HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN FACE MASKS

As the UK government are now advising people to wear protective face coverings when in confined spaces, on public transport or in shops to limit the spread of coronavirus, here are our 5 easy ways to make a face mask from anything you own...

1. T-Shirt Face Mask

The government has issued instructions for making face masks at home, using elastic bands and cotton fabric or an old T-shirt.

• Cut a straight line across the width of the T-shirt (front and back) approximately 20cm from the bottom.
• From a point 2cm below the top right-hand corner of the fabric, make a 15cm horizontal cut through both sides of the fabric that is parallel to the top of the rectangle.
• Then cut down towards the bottom of the fabric until you reach approximately 2cm above the bottom edge. After, make another 15cm cut that runs parallel to the bottom of the fabric to make a rectangle that can be discarded.
• For the ties, cut open the edge of the two long strips of fabric. Then unfold the main piece of fabric and place over the mouth and the nose. These four strips act as ties to hold the cloth face covering in place and should be tied behind the head and around the neck.

2. Bandana Face Mask

An alternative method is to use a banana and two hair bands.

• Fold the bandana horizontally to about the size of four fingers.
• Place the hair ties over the folded bandana.
• One should be around either side, at the general width of your face.
• Fold either side of the bandana over the hairbands and into the middle, tucking one side into the other.
• Place the mask over your face with the hair bobbles over your ears to secure.
• Adjust to make sure it fits over your full nose and mouth.

3. Sock Face Masks

For those limited with materials, a single sock can be used – but it’s important to consider the fabric’s breathability, as really thick socks might be more difficult to breath in.

• Fold the sock in half and cut off the toe and ankle sections.
• Open up the sock and cut down the edge opposite to the heel.
• Fold the sock in half again and cut into the heel’s edge by about two thirds and about 2cm from the ends.
• Open out the sock completely and trim off the corners into curves.
• Loop the cut outs around your ears and cover your nose and mouth with the rest of the sock, so the heel fits securely over your nose.

4. Using a sewing machine

Cut out two 10-by-6-inch rectangles of cotton fabric. Use tightly woven cotton, such as quilting fabric or cotton sheets. T-shirt fabric will work in a pinch. Stack the two rectangles; you will sew the mask as if it was a single piece of fabric.

Then fold over the long sides ¼ inch and hem. Then fold the double layer of fabric over ½ inch along the short sides and stitch down.

Run a 6-inch length of 1/8-inch wide elastic through the wider hem on each side of the mask. These will be the ear loops. Use a large needle or a bobby pin to thread it through. Tie the ends tight.
Don’t have elastic? Use hair ties or elastic head bands. If you only have string, you can make the ties longer and tie the mask behind your head.

Gently pull on the elastic so that the knots are tucked inside the hem. Gather the sides of the mask on the elastic and adjust so the mask fits your face. Then securely stitch the elastic in place to keep it from slipping.

5. Tea Towel Face Mask

These fashion masks can be made out of different materials around the house, including a tea towel!

• Cut a 20cm/4 inch strip off the width of a tea towel.
• Snip the corners so the seams are open.
• Thread string, ribbon or shoelaces through the seams at both ends.
• Place the fabric on your face and tie the strings at the back of the head. The ends of the string can be made harder with tape.
• For added protection, add a coffee filter, piece of kitchen paper or a paper napkin.