DIY Face Mask with Elastic in 10 minutes - Sewing Tutorial

This was the first video I had ever watched by Melanie. Thanks to her, I learned to sew. So much so, that I purchased a Juki sewing machine like her since all her sewing crafts were always so perfect and she loved Juki herself. Over time, I made many of her crafts to gift, decorate my home, or for my son and his many stuffed animals. My prayers are with her family. She was clearly a beautiful soul and an extraordinary woman. May she rest in peace. Her crafting legacy will forever live on.

Seam Ripper! That's a new one! In New Zealand we call them quick-unpicks. because... you unpick them... quick

I miss you Melanie. I cry everytime one of your videos comes up in my suggestions. Wish you were still here and healthy. To Melanie's family... thanks for leaving her videos up. Prayers for all of you

Most KRplusrs: How to do something in three minutes *26 minute video *
Her: How to do something in ten minutes *7 minute video *
Don’t know who you are but for that mere fact alone I give you much respect

I've been "eyeballing" my pleats like your second demonstration but I'll be using the seam ripper trick from now on! That's AMAZING! Thanks for sharing! 🙂

thank you for doing your part in the community, as a teenager who never really sews this was super easy to follow, thank you

That seam ripper hack to help make the pleats is gold! I've been sewing masks and it takes so much extra time to pin the pleats. Thank you for a great tutorial!

Perfect! Even for a non-sewer like myself. Had an appointment earlier and finished it just in time. Thanks so much for making this video short and efficient!

This was a really great video. I've watched several others and it looks like they overcomplicate it. But not yours. You made it simple very little measuring and the seam ripper was a really great idea. I'll be watching more of your videos in the future thank you

Since it’s now apparent that elastic and interfacing have now joined the ranks of things impossible to procure (right up there with TP and disinfectant wipes), I had to skip the interfacing. I’m not a seamstress and I *just* gave myself a sewing machine as a birthday present. So, after some brainstorming, I realized I’d just bought a bunch of grosgrain ribbon. Let’s cheer for improvisation! So far I’ve made 3 masks. More to come! Thank you for your tutorial, Melanie!!

Love how you used your seem ripper. So much easier than pinning. Thank you!

Thank you for taking the time to share your directions. I looked at several and yours was by far the simplest and most easy to follow. I just finished three masks in a short time, and am confident I can make many more if needed. I appreciate your video and instructions so much! Thank you!!

I donated masks to my local hospital today and they were so happy to get them. I believe everyone should consider wearing masks when out in the public, along with washing hands, keeping distance. Tomorrow I will begin making more for friends and neighbors. Dr Oz also believes wearing them too and he said that diy fabric masks are better than not wearing any.

Great videos, Melanie....I wish I'd seen this one first. That seam ripper tip is one of the most helpful I've seen. I've been making them with elastic but I have a lot of bias and straight of grain quilt binding that I'll use for the "tie" version. Thanks so much.

If you don’t have elastic you can use wide headbands: cut it into thin strips, then attach it to the mask. It’s softer than hair ties. You can also use bedsheets or pillowcases. Hand sewing works well too if you don’t have a machine.

I've been watching a lot and I mean a lot of videos on making the face masks, and by far this video of yours is one of the best to follow and understand. Thank you very much. 😊

Thank you I just got my sewing machine out after about 15 years and I think this is very doable.

Melanie thank you for showing how to make the masks and please know you are in my heart and in my prayers for you and your family to be safe during these scary times and sending love and hugs to all of you. ❤Maria

Hi Melanie! A couple years ago I learned to crochet by watching your videos, and I wanted to thank you! Sending you peace & love!

I’m glad you put up a tutorial! I learned how to crochet from you.

Always my go to KRplusr when I have a question about sewing. Love your tutorials. The way you teach is very approachable and makes me believe I can do it. Now, to go find my sewing machine and some 100% cotton yarn and elastic ❤️~Marly

Thank you Melanie, this is a nice easy video and I have just finished my first one by hand. Your instructions are clear and really easy to follow. We all need to be able to make our own masks now!

I love the idea of using the seam ripper to do the pleats. I've never made pleats, or a mask, but you make it look so easy!

Omg I love this soooo much. I am 12 years old and was taught by my grandma to quilt and sew, and I loveeeee it sooooooo much. This is will be a WONDERFUL project for me to do during my quarantine!!! I am sooooo gonna do this!!

