Pitching in to make simple surgical-style face masks

[xyppy]

I'm telling myself there is no such thing as a stupid question but I still hesitate to ask this very basic question...

I've successfully made a few masks using the Tom Bihn pattern but it is always a surprise to me as to whether the completed mask is two fabric patterns on the front or one fabric pattern on the front and the other fabric pattern on the reverse side. I don't want to be surprised, I want to choose whether my masks have front all one design or two different designs. Please give me basic instruction on the fabric placement for cutting out mask. I'm comfortable with cutting through four layers of fabric to speed up process a little.

Thanks so much for your assistance.

The mask pattern is half face front and back with middle fold making the bottom of the mask. If you want a two color mask, your right side will be one color and your left side will be another color if you cut two pieces of fabric of different colors in the pattern shape. In the picture below (and please pardon the wrinkles) I cut one piece of fabric in turquoise and the other in the batik fabric.

Attachment 24716

I hope this helps.

I've been toying with the idea of making a quilted mask using this pattern but so far am too lazy and exhausted from making masks to think about the how-to.

[xyppy]

Here's how I added a filter layer to the mask. The high-res yellow is cut from a quick dry t-shirt. I'm using this as the filter layer. I will tack the filter layer to each piece of blue fabric before tacking the ear loops on the opposite side of the fabric and then will sew together the two pieces of blue fabric together along the curved mustache sides with yellow pieces on the outside and the sides with the ear loops on the inside. The "filter masks" I gave away this afternoon were a bit stiff at the nose for the wearers so I'm going to experiment further by lopping off the obtuse outer corners of each piece of the filter fabric. I'm not expecting I'll be making many filter version masks. But then I also didn't expect to be working from home for months either.

[kjquilts]

. Light might be dawning . Now I see that to have one color mask in front both pieces have to be cut from same fabric. Should have been obvious but for some reason it wasn't to me. Cracking up at myself because my successful mask with one color front was made with same fabric front and back!.

Next question, when cutting the two pieces of fabric that will become one mask does one need to be right side face up and one face down when I cut or do both pieces get cut right side face up? My cotton quilting fabrics have a right and a wrong side. Suppose I want to cut four layers at once that will become two masks ..... what is fabric placement before cutting out pattern.

Thanks so much for your help.

[xyppy]

. Light might be dawning . Now I see that to have one color mask in front both pieces have to be cut from same fabric. Should have been obvious but for some reason it wasn't to me. Cracking up at myself because my successful mask with one color front was made with same fabric front and back!.

Next question, when cutting the two pieces of fabric that will become one mask does one need to be right side face up and one face down when I cut or do both pieces get cut right side face up? My cotton quilting fabrics have a right and a wrong side. Suppose I want to cut four layers at once that will become two masks ..... what is fabric placement before cutting out pattern.

Thanks so much for your help.

It doesn't matter how the fabric is placed regarding right and wrong side when cutting the fabric because the pattern is symmetrical.

[kjquilts]

Thanks so much. Made three masks this afternoon and they all turned out great. Think I've finally got it and now it is pretty easy. I've repurposed a couple t shirts into "yarn" for the ear loops. Got smart and rotary cut the strips 1" wide as they come out much neater than when hand cut with scissors. They're not as good as the Tom Bihn ear loops (love that material) but they are comfortable, easy to apply and work. Luckily I have a wide quilting ruler and I managed one end of it and the rotary cutter while Larry (dh) held down the other end of the ruler with his hands well out of harms way while we cut the strips. Just have to remember to stretch out the cut strips before cutting them into loop length.

I've watched some videos of people rotary cutting their mask patterns but I'm not ready to try that. Very sharp scissors work fine. Like someone else mentioned I'm leaving the opening for turning the mask at one side instead of in the middle of the top of the mask. I do top stitch both sides and the top edge of the finished mask - may try a decorative stitch there just for fun. To actually quilt a mask you'd need a layer of batting between the front and back. I'm wondering if this would make the mask too hot. Might be fun to play around with but first I want to make a bunch of regular masks to give out to residents in our community.

Thanks again.

Karen

[Darcy]

A few updates......

What it's been like at our Seattle factory as we've been making masks:
https://www.tombihn.com/blogs/main/aboutmakingmasks

An FAQ for our Reusable Cloth Face mask:
https://www.tombihn.com/blogs/main/facemaskfaq

Some clarification on when orders placed for bags will ship:
https://www.tombihn.com/blogs/main/orderspre
Under Washington State's "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order backpacks and other bags aren't considered essential; that means we can't manufacture or ship bags while the order is in place. Face masks are considered essential, and that's why we're able to manufacture and ship face masks. When the order is lifted, we will begin shipping the orders for bags we've received for the last few weeks.

Hope to share some of those design debuts I promised in the next few weeks! There's also a chance there will be some small runs of new face mask designs that we'll make available to you guys first (no pressure, just if you want to help us test them out!)

Back to gardening..... I've grown herbs and opportunistic kale for a while now, but this is my first time growing cucumbers, carrots, beans, and squash. Hope you all are safe and well.

