How to make my contoured cloth mask.

This is the finished mask, with nylon ties.

Pattern:    small     large
(instructions below are for the small pattern)

1.  Cut two pieces of outer fabric and two for lining.  If your fabric is very thin (can you see through a double layer when you hold it up to the light?) cut two layers of lining, as I did in this example.

2.  Sew center seam of outer shell and of inner lining; use 1/4" seam allowance.  The center seam is entirely convex; it will go over the bridge of your nose and down to your chin. 
(For the LARGE pattern, both edges are convex.)

3.  Clip center seam on both lining and shell; press to one side and zigzag to stitch the seam allowance in place.

4.  Put lining inside shell, WRONG sides together, lining up center seam stitching.

5.  Zigzag around the outer edges, then trim as necessary so that all edges line up.

6.  Make two small pleats on bottom (flat) edge.  Pinch with your fingers and zigzag on top to hold in place.

7.  Turn right side out.  Hold against face to test for size.  Make sure you can move your jaw.

8.  If it seems like there is too much room, sew a very narrow seam through all thicknesses from one dart to the other. This will give some additional structure to the mask.  (For LARGE pattern, make a wider seam (approx 3/8-1/2").

9.  Turn right side out.  That's better.

Now you can skip to binding, or make sleeve for nose wire first. (The nose wire will keep eyeglasses from fogging up.) 

Sleeve for nose wire

10.  To make sleeve for nose wire, cut a scrap of fabric about 3.5" long and 2.25" wide. Press under short ends 1/4" and zigzag in place.

11.  Fold and press lengthwise WRONG sides together, and then stitch 1/4'' seam.  Press so the seam is in middle.

12.  Stitch to top of mask just below peak.

Binding

13. Now bind the outer edge of mask with 2" bias strip, folded lengthwise (about 15" long). 
If you don't have bias strips, you can make them easily from scrap fabric.

14.  Pin bias strip to lining side of mask and sew 1/4" seam all around the perimeter, joining ends of strip when you get all the way around.

ends of bias tape joined with a seam

15.  Fold bias to outside of mask (trimming seams as necessary).  The strip should cover the seam line.  Trim seam allowances as necessary.

16.  Sew close to edge all the way around, taking care not to cover up too much of nose wire sleeve.  (Or you can finish binding, then stitch sleeve over binding).

17.  Alternative (and simpler) method for sleeve: make sleeve and apply AFTER binding edges.

18.  Use a  piece of pipe cleaner, folded in a long U, with ends pinched to avoid sharp edges.  (Remove pipe cleaner when washing mask.)

1. 

   cut and fold pipe cleaner; be sure to pinch ends

   

   insert folded end into sleeve.

   

Adding Ties or Elastic

19.  Now add ties or elastic at four points around the edge.  (Elastic is hard to find these days, and it can hurt your ears, so I use ties).

Elastic option 1:

one loop around each ear, about 8" x 1/8" elastic (as in my original example).

Elastic option 2: 

two longer loops around back of head (one above ears, one below ears).
Here I've used two nylon headbands (softer than elastic).  Zigzag ends to inside of binding.

Mark four corners with pins, for placement of ties

Fabric Ties:

Use bias tape stitched into ties, or ribbon, or string.  Sew two 20" lengths at top points, and two 16" lengths at bottom points.   Zigzag stitch through binding.