Winter 2020. Who knew that the world would need face masks this year? I didn’t immediately start making masks, I’m more of a quilter than a garment sewer, so I was hesitant to try. Fabric masks also became widely available and that seemed simpler. I was still hesitant when Creative Grids came out with a mask template, but I decided that I would like to make some masks to help protect my family and that I’d like to be able to make masks out of some of my favorite fabrics!

I had a mask from a store that had a pocket in it for the protective filters. When I got the instructions for the Creative Grids template. there were no pocket instructions. I wanted to figure out a way to add a pocket to the masks that I was making, that way, if someone wanted to use a filter, they could. If they didn’t use a filter, the pocket wasn’t in the way.

I thought I’d share what I did in case anyone else wants to make one this way!

I recommend using a 28mm rotary cutter. It really helps with cutting the curves of the template.

First off, the Creative Grids Mask Template is perfect for quilters who suddenly found themselves making masks! The instructions are very detailed, and every seam is 1/4” - something quilters are used to!

Sizing took a bit of trial and error. The mask template had marks for size, and elastic length recommendations, but I found I needed to customize it a little. I would make a mask and hand it to a family member and say: “How’s this one?” After some adjusting, here’s the formula I came up with. We liked the masks with the height of a Large and length of a Medium. Doing it this way, the mask was full coverage, but not baggy. Note that these masks were made for adults. For the women, I used a 5.75” elastic length and for the men I used a 6.5” elastic length.

Once we found our formula, I added some stickers to my template to mark what we liked. This way, I don’t have to find my notes in the future, it’s just right there on the template!

Here’s how to make a mask with the added pocket. If you don’t want the pocket, just follow the Creative Grids instructions. If you’re making the mask with the pocket, cut out 2 template shapes with whatever fabric you want to be the outside of the mask and 1 template shape with your lining fabric.

Now for the pocket (photos below):

Cut 2 rectangles that are 4.5”x6.5” This gives some wiggle room to work around the template.
Using a cutting mat, line up one piece on the 0” line and the other on the 3” line. You want a 1.5” overlap of the 2 pieces. After you’ve laid those down, line up the Grain line of the template in the middle on the edge of the rectangle where the pieces overlap.
Cut along the straight sides of the template. Don’t worry about the sizing just yet.
Slide the template to the left and down if necessary to the size you’re going for. Finish cutting around template curves.
Now you have 2 odd looking shapes. In order to get a finished edge, mark a line 1/2” in from the inner edges of the shapes. Fold the edge of your piece to that line and fold over again. This will give you a 1/4” hem.
Sew a line down the fold to hold it down. On my Juki 2010Q, I used the line marked with a 5 on the needle plate. It just needs to be a line along the edge of your fold.

These are the pieces you’ll use in place of one of the liner pieces for the mask.

I sewed my outer pieces together as instructed (this would be your fun fabric), then I sewed the regularly shaped liner piece to the curved pocket piece.

Next, sew the other pocket piece, right sides together with the main fabric, to the outside edge of the mask. Below is what it will look like when you’ve sewn the small pocket piece to one side of the mask and the large pocket piece to the other side of the mask. (Note: I used a peach colored fabric for the lining of the Santa mask. This way, if I am wearing makeup, it’s less noticeable on the liner. Use whatever color fabric you would like though!)

When it comes time to sew all the way around the mask, I used pins to make sure that my pocket pieces stay in place. You’ll have 1 place where the 3 pieces overlap. The main mask fabric, the large pocket piece (now sewn to the regularly shaped liner piece), and the small pocket piece. They go together in this order: Main fabric, large pocket piece, small pocket piece. By sandwiching the edge of the large pocket piece in the middle, it’ll be on the outside of the mask when you flip.

After you’ve sewn the 3 pieces together on the top, continue with the Creative Grids instructions to finish. If you do the method with the pocket, you can sew the mask completely closed around the edges. No need to leave an opening to turn the mask right side out; the pocket becomes your opening to turn.

After I figured out the pocket, I made several masks with fabrics from my scrap bin. The masks are a great way to use up leftover fabrics! Below is a picture of the inside of the Santa mask. I flattened it so you could get a fuller picture of what it looks like. After I finish a mask, I give it a good press with my iron. Though it's hard to tell when the mask is flattened!

After I made a few masks, I had the idea to make some festive masks! Urban Chiks has come out with some wonderful Christmas lines and they all include a quilt panel featuring a holiday character - so far: Santa, Snowman, Reindeer, and in 2021, a Halloween Kitty! The panel includes a large scale holiday character, a smaller version of the character, and a quilt label. I have plans to make quilts with all of Urban Chiks Holiday lines, but since I have my own quilt tags, the labels in the panel were just going to go to waste.

When I was working on my Deer Christmas quilt, I realized I could use the Quilt Label from the panel and applique the character from it onto a mask! My first attempt worked, but I should’ve used some Heat n’ Bond on the applique so the edges weren’t frayed. For my next attempt, the snowman, I used Heat n’ Bond Ultra Hold and he turned out great!

So, for the applique, I cut out the Quilt Label from the panel, fused some Heat n’ Bond Ultra Hold to the back, and then cut around the snowman. The first two cuts can be made with a rotary cutter, since they’re straight edges. The pictures below were taken as I made the Santa mask.

Now that my snowman was ready, I started making the mask. I took the fabric for the outside of the mask, cut it to size and sewed it together. Then I fused the snowman to the mask before I sewed the lining fabric to the mask! When you go to place the applique shape, keep in mind that you’ll lose some of the fabric in the same allowance. Iron the shape onto the mask, then sew all the way around the edges of the shape to make sure it’s secure. If the character extends beyond the mask shape, trim away the excess. Once your character is fused and sewn onto the fabric for the outside of the mask, proceed with the rest of the mask instructions.

I loved how these masks turned out! Now I feel extra festive when I go anywhere!

Below are the details for the festive masks I made:

For the Snowman mask, I used Kona Ice Frappe for the main fabric. I top stitched around the mask in Aurifil #2835 (Medium Mint).

For the Santa mask, I used Kona Black for the main fabric. I top stitched around the mask in Gütermann Black Thread.

For the Reindeer mask, I used Moda Bella Solids in Charcoal and Gütermann Charcoal thread.

Festive Holiday Face Mask Tutorial with Pocket