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Mask design?

Begonia

Begonia

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Feb 2, 2011
Messages
3,707
I'm trying to order new masks for my family and have a few questions. Our current masks were made by a friend and are organic cotton. Are there any health concerns about what masks should/should not be made of? We all breathe thru our nose or mouth as needed, directly into our lungs. Are there some materials we should stay away from?? I'd hate to avoid one problem and create another!
 
www.healthline.com

How to Make a Mask Out of Fabric: DIY Face Mask Instructions

Wearing a fabric face mask when you're out in public is one way you can help slow the spread of the new coronavirus. You can easily make one with just a few basic items. You don't even need to know how to sew.
www.healthline.com www.healthline.com

www.medicalnewstoday.com

What material is best for homemade masks?

New research may indicate which common fabrics are best at filtering out tiny particles similar to those through which SARS-CoV-2 may spread.
www.medicalnewstoday.com www.medicalnewstoday.com
 
My fabric of choice is a high density tight weave cotton, However, masks can be made of just about anything depending on what you have on hand.

A decent filter between the layers is great without adding bulk. This is a fantastic company, I do use their filter material https://filti.com/product/precut-mask-material-inserts/ They're a US company so worth exploring some of their options.

Also as its getting hot, don't be afraid to use linen (or a cotton/linen mix) or even silk as both are exceptionally good options.

I'm making some masks by request out of seersucker (and they're not half bad)

So my personal choices are natural fabrics: 100% cotton either quilter's cotton, flannel, batik, seersucker. Linen or a cotton linen blend, or silk good silk can be very pricey though!) either Duponi or shantung. (there are other types which are extremely costly per yard though)

Polyblends are kind of a no but also depends on the cotton content. If 45-55% cotton content then ok, but outside of that its a hard no for me.

IMO it doesn't matter if its organic or not, all of it needs to be washable either by hand or machine. However, if you're choosing organic, choose a natural colored cotton as its not been dyed.

Do stay away from anything like a ripstop material, any material thats impregnated with sunscreens, water repellents, fire retardants, metal, or insect repellants. Also you will want to steer clear of fabrics that might be used for furniture. Some of those are impregnated with all kinds of stuff that can't be removed easily or at all.
 
Thanks for chiming in everyone!

I'm going with natural fibres, likely 100% cotton. Soooo many designs online, and I know what design I think is best, but the elastic ear piece will be the part that I'm going to look at carefully.

I've not machine sewn in 45 years, and dug out my Mom's vintage Singer Featherweight 221 circa 1950. Hilariously, there are whole websites devoted to maintaining and using these little machines. Hubby is gonna take her motor apart and give it a clean and lube, and I'm doing the rest of her. This little machine is bringing back so many memories. Some good, some not so good, but she's a wonderfully built little thing (made in the Quebec factory too!), and it's a pleasure to give her some rehab!

For your enjoyment, the Singer Featherweight :)
 

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Begonia said:
Thanks for chiming in everyone!

I'm going with natural fibres, likely 100% cotton. Soooo many designs online, and I know what design I think is best, but the elastic ear piece will be the part that I'm going to look at carefully.

I've not machine sewn in 45 years, and dug out my Mom's vintage Singer Featherweight 221 circa 1950. Hilariously, there are whole websites devoted to maintaining and using these little machines. Hubby is gonna take her motor apart and give it a clean and lube, and I'm doing the rest of her. This little machine is bringing back so many memories. Some good, some not so good, but she's a wonderfully built little thing (made in the Quebec factory too!), and it's a pleasure to give her some rehab!

For your enjoyment, the Singer Featherweight :)
Click to expand...

FWIW, the cloth masks that I bought have adjustable strings. They're pretty comfortable.
 
Demon said:
FWIW, the cloth masks that I bought have adjustable strings. They're pretty comfortable.
Click to expand...

Can you post a few pictures showing me the design??
 
If you scroll down just below the first row of pictures, there's a picture of the ear loops.
 
Begonia said:
Thanks for chiming in everyone!

I'm going with natural fibres, likely 100% cotton. Soooo many designs online, and I know what design I think is best, but the elastic ear piece will be the part that I'm going to look at carefully.

I've not machine sewn in 45 years, and dug out my Mom's vintage Singer Featherweight 221 circa 1950. Hilariously, there are whole websites devoted to maintaining and using these little machines. Hubby is gonna take her motor apart and give it a clean and lube, and I'm doing the rest of her. This little machine is bringing back so many memories. Some good, some not so good, but she's a wonderfully built little thing (made in the Quebec factory too!), and it's a pleasure to give her some rehab!

For your enjoyment, the Singer Featherweight :)
Click to expand...

