How to Make Your Own Mask (From Things You Probably Already Have at Home)

Learning to make your own mask is the perfect way to reduce waste from single-use surgical versions, as well as using the fabric scraps and old clothes around your house. Angela Murray-Nag (yes, that’s Beatrice’s mum!) ensures her sewing skills don’t skip a generation with this step-by-step guide.   As a textile artist, I love all things to do with fibres and yarns, including knit, macrame, weave and basketry. So, it sounds strange to admit that the thought of retrieving my sewing machine from the cupboard after several years of inactivity actually filled me with fear! Nevertheless, the current situation meant crossing that barrier. After all, with neighbours and friends were busy sewing scrubs, I must be able to manage a mask. A google search came up with a range of ideas, from a simple t-shirt construction to a fully-fitted face covering. I decided to opt for a pleated, surgical-style design that looked relatively straight forward.  It’s surprising what you can find at home and cotton fabrics were easy to lay my hands on; old t-shirt, dresses and pillowcases can all be potential mask-making material. What was harder to source was elastic – only an odd, unmatched hair bobble was to be found in the countless drawers I checked through. Then I had an epiphany moment: what about our collection of eye-masks that we have accumulated over the years from flights, and never wanted to throw away? I remembered that I had recently thrown some of them into a Red Cross charity bag. I was in luck; thanks to lockdown the bag was still waiting to go, and I had to dig down to retrieve them. Perfect, enough elastic per eye mask for two face coverings. After that, elastic seemed to turn up in a variety of unexpected places, including the waist and gathered legs of a pair of silk harem pants from India that I was planning to make into a hair scrunchy. Next, if you want a more secure fit around the nose, a thin wire is required. This time I found that a cable tie from an electrical purchase was ideal. Or pipe-cleaners, if you still have them like I do, from craft sessions with the kids.