Face masks.

[RubbishQueen]

Hello hope everyone is safe and well.

I have started making face masks, just for myself and family. I have made a couple with the pleated front that look like the ones doctors wear. I have seen a few other designs too. Are any better than others shape wise? Any recommendations on what shape would be best for kids? For comfort ect?

Many thanks.

On this public Facebook group, medical staff shares research on the best material and design to make your own PPE www.facebook.com/groups/611013049478306/
For the best one, you really need to scroll down to when out was created at the peak of the epidemic.

Don't put be off by the spammers who want to sell their stuff, they are always removed when the administrators have time. There are also posts on the best filters to use.

I have made two kinds - shaped or pleated - some people find one more comfortable than the other it's just a matter of choice.

I think it just depends on the shape of the face/ears etc. I’ve made a few shaped ones and a few pleated. I find the pleated more comfortable, DH prefers the shaped one.

I am so glad to see this post after hours of searching for designs and giving up as I couldn’t decide which to do.

I found one on Forbes.com which another mumsnetter recommended and looked well fitted.

Hopefully more people will add their designs on here.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering

Advice came up today!

I've made a couple of different designs but these seem to work best for me. I couldn't get any 4-5mm elastic and found hairbands too short but I did find you can cut wider elastic down the lenghth without it fraying. I tried florist wire for the nose piece; a single strand wasn't robust enough but 2 was too much so I've settled on some aluminium jewellery wire which is cheap enough to order on line. The mask flattens against my face when I breath in and puffs out when I breath out which I think means it fits well enough to have a decent seal around the sides and nose.

There was a new design posted the other day called the Ally Mask. I like it the best of those I've tried. Comfy to wear and doesn't fall off www.protohaven.org/ally-face-mask

McCalls (sewing patterns) have a free template and instructions on their website. V easy to make. They are the pleated ones. I bought fat quarters and elastic. Seem to work well.

Im making these
My friend has been making them via a Facebook group for HCAs, so hopefully that means they are good.

My daughter prefers the pleated one, my dh prefers the cup shaped one.
When I say "prefers " obviously it's a relative term.

@ YeOldeTrout. Wrong thread I think.

sarahmaker.com/how-to-sew-a-surgical-face-mask-for-hospitals-free-pattern/ is what I've been using with a pipe cleaner for the nose bit.

Thank you for the links I'll check them out :)

I'm making masks using the Craft Passion pattern, I tried a few and this was my favourite, using plastic covered garden wire for the nose and hoover bags for the filter. There's a video on you tube although I've simplified it, and the pattern is downloadable from their website, there are different sizes. Funny thing is, having made them I feel wierd about wearing them as hardly anyone is!