Get Your Mask On!

Welcome to the new masked world we live in! You feeling comfortable? No. It's probably cause you don't like the fit of the mask you are using. I have tried wearing and sewing a few different kinds of face masks and here are my brief reviews of them with links to the tutorials.

Whichever one you decide to try remember, it gets easier to make with time so if the first one doesn't turn out don't give up! I don't think this mask thing is going away any time soon because...well... you know, so we might as well have some fun, start a side hustle, and do our part to prevent the spread of germs.

Please give all the people I am reviewing a thumbs up/subscribe/positive comment for their good work in getting this information out and giving it away for free!

My Current Fave: The 3D mask:

YouTube Video Tutorial for this mask is found here.

PDF of the pattern is here.

I liked this mask because it had the best fit while at the same time requiring the least amount of work. The fit was good because it didn't fall off of my face every time I tried to talk or open my mouth. It also has some body to it on its own and can sit on your face without suffocating your mouth and nose. Making it was fairly easy. Took me an hour total on the first try. I liked that I didn't have to have a wire for this one to still have a good fit. Adding wires just seems like a lot of extra work to me and I would rather not if I can avoid it. All the lines were straight to sew which was great because sewing curves is a level of sewing that I am not even at yet. The most challenging part of this mask was sewing the elastic together at the end. My machine didn't handle that too well so I had to pull it through while I sewed. Lastly, the tutorial didn't have any sound and I really liked that because (I know from my own experience) there was no extra rambling. The creator was to the point and very clear at the same time!

My Runner Up: The Pleated Mask

You can find all the info and instructions for this mask on the creator's site here.

I sorta like this one. I liked the tie straps (they don't hurt your ears), but at the same time the can kinda slip on the back of your head depending on your head shape and hair type. It's also a small nuisance to have to tie them every time you need to put it on. This mask offers full coverage... and then some. This is really the biggest downside I found with the mask is that the fabric can un-pleat and get really big and just cover your whole face or fall off of your chin. It reminds me of my son's saggy diaper when it's full. That was probably too much visual there sorry. On the making side of things. This one is the easiest. You cut out rectangles of fabric and then you just have to fold them over to make the pleats so that's a plus. Easy to make and it does the job too! 

Last Place But Worth a Try: The Curved Middle Mask:

The patterns and instructions for this mask can be found on the creator's site here.

And in last place... we have this mask with a curve in the middle hence the name I came up with myself: The Curved Middle Mask. You know I see this one used a lot and this was actually the first pattern I tried so maybe it's just me, but other than the fabric I used and the fact that I can match my daughter, I don't really like this one. This one moves off my face if I move my jaw as slightly as to swallow. It feels really loose which is kinda irritating when you're walking around in public and the last thing you want to have on your mind is if your mask is going to fall off. It was challenging to make too. Sewing that curve in the middle was hard and you're supposed to do it at least 3 times. What I like about this mask is the fabric I chose. I used bamboo lycra for the inside and swim material for the outside. These fabrics were harder to work with, but I like that they stretch to conform to your face. I really like how soft the bamboo one is on your cheeks and mouth - makes it pleasant to wear for extended periods of time!

Well that's it! Hope you gained some ideas from these links and reviews. Happy Mask Making everyone! Stay safe. Oh! and if you're wondering what we use for mask, we use "pale waha" or "pale ihu". Mahalo!

A big mahalo to Craft Passion, Dana from Made Everyday, and Thuy Phan for the hard work and time they put into sharing these tutorials and patterns for free with the world. Please take some time to show them appreciation if you end up using their work.