How to: Creating homemade masks in times of shortage

Are you in need of masks but can’t find them in nearby stores? Here are two quick and easy ways to make your own mask from materials lying around your house. Both methods follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on cloth face coverings.  

The first method is an easy and fast way to make a face mask that requires a bit of hand sewing. This method will allow you to be creative in how you want your mask to look while using household items.  

Easy DIY Face Mask Method Without a Sewing Machine

(From the YouTube channel of Natalia Tim)

Materials:

•Old T-shirt or fabric 

•Scissors

•Needle and thread 

•Iron 

•Two hair ties cut into elastic strings 

1. Cut a single piece of fabric from the T-shirt into a rectangle that is 16 inches by 10 inches. 

2. Fold the fabric in half vertically. The inside of the fold should be shown on the outside of your mask. Then, fold about a centimeter of the bottom on both sides, and iron it to make sure it stays down. 

3. Fold the material into three sections, each about 2 inches wide, and iron them down. This pattern will be the foundation of  mask. 

4. Open the fabric and make sure there are five folds creased up. Place one end of the elastic on the bottom of the fabric near one side. Then, place the other end in the middle of the third fold on the same side. Repeat on the other side with the second elastic string. 

5. Fold the fabric in half once again while keeping the folds creased. Sew each side closed. You should sew into each end of the hair ties at least four times to secure it. 

6. Turn the material inside out so the elastic is on the outside. Now you have a new face mask ready to be worn outside during essential activities. 

If you don’t know how to sew or want an easier way to make your own mask, this next method is for you. This is another easy method that requires no sewing at all and will take a minute or two to make. All you need to do is cut.

Quick Cut Method with an Old T-Shirt 

(From the CDC website )

Materials: 

•Old T-shirt 

•Scissors 

1. Cut the bottom of the T-shirt, leaving 7-8 inches of material. 

2. Sketch out a rectangle, as pictured, that is 10 to 11 inches by 6 inches. Make sure to leave about an inch of the material from the edge. 

3. Cut out the rectangle from the material, and then cut each of the strands, as pictured, so that the fabric opens up. 

4. You’re finished! To use, tie the bottom string around your neck and the other over the top of your head.