How to Sew a Cloth Face Mask | Bernina Sew N' Quilt Studio

As we step our way through unprecedented times and continue to take precautions against the spread of COVID-19, you may be wondering how you can put your sewing skills to good use. Sewing up cloth masks may be the perfect solution!

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends that face masks be worn whenever you are outside your home and in contact with others outside of your immediate family. While cloth masks don’t fully protect you from the airborne particles that spread the coronavirus, they do help keep your breath inside—protecting those around you.

So, if you’re set up with fabric scraps at home and have elastic on hand, you can sew up a batch of face masks, both for your family and even for donation.

There are a number of different designs and even some sew-free options.

Face Mask Designs

The CDC recommends a simple sewn cloth face covering created using two 10”6” rectangles of cotton fabric and two 6” pieces of elastic. Basic instructions can be found here, along with information about creating two no-sew masks, with one made from a T-shirt and the other made from a bandana.

If you’d like to create some masks for donation to Erlanger, the health system suggests using a specific design found here. They’d also like you to use 100% cotton fabric that’s less than a year old and has never been used.

This design, featured by Joann’s, uses multiple pieces of cotton fabric sewn together. Check out this step-by-step guide to putting it together correctly!

Looking for a mask with a place for an air filter? This DIY face mask pattern is what you’re looking for.

How to Keep Masks Clean

Sewing your mask is step one, but in order to use one effectively, you’ll also need to keep it clean.

While there’s no real consensus about whether the coronavirus can live on cloth for any length of time, the CDC recommends that you wash and dry your mask often. How often depends on how often you’re wearing one, but toss it in the washer and dryer at least every couple of uses.

Running out of fabric in your home, or need other sewing supplies? We’re still here for you! Check out our website and place an order online or over the phone.