How to Make a No-Sew Face Mask with At Home Materials
We are already in the new normal, and the CDC recommends wearing cloth face covering at all times in public settings. These face masks can help slow down the spread of the virus and reserve the medical N-95 masks to the healthcare workers, medical first responders, and front liners.
Many face mask tutorials require a sewing machine — or a significant amount of patience with a needle and thread. But for those who are not blessed with sewing abilities, we’ve prepared something that you and your kids can make, the ‘no-sew’ way!
3 Ways to Make a No-Sew Mask
- With a Bandana and Hair Ties (or rubber bands)
- With a Bandana and Fabric Strips
- With an old T-Shirt
You can follow along with the instructions below or watch a quick video tutorial here.
No-sew face mask designs are based on the CDC designs available on their website.
- No-Sew Face Mask Using a Bandana and Hair Ties
One of the simplest and quickest ways to make a no-sew face mask is with a bandana and hair ties. The bandana can be a handkerchief or a large cloth napkin. You can do this trick in minutes.
- First, lay the handkerchief, bandana, or piece of fabric flat. Fold the top and bottom inward to meet in the middle. Then, fold the bandana in half again. There will be four layers of fabric.
Photo credits: The Spruce
- Next, use two hair ties to create ear loops. Slip one hair tie over each of the ends. Slide the hair ties a few inches toward the middle of the folded bandana.
- Then, fold the ends of the bandana in to meet in the middle. You want the ends to overlap slightly so that you can tuck one end into the other. This will help keep the ends secure.
- Wear the mask with the smooth side out and the ends against your face.
- If the mask feels too tight around your ears, then you can adjust the position of the hair ties to make it wider.
If you don’t have hair ties, you can make use of rubber bands as alternative materials. Always wash the bandana after use.
2. Using Fabric Strips Instead of Hair Ties
If you’re not fond of having your face masks tied behind your ears, you can have it around the back of your head using fabric ties.
- To make the strips, I cut two 1″-wide, 18″-long strips from a t-shirt. Lay the strips down in the same place you would have put the hair ties, and fold the bandana the same way as before.
- Wear the mask by tying the fabric strips behind your head and neck.
Photo credits: Sarahmaker
3. How to Make a No-Sew Face Mask with a T-shirt
Do you know you can reuse your T-shirt into a face mask?
- Starting at a folded edge, cut this shape out of a t-shirt. The two-strap pieces should measure about 12″ long by 1″ wide, and the rectangle on the folded edge should measure 4″ wide by 14″ tall. Once it is unfolded, the center rectangle should measure 8″ by 14″.
- Layout the cut piece, and fold the top half down over the bottom half. (This will give you two layers of fabric on the main part of the mask.) Once you’ve made this fold, the four ties will be at the four corners.
Photo credits: Sarahmaker
- To wear the mask, tie the straps behind the head and behind the neck. You can position both of the straps behind the head to adjust the fit.
Check out the YouTube video here.
Important to Remember
A DIY or no-sew face mask helps protect the people in public places, but it’s not considered a replacement to N-95 respirator. Proper hygiene is still the best way to combat the virus and keep safe. Social distancing should also be maintained and frequent hand-washing to reduce the risk of infection.
What is the Best Fabric for Homemade Sew or No-Sew Face Masks?
Researchers at Cambridge University found that cotton T-shirts and cotton pillowcases are the best at-home materials for making DIY face masks, due to their ability to capture small particles yet remain breathable.
A Wake Forest study found that most effective masks were constructed of two layers of heavyweight “quilters cotton” with a thread count of at least 180.
When you are looking for fabric to use for your no-sew face mask, try to find cotton fabric with a tight weave. Choose something with a high thread count — like a high-quality pillowcase or a re-purposed dress shirt.
Looking for more fun activities at home? Visit Green Kid Crafts now!