[b1gsky]

I also gave the TB pattern a try today and with the video it was fairly easy to do! Took me maybe ten minutes or so. The only thing I changed was to cut shorter straps for the ear loops. I think it turned out well for a first try! I'll test it tomorrow for my work commute. Unfortunately I only have enough elastic left for one more, I'll try to buy some hair ties tomorrow that I can repurpose. This fabric was once a dress my grandma made for me, btw.

[xyppy]

My aunt from South Dakota sent me 5 pounds of fabric. These are the first 2 masks I made from it. I like the bandana mask. Seems kind of ironic.

[backpack]

A few updates......

What it's been like at our Seattle factory as we've been making masks:
https://www.tombihn.com/blogs/main/aboutmakingmasks

An FAQ for our Reusable Cloth Face mask:
https://www.tombihn.com/blogs/main/facemaskfaq

Some clarification on when orders placed for bags will ship:
https://www.tombihn.com/blogs/main/orderspre
Under Washington State's "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order backpacks and other bags aren't considered essential; that means we can't manufacture or ship bags while the order is in place. Face masks are considered essential, and that's why we're able to manufacture and ship face masks. When the order is lifted, we will begin shipping the orders for bags we've received for the last few weeks.

Hope to share some of those design debuts I promised in the next few weeks! There's also a chance there will be some small runs of new face mask designs that we'll make available to you guys first (no pressure, just if you want to help us test them out!)

Back to gardening..... I've grown herbs and opportunistic kale for a while now, but this is my first time growing cucumbers, carrots, beans, and squash. Hope you all are safe and well.

Thank you for sharing 2 pictures of you! So glad to see your new hairstyle, it suits you really well!

Thank you for sharing pictures of the other Crew members, so we can see everyone is looking good!

Tom's pictures and video are wonderful, I hope his finger is feeling better, he had a bandage on it.


In my area, most women are wearing masks when going out but only younger men are following suit.

Our county is essential only workers, our county executive is a doc, but, the governor re-opens business when his donor friends ask for it, he is not a medical professional.

I try not to worry, but it is difficult to do. I look for the helpers and it helps a lot!

[ayazgood]

OK, now I know why the original masks I ordered fit my wife but not me, since my face measures a whopping 5 inches! FYI, the main text of the order page has incorrect references to 16 cm and 17.5 cm. Or maybe that is referring to the length of the material?

ORIGINAL One Size Fits Most fits up to about 4.5” / 115mm

LARGE One Size Fits Most size fits best 4.5” / 115mm and above

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/10...g?v=1587846197

[carl0]

@earth5 -- I got mine ordered, thanks!!

[Darcy]

Update! Please read if the Original Reusable Cloth Face Mask size didn't work for you:

Compiling customer, donation, and bulk order feedback, here’s what we’ve come up with re: mask sizing:

Measure from the bridge of your nose to the point of your chin.

ORIGINAL One Size Fits Most fits up to about 4.5” / 115mm We estimate that 70% of people will prefer the Original size.

LARGE One Size Fits Most size fits best 4.5” / 115mm and above We estimate that 30% of people will prefer the Large size.

Darcy (bridge of nose to point of chin: 4.25") and Ben (bridge of nose to point of chin: 5") can wear either size; if given a choice, Darcy would choose ORIGINAL and Ben would choose LARGE. YMMV; head, nose, ear shapes can factor in to this.

If you ordered an Original BEFORE April 21st, as that is the date we introduced the Large option and it doesn’t fit you, we don’t want you to be unhappy! The vast majority of people (I mean, almost nearly everyone) are very happy with our masks provided they are a good fit. Please emailus@tombihn.com if you haven’t already so that we can get a new Large mask sent your way; we *want* to do this! We will connect your request with your customer account/previous order.

Update! I've edited the original post with more specificity; our offer to send a complimentary Large mask is for those who ordered an Original before Large was an option and only for whom the Original was not a good fit. The Large debuted on 04/20. So, in other words, it's only applicable to folks who ordered *before* there was a choice of two different sizes, and only applicable to folks for whom the Large didn't fit. I hope this makes sense; if anyone has questions, please feel free to ask.

We would've emailed the folks who took our survey and reported the mask to be too small, but didn't realize that when we set it up the survey, it was done in such a way that we couldn't contact the people who took the survey. :/

[backpack]

Is it possible to add Donations Cranes to a mask order?


The need is so great right now, but TB might want to wait until Bags and Accessories deliveries resume.

[xyppy]

I finally received the many different colored spools of 1/2 inch ribbon I ordered. Adding a nose strip is a bit time consuming but I think with practice I'll get better and faster at it. I cut 4 inch strips of ribbon and folded under, 1/2 inch on each end, securing each end before attaching the strip to the mask. I'm not sure I'd use pipe cleaners with this ribbon but twisty ties are fine. Pipe cleaners would too easily snag the ribbon.

[setrombley]

Did I see TB masks in the paper just released on mask filtration efficiency? I notice Darcy & co. were thanked in the acknowledgements.