Back with another mask tutorial! This easy homemade face mask requires only 3 steps and 2 materials! The best part about this mask is the front is a great blank surface for printing or vinyl. I added animal faces to a bunch of them, but you can also add a monogram, name or other design.
If you’ve been following, you may have seen some of my other easy homemade face mask posts. There is a mask style for everything!
The basic kid mask is great for doctor visits, the 3D mask is the best for wearing for long periods, and the no elastic mask is best for hospitals! If you need more options, check out this post with lots of mask tips and more!
I included two svg cut files for these masks in this post – the kitty cat face mask and the lip design. Both are fun and cute and hopefully will lighten the overall mood right now! We can all use a little laugh in the form of a cute mask!
These masks are a little more fitted than some of my other designs. I love it because it fits close to the face and doesn’t need much adjusting. There are 6 different mask sizes included in this pattern.
They are also fun because the foldover elastic comes in fun, bright colors! It’s so fun to mix and match fabric, elastic and vinyl in this project!
Of course you can make them without the kitty cat face or the lip vinyl – but they are super cute with those designs!
EASY HOMEMADE FACE MASK MATERIALS
- 100% cotton fabric, such as quilting cotton
- 5/8″ foldover elastic – this is fun elastic that comes in pretty colors and designs
- Find it on Amazon (affiliate links)
- I love this floral printed elastic on Etsy
- Wire, aluminum pieces or pipe cleaners for nose bridge (optional)
- Fray Check
- Animal face SVG Download, see below
- Lip SVG Download, see below
- Face mask pattern, see below
DIY Face Mask Pattern Download
If you are having trouble downloading the pattern, you can find them in my Facebook Group. Just join the group here and click on FILES.
Print out the pattern at 100% or DO NOT SCALE. It will print on 2 pages, but if you are making a kid size you can skip the second page.
Customize your homemade face mask with a design
This mask is great for adding a design to because it doesn’t have a seam in the middle. It’s best to decorate the mask before sewing it so you have a flat surface.
I used iron-on vinyl and my Cricut Maker for these masks. You can also use other methods of decorating such as fabric paint or markers, puffy paint, or ink.
Cut out your fabric. Cut out your designs with iron-on vinyl. The SVG files can be uploaded to Cricut Design Space. The designs are scaled to fit the Little Kid size, so if you are using a different size you can scale the design smaller or larger to fit better on your mask.
Use an iron or an Easy Press to apply design to mask. I love the Cricut EasyPress and use it all the time! Read this post for more information about the Cricut EasyPress!
The heat settings for each vinyl varies so check the Cricut EasyPress Heat Guide before pressing.
After applying the whiskers, put the nose piece where you want it and apply the same way. You will do this for any layered SVG including the lips.
Heat the backside a little and ta-da! Now sew up your mask.
The lip face mask svg is so fun and kind of makes up for the weirdness of not seeing anyone’s mouth!
For this one, apply the background color first, then the black outline.
Muah!
DIY Homemade Mask Instructions
Use a 1/4″ seam allowance unless otherwise noted.
This mask is so simple to make! I will break down each of the 3 steps to create the mask in this tutorial.
- Darts
- Sides
- Elastic
Cut out 2 layers of fabric.
Since this mask does not have a filter pocket, you can either hack the instructions to create one, or add an additional layer of fabric or interfacing to the pattern. Two layers of high quality cotton will create a good mask. But, adding a third layer is as simple as placing another layer of fabric behind one of your pieces and treating them as one piece as you sew.
Fold the mask in half and pin darts as shown.
Make sure the dart edges match up.
Sew dart. Backstitch or tie threads at the point.
Turn one side right side out and one wrong side out.
Put the mask pieces together, right sides together.
Pin and sew side seams.
Turn right side out and press. Then topstitch along the sides 1/8″ from the edges.
Create a 1/4″ pleat on the sides.
Here is what it will look like from the top:
Topstitch and backstitch pleat.
If you not putting a nose bridge wire, skip the next few steps. If you are, here’s how!