Thank you for this tutorial!! So simple and easy!! Making the pleats using a seam ripper is genius 🙂

Thank you for this! My work just required us to wear masks when we come in and there are none available to buy, good thing I can sew 😁. There is no elastic anywhere near me so what I came up with (I hate tie masks) is I use shoestrings from the dollar store. They are soft enough not to hurt the ears and have just enough elasticity to them to get them on comfortably and stay put

OMG!!! THANK YOU!!! I love the seam ripper idea for the pleats!!! That is where I have had my biggest struggles!! Plus your tutorial is so easy to follow!!!

I needed some new comfy masks so I just found your tutorial with a search. I used it to make some masks this afternoon. Thank you! This was very easy to follow. The masks are very customizable for size and were super comfortable.

Thanks for sharing this easy to follow tutorial! I’ve just made my first mask and will make a few more. A good tip: when you finish the mask, try it on. If you find the mask is too loose under your chin and has gaps, fold the fabric over in a pleat under your chin until it is snug (no gaps), then take the mask off while holding the pleat and quickly stitch the pleat fold. That way the mask will now fit snugly under your chin with no gaps!

Thank you!!!! I’ve been struggling with the pleats. The seam ripper method! Genius!!! I knew you’d have the answer! I understand your hesitation in making the tutorial, but I’m glad you decided to. Thanks again!

Love how you break it down for those of us who are rudimentary seamstresses! Many thanks.

I am somewhat of a beginner at sewing. I can do small projects but have never attempted clothing. I have to say Melanie, your video tutorials are the best I have ever watched. Your style of teaching is excellent. You make it very simple to follow along and pause the video as needed. Your explanations are down to earth and very easy to understand. I tried to use another tutorial for making this type of mask and the person was horrible and I almost just completely gave up. But then I remembered your other videos and was thankful to find that you had a mask Video. I did have some craft wire and I was able to sew a little channel at the top and put that in there and it works perfect. So, once again thank you Melanie!

Neat trick with the seam ripper. Wish I had seen it earlier but will definitely try it.

Thank you for great instructions. I always make a casing (using the top layer), to insert the elastic band with open ends. That way each person can adjust it to their own size. When sewing the elastic in it is very often not the right length; we all have different head sizes, men or women.

Thanks Melanie. The seam ripper trick is great! I just used matching fabric to sew loops.

I love the seam ripper idea, That saves a lot of time, thank you!

Hi Melanie, I have to wear mask daily and my ears started getting sore. I sewed buttons on a headband and now I attach the elastic to the buttons instead of my ears. Lifesaver for me. Please share this with you fans. Hope it saves someone’s ears. I love your channel.

Best, easiest mask tutorial I've seen yet!! Pleating with a seam ripper is GENIUS ...Thank you!!

Loved the seam ripper tips for the pleats - so easy. Made them for the kids next door. They loved choosing their fabric.

Love these masks. This is how I made mine, except I like your easier way to sew the pleats. Thanks for the tip!!!

Thank you for mentioning the washing. I washed fabric (scrap) before and it made a huge mess! I now wash after. TFS~ Phyllis

The pleats have been my least favorite to do & your seam ripper trick made me shed a tear lol can't wait to try it this way!

Thank you very much for the tutorial! I made 2 today of these pleated w/ 1/4" elastic loops and random quilt quarters (I don't know what they're called, folded up small and come in cute prints).
I haven't bought fabric or sewn in over 4 years so I spent more time adjusting the machine than I did making these! It's a 20+ year old Brother machine, that I love. It's a starter/basic sort and it's the lightest one to lift out of my others that are older and require way more time hassling w/ settings.
I already own/wear fabric masks for years when I go out because health reasons, but these are my first two to ever make myself. I looked to see if you had a twitter, I'd @ you but I didn't see one listed if you wanted to see.

thank you so much !!❤️ ever since we were told to wear these out, we couldn’t find any so this helps a lot

Thank you for this tutorial! My husband does grocery shopping/delivering, and we both worry about him catching the virus. He's always been a constant hand washer, but now does more hand sanitizer. Now he'll have an extra layer of protection. I also plan on making them for anyone else in my family and neighborhood who wants one.

