Use my easy breathable face mask sewing pattern to sew masks that are comfortable to wear. These 3D face masks are designed with a removable filter pocket and a nose wire casing to ensure the maximum protection possible
So, we understand that the pandemic is here to stay for some time and we need to keep ourselves safe for days and months to come. Masks have become an inevitable part of our lives and designers like me have come up with ways to design masks that give the best fit and protection possible, yet provide maximum breathability.
Most masks that give a good fit are tight around the nose and can be suffocating to the wearer if worn for a longer period. Here I have come up with a 3D breathable face mask pattern that provides the best fit, yet traps air in front of your nose to make it comfortable.
This pattern for breathable face masks has a removable filter pocket and nose wire casing to make it removable while washing. There are also options to make it with elastic or ties.
For the filter, you can use a piece of your cotton t-shirt, which according to the CDC, has a high ability to capture particles. In the absence of this material, you can also use dried antibacterial wet wipes or even toilet paper as a filter.
If you would like to see my other face mask making tutorials, find them below:
Easy Breathable Face Mask Sewing Pattern
Supplies Needed:
Pieces of tightly woven cotton fabric for the mask outer and lining.
3/8- inch elastic – you will need 2 pieces, 7-inches long for an adult, 6.5- inches long for a teen or 6- inches for a child.
or
Optionally, you may cut your old t-shirt and make ties- you will need 2 pieces, 1.5- inches wide and 33- inches long for an adult, 32- inches long for a teen, and 31- inches long for a child to tie behind the head.
Pipe cleaner or floral wire- 5-inches.
Sewing Notions.
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Gather your supplies.
Take the mask template and fabric for the mask. Fold it to fit the width of the template and place the template on it. Mark around the template and cut to get the mask outer and lining pieces.
Next, take the fabric and the template for the filter pocket. Fold the fabric and place the template over it. Cut around the template to get the two pocket pieces.
Your mask pieces and filter pocket pieces will look like this.
Place the two mask pieces layered, with the right sides together, aligning the edges and sew the four slanting edges shut.
Similarly, place the two filter pocket pieces layered with the right sides together and aligning the edges. Sew the two long edges shut.
Turn the mask over to the right side and press to make the edges clean and crisp.
Repeat with the filter pocket.
Next, we mark the lines for the two flaps of the mask.
Fold the two short (side) edges of the mask by 3/8- inch and finger press to form a crease along the fold line. Open the folds and mark the start and the endpoints of the fold line, on either side of the mask.
Draw two lines to connect the points on either side. These are the lines along which the flaps are folded.
Fold along one of the drawn lines and press. Repeat the same along the other line.
Sew 1/8-inch from the edges of the folds on both sides (picture for illustration purposes).
Open the flaps and you will see two pin tucks. This is the outer side of the mask. Press to remove any crease.
Next, we attach the filter pocket.
Take the filter pocket and place it on the outer side of the mask. Pin one of its raw edges along one of the raw edges of the mask. Repeat on the other raw edge.
Sew along the pinned edges to join.
Turn the right side out and press.
Next, sew a straight line, 5/8- inches from one of the edges of the filter pocket (this forms a casing for the nose piece).
Fold the two flaps back and press once again.
Let’s do the casing for the elastic or ties.
Fold back along the crease made earlier on the sides, by 3/8- inch and press. Fold again by ½- inch and press once more. Repeat on the other edge.
Sew down the folds along the edge on both sides.
Open one of the flaps of the mask such that the corner of the flap touches the upper edge of the mask and the slanting edge of the flap is parallel to the shorter side of the mask. Pin the flap to secure.
Repeat on the other edge of the flap and the other edge of the mask.
Sew down the pinned edges. The sewing line should be parallel to the shorter edge of the mask. Make sure to reinforce at the start and finish.
Let’s insert the elastic or the ties.
Take the required length of the elastic pieces (refer supplies needed section) and insert them through the casings using a safety pin. Ties the ends of the elastic in a knot to secure.
If you opt for ties instead of elastic, cut strips from the bottom of your T-shirt to make your ties ( refer supplies needed section for the length).
Our easy breathable face mask is ready.
Pin it for later here,
So, here you are, ready to sew the best breathable face mask pattern you can find!
Lori Bradley
Thursday 19th of August 2021
Thank you for sharing! I need to make a mask for my granddaughter, a toddler. I plan to try this pattern. I may leave the nose wire out of her mask but plan to recycle some wire from the disposable masks that I have used. The soft jewelry wire I used last year can be a little uncomfortable.
Victoria Golden Messing
Monday 3rd of May 2021
I would like the template to make this mask. A friend gave me a couple and it is the only kind my husband will wear-which leaves with without one. And I agree, it is the most comfortable. Thank you
Abby
Thursday 17th of September 2020
One other thing: nose-wires. For the coffee-drinkers; the wire pieces to fold and "reseal" the coffee bags usually falls off anyway, but it's the perfect size for face-mask wires.
Marjorie A Clare
Wednesday 10th of March 2021
I use bread twist wires or wires that come with plastic trash bags doubled or tripled for nose wires. They go through the wash and don't rust.
Abby
Thursday 17th of September 2020
Thank you for sharing this tutorial.
Another place to get filter material is from HEPA furnace filters. The material is folded inside it, and unfolds to over 6 feet. I've also heard that the blue "Shop towels" double-folded work. And, flattened coffee filters. (Check your dollar store for the Cone kind to cut to fit.)