Ahhh, she's a beauty!!

And why do you find it hilarious that there are whole websites devoted to these gorgeous yet useful machines? After all, we are conversing at a site dedicated to compressed carbon that has been cut and polished!:P2
 
We’ve been making masks out of 100% cotton. My sweetie and I tested a bunch of combinations for breathability, focusing on fabrics that had been tested my labs and report it on in the media. We found two combinations we like. The first is a regular quality quilting fabric, combined with a batik quilting fabric, which tends to have a tighter weave and finer threads. This is what I use primarily. The second is a regular cotton fabric with a light-to-medium weight flannel. I’ve made a few of those, but with summer here I’ll probably stick with the regular woven cotton’s for now,and maybe use the flannel combination again as the weather gets cooler.

We’ve made about 150 masks so far, with half going to friends and family and the other half to charitable groups. For nose strips, we like to use three plant ties that have been braided together - my sweetie makes these! It makes a nose strip that’s very flexible and comfortable, but that can hold its Shape exceptionally well. People who wear glasses especially like them.
 
Maria D said:
Ahhh, she's a beauty!!

And why do you find it hilarious that there are whole websites devoted to these gorgeous yet useful machines? After all, we are conversing at a site dedicated to compressed carbon that has been cut and polished!:P2
Click to expand...

When we dug her out, I took a look and thought what the heck am I gonna do with that? I hadn't sewn on her in 45 years (or any machine) and had no clue how to use her. I thought it was going to be a bust, but once I figured out what she was called (hubbie had taken the instruction booklet out of the box years ago and put it in our book case), I was delighted to find a ton of info online including PDF manuals, maintenance and instruction videos. Now that I've taken her apart for cleaning, I can see how small yet solidly made she is. Such a joy to rehab this little beauty. :D:D:D
No sewing has happened yet, but it's a fun project to give it a tuney.
 
Could you post some pics of your design? I'm at the very beginning stages of all of this I'm afraid and sure need visuals. So many designs, it can get overwhelming to a new sewer.
 
Maria D said:
Ahhh, she's a beauty!!

And why do you find it hilarious that there are whole websites devoted to these gorgeous yet useful machines? After all, we are conversing at a site dedicated to compressed carbon that has been cut and polished!:P2
Click to expand...

At a collector of vintage machines (and having my own featherweight) one site is: https://singer-featherweight.com/ And there are copious facebook groups dedicated to these awesome machines!

Begonia said:
When we dug her out, I took a look and thought what the heck am I gonna do with that? I hadn't sewn on her in 45 years (or any machine) and had no clue how to use her. I thought it was going to be a bust, but once I figured out what she was called (hubbie had taken the instruction booklet out of the box years ago and put it in our book case), I was delighted to find a ton of info online including PDF manuals, maintenance and instruction videos. Now that I've taken her apart for cleaning, I can see how small yet solidly made she is. Such a joy to rehab this little beauty. :D:D:D
No sewing has happened yet, but it's a fun project to give it a tuney.
Click to expand...

Congratulations on your Featherweight (aka FW or Singer 221). I love mine, but I bought it on eBay so I don't know her history. So awesome that it was your mom's. They make beautiful stitches. Be careful carrying her by her handle, those connections can go over time. :D
 
Cozystitches said:
At a collector of vintage machines (and having my own featherweight) one site is: https://singer-featherweight.com/ And there are copious facebook groups dedicated to these awesome machines!



Congratulations on your Featherweight (aka FW or Singer 221). I love mine, but I bought it on eBay so I don't know her history. So awesome that it was your mom's. They make beautiful stitches. Be careful carrying her by her handle, those connections can go over time. :D
Click to expand...

Yes!!! That was one of the sites I was referring to :))
It's nice to watch the tutorials and reassuring to know that replacement parts are available.

Yes, the model number suggests 1951, but my parents got married in 1950, may have been a wedding present. My dad maintained it for years. So many memories, and it has that smell I remember, is that the oil? Not unpleasant, very distinct. Such an interesting little machine!
 
I have a featherweight with the striated, Art Deco face plate. My mother’s had the scrollwork faceplate, but no one in the family wanted it, and I was already planning to keep two of her other machines If they didn’t sell... so her featherweight went on eBay and hopefully to a new owner who’s very happy to have her. I’m making face masks with one of my “less vintage” machines simply because a few of those bells and whistles really come in handy!
 
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Begonia - this is the design a friend of mine recommends - she has made over 1,000 masks! It’s also the only design one of the largest local hospitals accepts.


