Fabric face masks - some tips

There is so much information about reusable fabric face masks, making them, buying them, using them, that no-one can  keep up with all of it. These suggestions have been made by some of our members, and might be a useful place to start:

One recommends the Jesse Mask from The Fabric Patch. The website has six You Tube videos about various aspects of mask making: http://www.fabricpatch.net/face-masks-for-covid-19-relief.htm

She used Vilene interfacing as the filter layer in her masks (because that was what she had). The videos cover a number of options.

Another has investigated mask making and use deeply, and makes these recommendations:

• the podcast Just Wanna Quilt (probably best summarised on Homemade Mask Summit Parts 1 and 2, 19 and 27 June- nearly 10 hours in total)
• batik fabrics are considered ideal by the experts, due to the very tightweave and heavy dye
• I also use interfacing for the middle layer; it is suggested not to use fusible interfacing due to inhalation of the adhesive, although I think that is probably only an issue if someone was going to be wearing it for many hours/days/weeks/months at a time.
• flannelette has been recommended as the ideal inner layer, which works well for a winter mask, but is probably too hot for summer
• ties are better than elastic for fit and repeated washing, but since ours will not be used and washed in an industrial setting, elastic (1/4"wide) is probably OK and so much quicker! (Using my husband and daughter as prototypes, I cut the elastic 5-1/4" for women and 6-1/4" for men, using a 1/4" seam on a 3-pleat version, and it seems to fit people well.)

Spotlight has advertised packages of jersey 'yarn' suitable for ties that are soft and slightly stretchy.