ms-demeanor:

How to make a washable cloth mask out of a bandana that is slightly better than just using a bandana.

(With hand sewing)

(And no rulers or measuring tape because I couldn’t find any in my house)

You will need:

• A standard size cotton bandana
• Pen and paper for measuring
• Scissors
• Needle and thread

• Use a sheet of 8.5x11 paper to measure out a piece of cloth that’s 17x8.5 inches (or 16x8 if you wiggle it a bit)

• That should leave you with 3-ish inches of fabric the full width of the bandana. Cut that bit into 4 strips (you will have about enough leftover fabric to just about make a second mask)

• Fold the strips in half lengthwise and stitch them flat (everything you do will use a straight stitch)
• Fold the large piece of fabric in half, tucking the edges opposite the fold inward half an inch.

• Pin the strips in the corners, pin the edges of the cloth together, sew everything in place.

• Fold 3 horizontal pleats into the mask and pin them in place.
• Sew up and down the sides of the mask to fix the pleats in place.

To wear the mask rest the top on the bridge of your nose and make sure the bottom is under your chin. Tie the strips closed tightly enough that the mask doesn’t slip down when you move your head.

Wash the mask after wearing it out, use water over 165 Fahrenheit to sanitize it before you wear it again.

Wash your hands, avoid going out if you can, and this mask is not intended to be perfect protection, just something better than wrapping a scarf around your face for folks who can’t get masks and don’t have easy access to sewing machines or a lot of fabric.

Stay safe.