Thank you! This was easy enough for my daughter to do too! I never thought to use my seam ripper as a pleat tool. How fantastic is that?

The seam ripper pleat idea is awesome. I am a total sewing amateur and I just made 3 of these. Thank you!

Love it. Just made some for my family. I added 3 pleats at the bottom/chin area for a snug fit.

Thanks so much Melanie, I’m going to use this pattern, but will just be eyeballing the pleats for quicker production! This craziness is prompting me to break my sewing machine out of storage...been gettin the itch to do some quilting for a while now, so this is the fire under my ass to get my sewing space set up & also do my part in the midst of all this mayhem!!! Thank U for posting/sharing this & Many Blessings to U Ms. Melanie! 👍👍❤️❤️❌💋🙏🙏🌞❗️❗️

I have used paper clips foe the wire over the nose, unbend it so the wire is straight, use a needle nose plier to bend the ends over and round them off. Works great!

Thank you. You had the easiest tutorial for these masks. I started making them last April, and now I’m back making a few more. I can’t thank you enough. Everyone is happy with the masks I made them....that’s over 50 family and friends. Happy and healthy holidays to you, and Happy New year! 🎄🎁❤️

I really liked the idea with the seam ripper. I've been watching many different videos to get a good idea on what would be easiest for me since I'm a beginner. This was very helpful thank you!!

Hey Melanie...
Thank you so much for sharing this 🙏💕
Just wanted to know if you could please share the dimensions of the fabric & length of the elastic...
Thanks in advance

Melanie....I've been making the masks and have given them to several different hospitals. One way to differentiate the sides of the mask is to put in an extra pinch pleat on the top middle of the mask where it will fit tighter around the nose. Worked for me

I have been wasting a lot of time trying to make even pleats and it has been so frustrating.........I can't thank you enough for your clever way of making perfect matched pleats with a seam ripper! I love your fabric and can't understand why the fabric stores aren't open......they are now a necessity! Thank you so much:-)

Thanks girl! I love the idea of using hair elastics because I did not want to go out for something like that.

I'm going to cry... Thank u sooo much for finally SIMPLIFYING a mask tutorial! Time to crank these babies out!

really good tutorial, I know it's off the topic but I couldn't take my eyes off your nails 😁

There are an increasing number of mask how to videos being posted on this subject and I'm happy to have chosen YOUR video to watch and learn from. It's visually appealing to begin with. You have a great teaching style and your voice is pleasant to listen to. I also like how you fast fwd'd when necessary as it makes it easier to remember things. That may sound trivial or not even make sense to alot of people what I just said but for someone with a little bit of a challenged memory and/or ADHD it actually does help. Thank you for this tutorial, I'm going to follow your instructions.
I subscribed ! Thank you !

Great idea to make double sided and even more cheerful if coloured elastic used. For anyone who loves sewing and who has piles of fabric scraps a lovely idea!

I have used pipe cleaners with great success. The secret is to fold the pipe cleaner in half and then twist the two pieces together. Then I fold the end pieces back toward the length so it doesn’t have any sharp edges. I think be doubling and twisting, it gives more stability. Hope this helps.

Thank you for making it easy. I feel like this is a project that I can actually sit down and do with my limited sewing skills.

This video is the best one on explaining how to make a mask, very straight to the point. Thank you so much !

Thank you for the tutorial! I used your video and one other video, combined methods to make some masks for myself and my family. I truly appreciate the time and effort you put forth to make the videos for us! :)

What type of sewing machine are you using ? Thank you for the tutorial !! ❤️

Before you sew the opening closed, wait and sew a horizontal line across the mask about 1/2 inch away from and parallel to your closing seam. Insert a (folded in half) pipe cleaner into this space and then close the mask up. Two quick seams running perpindicular to the pipecleaner on both ends will keep it in place. Very easy and they work amazing at making them way more snug.

Thank you for the video! Of course you made it look so simple.. as I’m a beginner at sewing...I appreciate the “eye ball” advice in setting the pleats...I’m glad I found your site ! Stay IN & safe!

I love the trick with the seam ripper to make pleats. I can't get them even just eyeballing. Great tutorial.

The seam ripper trick is AMAZING!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!

Place a dart seam in the middle for the nose & light weight interfacing works great, amazing job👍

THANKS MELANIE! My sewing machine recently arrived and I have a ton of scrap cotton fabric- Excited to start sewing masks for my family !

