleau ties for Daughter, which was not fun at all.

(your Pleated link isn't working)

[nineveh_uk]

I have a new one cut out, so hopefully it will work. I don't think that I have an especially not-pointy chin, but who knows? I never thought this would be an issue.

I tried tying behind my head, but I just spent all the time worried I'd be accidentally strangled and it slipped off anyway.

(Oops, thank you!)

[antisoppist]

What I don't get with the SleepingBaby one that I like is that it says "with filter pocket" and then as far as I can see doesn't have a filter pocket because you have sewn all the seams down. I cut out some more last night and looked at the instructions again and I can't see how you would get a filter in unless I'm missing some vital detail.

[nineveh_uk]

If you fold and hem the lining on the inner line, then the channel for the ears abuts but doesn't overlap it, and you could slip a filter in there (I will show you the one I did like that, if it doesn't make sense). I am tempted not to bother with that for the next, though I do wonder if it helps the gathers on the cheeks to have the channel made of only the one layer of fabric.

[antisoppist]

Ah yes, no, I do see. I just automatically sewed the channels neatly over the edge of the lining, which it doesn't actually say to do. That would also make it easier to get the elastic through.

[white_hart]

After swearing at lots of more complicated patterns I've stuck to Mary Robinette Kowal's very simple pattern, which ties round the back of the head so no pinging off the ears and has gathered sides which help with fit. I absolutely hate making them, though (but I do need to make more this weekend so T has plenty to take to Belfast next week for socially distanced Mastermind).

I'm really curious to see what the university-supplied ones will be like!

[nineveh_uk]

Mum ended up doing something very similar to that pattern, though with ear elastic. The faffing is just a nuisance.

I'm really curious to see what the university-supplied ones will be like!

Oxford blue? Though I feel that really they ought to supply them in packs of one, and you can get a second one if you feel it fits at all. Otherwise I suspect a lot will end up being passed on. Still, it is probably cheaper to supply everyone than it is to spend time answering emails complaining about having to buy masks...

[moon_custafer]

I’ve been doing something half-way between the Dhurata Davies pattern and the Robinette Kowal pattern: cut a rectangle, sew into a tube, make a central dart at the top for the nose and one at the bottom for the chin (or do the darts first and then the tube, which is slightly more complicated but tidier), then fold the sides into drawstring channels for the earloops.

[nineveh_uk]

Doing the darts post-tube (through both layers?) sounds like it might actually be an option for fitting the damn thing to your face properly? One of the frustrating things I am finding is wondering if it is going to fit!

[perennialanna]

Learning to sew via Burda (not even paper patterns, patterns traced from the magazine) was certainly good for my problem-solving abilities.

[nineveh_uk]

It's a unique kind of brand recognition, I'll give them that!

[perennialanna]

My mother is a big fan of their instructions, because it allows her to have Opinions about dressmaking. Especially about seam allowances.

[nineveh_uk]

I can see that having a certain niche appeal.

[antisoppist]

We had to buy our own patterns for the two garments we had to make as coursework for Dress/Textiles, from which we would learn all the techniques of sewing, and Mrs Portwain banned Burda.

I think she was right from a teaching perspective and having one person in the class with a Burda pattern would have been hell, but I've avoided them ever since.

[perennialanna]

They tend to be very well-cut with ease in places other pattern companies see no need for ease (why would you want to lift your arms above your head while wearing a shirt?). Back then they wouldn't have had seam allowances on the paper patterns either, which would be a definite drawback in a class.

I try Burda first when looking for a pattern, partly because of the cut, and partly because of how much cheaper they are than anywhere else. I was also very fond of Ottobre magazine for baby clothes, and I like the look of their adult patterns but have never actually tried one.

[girlyswot]

I've got one Ottobre magazine with women's patterns, of which I've made one (maybe two?). I liked it and if you're used to Burda, the instructions will seem positively gushing.

[perennialanna]

Having made a couple of Japanese patterns from books that hadn't (at that point) been translated, I am convinced that diagrams are the way forward.

[caulkhead]

Masks are fine until I try to talk, and then even the best fitting of my homemade ones fall off my nose; it just doesn't seem to have enough of a bridge to hold anything up once my jaw moves. The purchased one (from Bloch dancewear, on the grounds I thought it would be easier to breathe in while skating - it's not) stays put to talk in - it's jersey, not woven, so probably has more stretch - but I find the centre seam too close to my mouth for comfort if I wear it for very long.