I am using these aluminum nose pieces from Amazon, which are lightweight and bend easily. They also hold well while wearing it. This strip has an adhesive on the back so pull it off and shape it across the mask at bridge of the nose, bending at the center. Do this on the wrong side of one of the fabrics. Make sure the metal is at least 3/8″ from the edge of the mask.
Sandwich the metal piece in between both layers and stitch around the metal piece, being careful not to hit the metal with your sewing machine needle.
Use sewing clips or pins to start wrapping the mask with elastic. The foldover elastic is easy to fold in the middle and sandwich the raw edges of the mask with.
Treat one end of your elastic with Fray Check before starting. Fray check is like glue and takes a little bit of time to dry. It will prevent the elastic from fraying.
This is the tricky part! Now measure your ear loop and leave the elastic slack before starting to pin the top of the face mask. We are creating built-in ear loops that will have some stretch but not a ton. This mask fits more specifically so you may need to “try” it on before measuring your elastic or even pin the elastic in place and carefully try it on. Average elastic lengths are provided below if you are guessing.
Ear Loop Elastic Lengths
- Toddler: 4″
- Little Kid: 4.75″
- Big Kid: 5″
- Teen/Adult S: 5.5″
- Adult M: 5.5″
- Adult L: 6″
Start by pinning (or clipping) your elastic on the bottom of the mask, along a straight edge. Then measure out your ear loop elastic from the edge of the mask.
Pin the elastic to the top of the mask where you decided to make the loop.
Continue pinning all the way around. Create the second ear loop. Then overlap the elastic end with the fray check over the other end of the elastic.
Stitch elastic to mask all the way around, including sewing the ear loop elastic together. You can use a straight stitch, a small zig zag or a stretch stitch for this step. Keep in mind that if you use a straight stitch the ear loops will not be able to stretch very much without breaking.
And there you have an easy homemade face mask! If you find that the ear loop is too big, you can tie the end into a little knot or cut the middle and tie. Take a note of how much to take off for your next mask!
More Face Mask Sewing Patterns and Tips
Here are more posts for making different styles of face masks and related sewing!
- Fitted Face Mask for Children and adults
- 3D Mask Pattern and Instructions – Reader Fave!
- The basic child mask is easy to sew and comfortable to wear
- See how to use pipe cleaners as a nose wire
- These masks don’t contain elastic which is best for sanitizing at high heat
- Best masks for grocery store runs
- Surgical Cap or Scrub Cap Tutorial and Pattern
- Tips for making lots of masks faster!
- Printable ‘Take a Mask’ Download for delivery drivers
Downloads aren’t working for me, not even from your group facebook page.
Feel free to email me seekatesew1 @ gmail [dot] com
I was able to download your actual pattern (bless you) but can’t see how to download the instructions for putting it all together. I’m I missing it, or is it only here to read and not print out. I like to keep the instruction with your pattern to help me remember all your steps. Thanks again for all your masks patterns. I’ve made about 300 hundred giving them all to those with needs. Thank you and my overflowing fabric stash thanks you too.
These are very cute! I love the cat one especially because it reminds me of a long deceased pillow my grandmother stitched for me. It was a cat-face shape with basically what is on yours although with a nose vs a martini glass! Yours is more fun!
I would caution placing a kid’s name on the mask. When my family was on the Jersey boardwalk (me as a child), I was wearing a sailor hat with my name and some strange man startled me by calling me by my name. He was ok I think, but if I were a trusting kid not with my parents, he probably could have coaxed me to go with me…
I’m going to try the cat mask.
Do I need to add the 1/4 inch seam allowance to the pattern or is it already in the pattern?
Is this mask reversible ?
Do I need to add the 1/4 inch seam allowance or is it already on the pattern?
Yes! It is reversible!
The 1/4″ seam allowance is included in the pattern piece.
Thank you for the free patterns. I can’t download the cat svg files. I get error– 403 Forbidden.
You can try another web browser or email seekatesew1 @ gmail [dot] com s