Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Masks, Smiles, & Laughter

I ventured out to the grocery store for the first time in over a month. I was in a minority, but I wore my mask inside. As I made my way down the aisles, being cautious to keep 6 feet between me and the next person, I met a lady coming from the opposite direction. She looked tired and stressed and probably much as I look most of the time these days. Automatically, I smiled at her. Then, it hit me that she had no idea I was smiling. So, I told her. "I know you didn't see me, but I just smiled at you." Her entire disposition changed. She started laughing. A happy laugh. Then, she told me that I made her day. We smiled at each other (me behind my mask and her, sadly, not wearing one.) and then went about our shopping. Every time we saw each other for the rest of our shopping trips, we smiled really big at each other and I left feeling much better than when I arrived. I like to think that she did, too.

Today, I was mulling over what I wanted to blog about and masks were definitely on my mind as in my downtime from my job as a nurse practitioner and writing, I've been sewing masks. My encounter with the stranger at the grocery store popped into my head and I knew I wanted to share that, share how I make my masks, and remind everyone to make sure that the 'mask' you present to the world is one of a smile because the world needs your smile just as that lady needed mine. Currently, it's so easy to let the craziness of the world weigh us down to where we forget to let our inner lights shine and to be that brightness someone may be desperately in need of. So, SMILE--and if behind a mask, tell the world you're smiling. :)

I mentioned I'd been making masks. There are lots of different patterns and instructions out there, but here's how I make mine. I like how these fit my face. I'm blessed that I had a large roll of elastic left from a project last fall and that I had an old fitted she
et that I cut the elastic out of, as well.

If you're starting with a fat quarter of material, you can make 2 masks and will have a bit of leftover material. If you're using patterned fabric, be sure that your fabric is properly placed prior to cutting so that when sewn together your pattern will be upright for both of your pieces. I have the material in the photo doubled to where it will sew together perfectly. Just be sure to double check so you don't end up with your pattern turned wrong. Cotton fabric is recommended for making face masks. I make mine with 3 or 4 layers of material, typically, but I use remnant (old, leftover fabric from past projects) for the center piece as no one will see it anyway.
Once your material is cut, you'll pin your material good sides together & sew the top point down the curve to the bottom point with 1/2 inch seams. 
When done, you'll repeat the process for the back of your mask. On this, I usually double the material with whatever I'm using as my center piece, but you can do a single layer if you want (final product will be a 2 layer mask).  Your sewn pieces will be the center and should run vertically down the middle of your mask. This should create an almost straight/slightly rounded bottom and a pointed top of the mask. 

Once you have your sewn the curves together, your going to take your 2 pieces of elastic and put them between the face side of your mask. The top piece is usually 7-9 inches. If I know I'm making for someone with a big head, I usually do 10 inches. The bottom piece is usually 5-7 inches. On your first one, I'd recommend doing 9 inches on the top and 6 inches on your bottom piece. After you complete your first mask, try it on and you can adjust the elastic as what you feel is comfortable, but I've found the 6 & 9 inches to work well without being overly snug. Pin the ends to each side. Your material is going to be good side to the inside with the elastic running from side to side and slightly sticking out at the ends. This isn't going to lay flat. Match your seams up and pin so that when you sew your mask lines up nice and even. While sewing you can stretch the elastic so the material running through the feed flattens. You'll want to leave about 2 inches open along the bottom so that when you're ready you can turn the material back to right side out. 
When you have the mask pinned with the elastic on the inside, the right side of material shouldn't be seen as it's hidden in the middle. Your elastic shouldn't be seen as it's in the middle. Now, you're read to sew. You'll sew about a 3/4 inch seam all the way around the mask, being careful not to catch any material folds or the elastic straps (except at the ends where you want to catch/sew the elastic into place.) with the exception of about 1.5 to 2 inch opening you won't sew/will leave open, so you can turn mask back right side out. 