I have been semi-seriously considering using one of those wire hooks you use to hang baubles on Christmas trees to attach the top of my mask to the bridge of my glasses, but it would probably just look daft to no purpose.

[nineveh_uk]

I have a nasty feeling that either things are tight and uncomfortable, or loose and fall off. Or all of them at once. I feel that surely someone ought to sell some sort of adjustable metal close clip that sits on the outside and holds them in place comfortable. Youngest Sister said that one suggestion she'd seen was sewing a button to the brige that your glasses could rest on.

I have got a jersey one I purchased for £2.99 in Holland and Barrett, which is quite decent, and am tempted to have a go with some rather magenta fabric I have hanging around.

[girlyswot]

I have made a dozen of these: https://www.sewcanshe.com/blog/simple-step-by-step-tutorial-for-the-olson-mask-pattern I can do half a dozen in just over an hour, but I am not particularly perfectionist about it.

The fit is okay but not perfect. I have decided that since I really only wear it for twenty minutes in Tesco and occasionally to pop into the post office, I am not going to spend time trying to fit it better and I will just manage with the steamed glasses. I have the elastic going behind my neck, not round my ears because I can't bear that.

Earlier in the year I bought three old Cath Kidston pillowcases in a charity shop for 60p each, thinking they might make good lining fabric. They have: all my masks are lined with them, and they are super-soft against the skin.

[nineveh_uk]

Half a dozen in an hour???? You are very speedy! I admit that I am incapable of sewing anything without pressing each seam umpteen times in a quest for perfection that goes rather overboard, though.

I think I had seem that pattern at some point, but had rejected it because it wanted me to do extra hems, which was Not On.

[girlyswot]

Oh, I don't do the extra hems, because I don't use a filter. I cut four pieces the same, stitch in pairs to be a front and a lining, then stitch front to the lining, trim, turn right side out, press the seams, then press the ends over to make the channels for the elastic. But it's MUCH quicker if you batch sew, rather than do them one at a time.

[nineveh_uk]

Ah! Yes, I can see it would be much quicker if you used the same lining. I am going to give batch sewing a try (and in the same colours...), because it does seem an obvious way to speed up.

Mask pattern that really works

[(Anonymous)]

In the iniatial days of mask wearing here (April/May) - there were no masks to be found in stores and you had to make them. I tried several patterns - the pleated ones don't sit very well on any of our faces so I went with shaped ones.
This pattern - the Olson pattern - is by far the best. It does require turning inside-out (outside-in) but is easily sewn and has a filter pocket.
I did add nose wires to some that I sewed but have found them mostly unnecessary. (I wear glasses too)
This pdf has clear instructions, and the youtube link is very helpful too. I used hair elastics for the ears (couldn't find elastic either in the stores) - the thin ones are very comfortable.
https://www.unitypoint.org/filesimages/COVID-19/UnityPointHealth-OlsonMask-Instructions.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnVk12sFRkY

-M

And I see my mask pattern is alredy recommended :)

[(Anonymous)]

Having posted my rec for the Olson pattern, I see that someone else also recommended them. They really do work well. I've made around 50 masks for family and friends and the last 20 or so are all the Olson pattern. Have been asked to make more with that pattern for an elderly friend as they are very comfortable.
I also plan to make silk masks with some silk fabric I have lying around - project for next week :)
-M

Re: And I see my mask pattern is alredy recommended :)

[nineveh_uk]

With two recs, I might have to give that pattern ago, though perhaps like girlyswot omitting the filter pattern.

I like the suggesstion of applying body tape to give a seal. While that wouldn't be an option for daily use, I might try it for a trip to the supermarket, since I've already got some.

Re: And I see my mask pattern is alredy recommended :)

[(Anonymous)]

I haven't used any of my masks with a filter - I did leave the filter pocket in - just in case. If you are machine sewing the Olson pattern, the hem for the pocket opening is trivial (I don't press seams at all :)) So it was easy enough to create the pocket.

[serriadh]

I have had some success with glasses de-fogger spray (which was sent to me, and I assumed would be rubbish). It needs reapplying after each trip, but it helps with the fogging.

[nineveh_uk]

I should try that, I used to have some for skiing.