Blogs
Thomas and Friends DIY Kids Face Mask
Sep
With part of the country in Level 2 and the governments’ request of us to wear masks in public, I asked our friends at Berry Kids’ Clothing to write up an instruction sheet on how to make your own kids masks, and we have some fun Thomas and Friends Fabric to make them with!
Measurements For a Childs Large Mask:
Material – 37cm Long x 15cm wide – we used https://thomasonline.co.nz/product/thomas-and-friends-fabric-numbers/
* Pleats 14mm wide
1st Pleat 3.5cm down from centre
2nd Pleat 8cm down from centre
3rd Pleat 12.5cm down from centre
X2 narrow elastic 16cm long – Elastic 3 to 5mm wide recommend
1. Cut the pattern out of the fabric.
2. Put template against the large cut material and snip pleat notches with scissors into the fabric.
3. Cut 2 fabric strips 3.5cm wide.
4. Make the fabric into a tube (fold in half) with the right sides together. Stitch a seam, use a 1cm seam allowance.
5. Turn in to the right side. Sew a 5mm topstitching line along the seamline edge. Insert a wire into the 5mm channel created.
6. Topstitch along the folded edge. This is the lower edge of the mask that will sit under the chin. (No wire required).
7. Snip pleat notches through both layers of fabric.
8. With wire edge to the top, fold the top pleat.
9. Staystitch along the side edge.
10. Use a small tool to help create the next two pleats while staystitching pleats in place.
11. For the left side work from the non-wire end down. Create the pleat line across the mask and staystitch in place along edge. Wire should be at the top edge with pleats facing downwards.
12. Press the mask with an iron to establish firm pleat lines.
13. VERY Important… Flip the mask to the wrong side. Wire will be at the top with the pleats facing up. Elastic must sew to the wrong side or the pleats won’t work on the face properly. Cut elastic to fit the wearer. This will depend on the width of the elastic too. 16cm is about average for a child. Cut a bit longer to test for size (in a following step). Elastic 3mm to 5mm wide recommend. Staystitch elastic to top corner edges of wrong side of mask.
14. Try the mask on the child to establish how long the elastic needs to be.
15. Staystitch to the bottom corner edge to make the loops.
16. Using a 6mm seam, stitch your fabric strip along one edge of the mask. Leave 1cm of the strip extending at the top edge. The mask needs to be wrong side up (see the elastic loops) and the strip needs to be wrong side of fabric upwards.
17. Cut the strip to allow 1cm extension at the lower edge of the mask.
18. Cut a second strip to the same length.
19. Stitch to the opposite side. (Mask upside down to see elastic loops, Wrong side of fabric strip up). Stretch or compress mask a little if required to ensure both sides will be the same length. A 1cm extension of the strip should remain at top and bottom of mask.
20. Turn mask to the right side with strips folded out.
21. Bind edges of mask. Turn the top 1cm over and fold the strip around the edge of the mask.
22. Stitch along the inside folded edge of binding. Fold the bottom 1cm inside at the bottom end before stitching in place.
23. Fold elastic loop outwards. Stitch along folded outside edge of binding to secure elastic in place.
24. Repeat the binding steps on the other side to complete the mask.
Proudly put together for us by Marrenna at Berry Kids’ Clothing, check out her range of Face Masks over at https://www.facebook.com/Berry-Kids-Clothing-118295414919223
We used our Thomas and Friends Fabric, which can be purchased here: https://thomasonline.co.nz/product/thomas-and-friends-fabric-numbers/