At the top where the seams meet at the point, be careful not to catch the material. In the picture I show, I stopped at this point and lifted the flap/rounded piece so I could flatten it rather than sew it straight down like it's shown. If I had kept sewing, it would have caught the material wrong and the mask would have had a big kink in it.
Next, I set my machine to a zig-zag setting and take a 3 inch piece of pipe cleaner. I zig-zag sew it the top of the mask with about 1.5 inches one either side of the top point seam. I sew slowly during this and make sure I keep the center of my seam to the wire portion of the pipe cleaner so that the seam cradles the wire, attaching it securely to the material.  
Once I have it secured (I backstitch over the ends a couple of times so the thread covers the tips on each side), I snip any loose threads, then carefully turn the mask right-side out via the opening I left.  Be careful not to damage your pipe cleaner during this process. Once you have your mask right side out, smooth it out and make sure your corners and seams are pushed out nicely.  Next, you'll make sure your material is tucked in smoothly at the opening, then you'll run a straight stitch from one side of the bottom of the mask to the other side. Be sure to backstitch at each end to secure your seam. I usually run an iron over my mask to press the bottom and side seams to make them look neat.  





 Viola! You have your mask. Okay, so my convoluted instructions probably have you totally confused and thinking $10 on Etsy isn't such a bad deal after all. LOL. I'll admit, the first two I made took me over an hour as I was trying to figure out what I was doing. Even then I ended up putting my pipe cleaner along the bottom of the mask instead of the top. OOPs. But, truly, after you make a few, they start going quicker and they fit really great. I've been making these and giving them away. 

So, who has been wearing a mask when they go out? When you've been out, are others wearing masks? Are any of you making masks? Do you have a favorite pattern? Have you seen any masks that make you SMILE? 
 Leave a comment as later this week, I'll draw one lucky winner and send a mask I made. :) 

USA Today & Wall Street Journal Bestselling author JANICE LYNN lives in Tennessee with her Prince Charming, their kids who think they're all royalty, her vivid imagination, an adorable Maltese named Halo who's the true princess of the house, and bunches of unnamed dust bunnies that moved in after Janice started her writing career. In addition to writing romance, Janice is a nurse practitioner, a quilter, an exercise queen, a military mama, and an avid supporter of the Quilts of Valor Foundation. Just kidding on the exercise queen. www.janicelynn.com   WRAPPED UP IN CHRISTMAS available at AMAZON Barnes & Noble WALMART

11 comments:

  1. I actually bought one on Etsy and a couple on another site and one off of Amazon hoping that we'd get at least one of them soon. Not one of those masks has been shipped. I wish I could wrap my brain around how make my own. I'm sure your instructions are great, but my brain is too tired to comprehend.

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    1. Kimberly, you're the winner! Email me at Janice@janicelynn.net with your mailing address and I will send you one of the masks I've made. Yay!

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  2. There are easier patterns on making a mask than this one. I just like this style and it's the ones I've been making. If all else fails, use a bandana or a scarf that you've folded over a few times and tie it around your head. I hope you get one of the ones you've ordered. That's frustrating that they've not shipped yet. If I get a chance, I may go back and try to tighten up my instructions or at least add some links to websites with better instructions than mine--because there are lots of them. LOL.

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  3. Wonderful, uplifting, and oh-so-helpful post, Janice. Thank you!

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  4. Janice, thank you for the life-saving work you do each day. The mask tutorial is a nice perk, too. (And I love your choice of happy fabrics.) Stay safe!

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    1. I've been using up my remnant pieces from past projects. Each piece of material I use is a memory of something I've made and that brings a smile of its own. :)

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  5. Janice, thanks for sharing your pattern. My neighbor made one for my hubby and me. We've been wearing them when we go to the store.

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    1. That's awesome that your neighbor made masks for your husband and you! I have great neighbors, too. It makes for a better life. :)

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  6. Thank you so much for sharing this pattern, Janice. You are so talented!

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  7. Thank you for the information. :)

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