Hi from Scotland in lockdown. I have been experimenting with 2 or 3 designs. Your mask deals nicely with the elastic attachment, so here I go. Thanks so much.

Thank you God bless you and your loved ones as well . Sincerely Sonya

like the seam ripper method. I would use non woven interfacing for a filtered mask. God Bless you out there. Im in NYC

Great tutorial! I especially liked how you did the pleats with the seam ripper, what a fantastic idea! Will make some of these for my family. Thank you!!

The seam ripper thing is awesome, glad I watched this, so many videos out there.

I used up all the disposable masks I bought before.
This video was something I really needed right now!
Thank you!! :)

Thank you I WILL MAKE SOME FOR MY fAMILY!

Melanie, thanks for helping the community!

Best video I’ve seen yet,, great tips!! Love the 2 different colour materials and the seam ripper like wow!!!
Cheers and love from Canada 🇨🇦

Good video! The only part I missed was the middle folds across the entire mask. It is early in the morning right now. I’ll watch again.

On the inside of the mask, sew two vertical strips of cloth on both ends of the mask. Alternatively, use an elastic band. Then purchase some vacuum filters and cut them out into rectangles that can be held in place by the straps. The filter will give you much higher protection than just the cotton material alone. You can also remove the filter and insert a new one periodically. Instead of straps, you can also use hair clips to keep the filters attached to the mask. And one other thing. If you don't like those elastic straps that keep the mask attached to your head because they feel uncomfortable, use normal cloth straps but attach velcro at the ends so that you can adjust the length.

Making pleats with the seam ripper is genius and soooo much easier!!! This is by far my fave mask tutorial! I’ve made about 10 so far! Thank you!!!

Has anyone else had an issue with 7" elastic being to short for male masks after washing of course. I love this video. This video was extremely helpful from taking me never using a sewing machine but only once in my life at Joann's sewing class in 2013 to now sewing over a 100 masks which I have sold and donated a large lot to healthcare office staff.

This is easy to follow. I added a small dart in the center of the top and the bottom, and it holds the mask closer to my face, which helps keep my glasses from fogging up so badly.

Excellent video! I've made approx. 180 masks the same way you make them with the exception of using a seam ripper for the pleats. What a genius idea! I've been ironing mine so I don't have to pin them :). I'm definitely going to try the seam ripper!

Thank you! Thank you! I wasn't planning on making any, but my dad is still working and going from job site to job site and his customers are now requiring them.

Hi Melanie, Thanks so much for the video, really easy to follow and I've managed to make 35 masks to give to people in our village here in the South of France! (Preferred ironing the pleats rather than using the stitch-ripper but both tips worked well).

I love the whole seam ripper thing!!! I am going to just sew straps on each corner like you did with the elastic. My elastic I have on hand is too thick. I tried to cut it in thinner slices, but I think it will become too weak and snap.

Thank you for this. I’m making a ton for my sister in law who is a home health nurse, she’s having a hell of a time trying to get supplies so I’m hoping these help. I’m going to try and make a slit so she can put some filters in it.

These are the easiest, quickest masks I have ever made! I will definitely be making a lot of these! Thank you for sharing!

WOW THANKS I have watched a dozen of these videos and always have trouble with pleats until your Seam ripper trick. Thank you so much!!!!

I'm planning on making them for my coworkers and customers, I don't see to many children wearing them so I'm going to try to make a few kids ones and give them away

Who would give this a thumbs down? This was quick and to the point and your nails are gorgeous! Thank you ❤️

Thank you Melanie for helping others. Thank you for this easy to follow instructions on making masks. You are just amazing!

Didn't have elastic so I took apart a loopy-kinda pot holder and cut in two.Worked ok for me. Thanks for the tutorial- Helped me a lot.

I really enjoyed this video and learned to make a mask. 😷 It seems to be surprisingly easy. I won’t know until I try but you’ve answered all of my un-asked questions. Thanks so much for sharing this with us all. Blessings! 🌸

thank you! you make it look so easy. btw- when this whole thing passes - you should look into hand modeling....likely you've been told that in the past w/600k subscribers!

Awesome! I like that you explain alternative methods, and that trick with turning the seam ripper is brilliant.

Good to know! Stay safe, stay healthy, grow on!