In this DIY face mask tutorial, you’ll learn how to make a reusable surgical mask and a DIY dust mask using Filti Face Mask Material. This is a paid collaboration between Filti.com and Creative Fashion Blog.
As a creative person, I’m so grateful to live in a period in history where I can make face masks that protect myself and the people around me. It’s been so rewarding to be able to make masks for hospitals, care centers, and my family.
But there’s also a lot of talk about what fabrics are actually most effective in keeping us safe.
That’s where today’s tutorial comes in.
While any mask is always better than no mask, there are definitely some materials that have been proven to be more effective than others. The most effective that I know of today, is one made of Filti Face Mask Material.
Filti is different because they actually have a history of making reusable HVAC filters for your home. But, after hearing that people were resorting to t-shirts for face mask material, pivoted and began creating fabric specifically designed for DIY face masks. The patent-pending fabric is constructed from polypropylene (not fiberglass!) spunbond nonwoven with a Nanofiber fine filtration layer and a surface layer of polyester nonwoven. That’s scientific talk for “it’s a fabric that can filter up to 95% of airborne particles coming through the mask.” No other material on the market right now can make that claim. Plus, it’s super breathable, lightweight, and comfortable. How cool is that?
In today’s tutorial, I’m going to share 2 new ways to make your own reusable surgical mask at home using this material. This way, you’ll have 2 unique styles of face mask (one pleated and one fitted) that are lightweight, breathable, comfortable, and up to 95% effective at blocking harmful bacterias.
Video Tutorials
How To Make A Fitted DIY Dust Mask
To begin, I’m going to show you how to make a sleek, fitted face mask with Filti Face Mask Material as the lining and a stylish material on the exterior, visible side.
The Best Fabrics To Use For Your Homemade DIY Face Mask
Today, I chose to use a leftover piece of 100% silk for the outer layer on my mask since it’s breathable, won’t damage your skin, and looks polished and chic. Most people don’t know this, but polyester fabric (used to make fake silk) actually has a similar fabric content to cellophane or plastic wrap. The main difference is that it’s made using a tool that looks similar to a shower-head to create threads before it is woven into a fabric. Since it’s made of synthetic materials, it doesn’t breathe well and causes you to sweat more when you’re wearing it.
To avoid the claustrophobic feeling when you’re wearing a homemade face mask, use natural materials like silk or cotton with your Filti Face Mask Material.
Supplies
- Fitted face mask template (you can print mine here)
- Filti Face Mask Material (use coupon code LISA10 at checkout for extra savings!)
- Basic Sewing Kit
- 8″ x 14″ scrap of silk, cotton, or other non-stretch material
- 1/4″ elastic
How To Make This DIY Face Mask
To make this fitted DIY dust mask, I used the face mask template I designed HERE. While the pattern instructions come with several pages and include a nose wire, filter pocket, etc. I’ll only be printing and using the first page for today’s tutorial to keep it extra simple.
Tip: When you are working with printable sewing patterns, make sure you unblock the “shrink to page” setting on your printer and print the document in “actual size.” This will ensure you are working with the correct size sewing pattern, to begin with. You can see my full resource guide on how to print, store, and use printable sewing patterns here.
Once your page is printed, choose the face mask size you like best using the chart below. I created this template in both kids and adult sizes so there’s something for the whole family.
Now that we have our supplies, it’s time to cut your fabric. We’ll be cutting two pieces of the mask pattern in both the Filti Face Mask Material and the exterior fabric you chose.
Next, it’s time to pin and sew the front, curved edge together using a standard straight stitch on a basic sewing machine at 1/2″ seam allowance
Once your line is sewn, we need to cut notches into your seam allowance so your DIY face mask will fit properly around the curve of your face without bunching. To do this, just use small scissors and cut tiny triangles out of your fabric without trimming into your threads. Repeat on both your Filti fabric and/or exterior fabric.
From here, your mask is already beginning to take shape. Now it’s time to line up your center front seams and pin along the top and bottom of your mask with the right (pretty) sides of your fabric together. This will make the seam allowances of your mask face each other and never irritate your face while you are wearing it.
After your DIY dust mask is pinned, it’s time to sew. Sew along the top and bottom of your project and sew using a straight stitch at 1/2″ seam allowance.
Cut more notches into the top of your DIY face mask and a few at the bottom of your mask before turning right side out.
Believe it or not, your face mask is nearly complete! Now we just need to finish it off with ear straps. To do this, fold the unfinished edges in 3/4″ and sew in place. This creates a casing we’ll be able to slide our elastic through and hides any unfinished edges from view.
Note: I used a serger to sew the filter and exterior fabrics together before sewing but you do not have to do that.
Last, cut two elastic strips to 7″ in length (you can always shorten these to get a comfortable fit.) Pin a safety pin to one side and slide it through your casing.
Then, remove your safety pin and sew the two ends of your elastic together to create ear straps. If the stitch line where your ear straps connect is an eyesore, gently pull the seamline into your casing and topstitch over it to hold it in place inside your casing. Just be sure to try on your mask and trim your elastics (if needed) so they fit comfortably before topstitching.
That’s it! Your face mask is ready to wear!
How To Make A Pleated Reusable Surgical Mask
Supplies
- Filti Face Mask Material
- Basic Sewing Kit
- 1 package of pre-made double fold bias binding (or you can see my tutorial on how to make your own here)
- Basic ruler
How To Make This DIY Face Mask
Making pleated face masks just may be the quickest reusable surgical mask you can sew at home. There is no template and just requires a basic ruler to get started.
To make your template, just cut a rectangle from your Filti Face Mask Material to 6″ x 9″ for adults and 5″ x 7″ for kids.
Once your rectangle is cut, pleat the sides to create 3 even pleats on either end of the short side of your fabric. Hold them in place with pins.
Now use a straight stitch on a standard sewing place to make your pleats permanent.
From here, we’re going to add bias binding to the top and bottom (long sides) of your face mask.
To do this, open your double fold bias binding to reveal 3 creases in your fabric. Line up the raw edge of your bias binding with the raw edge of your Filti Face Mask Material and sew inside the crease with a straight stitch.
From here, you can fold your bias binding over the top of your pleated face mask material and to the opposite side before topstitching. If you’d like a video on how to sew bias binding in place, you can find it here.
When your bias tape is finished, it should look like this. If you would like to use the bias tape as a casing to slide a nose wire through, that’s a simple option as well. You can even use a straightened paper clip in a pinch. Otherwise, cut a piece of jewelry wire to 7″ in length and slide it through the open casing before moving on.
Now all that’s left to do is add ear straps to your reusable surgical mask.
To do this, cut two more pieces of double fold bias binding to 24″ in length. If these are too long, you can always trim them later.
Then fold your bias binding in half to find the center and line it up with the center of your face mask. Sew your bias binding in place using the same method as we just used.
From here, you my friend are done! The ties should be long enough to either tie around your ears or tie around your head for a more comfortable, longer-term wear.
I really hope you loved these quick and easy tutorials and find some comfort in knowing your new face masks are actually blocking harmful particles and bacteria from being ingested.
I want to thank Filti for creating face mask material that is specifically made for face masks and engineered to keep us all healthier. You can learn more about the company here.