A local group that turns out lots and lots of masks for local hospitals etc accepts Two styles of masks. Here’s the first, a fitted mask:

sweetredpoppy.com

How to Sew a Fitted Face Mask with Casing (Paracord)

Learn to Sew a Fitted Face Mask with Filter Pocket, Removable Nose Wire, T-Shirt Tie and Casing. FREE Pattern Download with 5 Different sizes from Toddler to Adult.
sweetredpoppy.com sweetredpoppy.com

If you do Facebook, you might look to see if there’s a local mask making group in your area. One of the groups in my area has a network for vetting mask requests, and for distributing both masks and some supplies.
 
VRBeauty said:
I have a featherweight with the striated, Art Deco face plate. My mother’s had the scrollwork faceplate, but no one in the family wanted it, and I was already planning to keep two of her other machines If they didn’t sell... so her featherweight went on eBay and hopefully to a new owner who’s very happy to have her. I’m making face masks with one of my “less vintage” machines simply because a few of those bells and whistles really come in handy!
Click to expand...

Yes, that is something I'm wondering about. I don't know sewing lingo, but the hemming function? The FW is a basic machine, I'll have to do some thinking and some prototypes. Maybe double stitching seams? Well I'll see what the pattern suggests I guess. Really wishing I had not stopped machine sewing at 12!
 
Begonia said:
Yes, that is something I'm wondering about. I don't know sewing lingo, but the hemming function? The FW is a basic machine, I'll have to do some thinking and some prototypes. Maybe double stitching seams? Well I'll see what the pattern suggests I guess. Really wishing I had not stopped machine sewing at 12!
Click to expand...

The biggest convenience that I like for making masks is perhaps the simplest - the needle down function! It makes a huge difference for me, especially since I get distracted easily and might otherwise forget to put the needle down before pivoting my fabric. I also like being able to change needle positions easily. That makes the top-stitching that I use in my masks much easier. Obviously, neither of these would be deal-killers though!
 
VRBeauty said:
The biggest convenience that I like for making masks is perhaps the simplest - the needle down function! It makes a huge difference for me, especially since I get distracted easily and might otherwise forget to put the needle down before pivoting my fabric. I also like being able to change needle positions easily. That makes the top-stitching that I use in my masks much easier. Obviously, neither of these would be deal-killers though!
Click to expand...

Bless you for thinking I know what that means. 45 years LOL, since I've seen on a machine. Can you teach me what that means, exactly? I understand the words, but maybe not the concept.
 
Hi Begonia - I think it’s wonderful that you’re putting your Featherweight to work again!

Re the “needle down” feature: with most electric sewing machines, when you stop sewing, the needle will be up and out of the fabric. The “needle down” function is a setting that makes sure that the needle is in the down position, and holding the fabric in place,any time you stop sewing. This is really useful if you’re stopping to pivot, guide, or text-position the fabric.

A “needle position” option let’s you move the position left or right of the normal center position. This can be important if you want to stitch near one edge of the fabric, for example, if you want to top stitch close to the edge. Without the ability to re-position the needle, you might have to move your fabric so that it misses one of thefeed dogs (the tread that keeps the fabric moving as you’re sewing), which makes it harder to control the fabric. To be honest, I’m not sure whether the Featherweight has a needle position option or not.
 
I had a problem with my glasses fogging up so bought some of these and stitched them on top of my cloth masks (if you are making them yourselves, you can use something less expensive and place it inside the layers).

diymaskusa.com

DIY Mask shop. All you need to make your own facemask.

One stop shop for DIY mask materials. Metal nose bridge(nose wire replacement), filters, air valves, elastic bands. 100% veteran owned small business. Face mask. Home facemask. Homemade facemask.
diymaskusa.com diymaskusa.com

One of my friends made her masks with a pocket for a replaceable active carbon filter insert.
 
lilmosun said:
I had a problem with my glasses fogging up so bought some of these and stitched them on top of my cloth masks (if you are making them yourselves, you can use something less expensive and place it inside the layers).

diymaskusa.com

DIY Mask shop. All you need to make your own facemask.

One stop shop for DIY mask materials. Metal nose bridge(nose wire replacement), filters, air valves, elastic bands. 100% veteran owned small business. Face mask. Home facemask. Homemade facemask.
diymaskusa.com diymaskusa.com

One of my friends made her masks with a pocket for a replaceable active carbon filter insert.
Click to expand...

We’ve been using plastic plant ties, three of them braided together. They’re easy to shape to the face, and very resilient... and people who wear glasses especially like them. My sweetie actually does the braiding. The wire looks something like this, though we buy it on rolls. It’s available at any garden shop.

Sweetie uses a small vise grip to hold the wires while he braids the wire - usually while watching television.
 
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