How to make masks for the coronavirus step by step if you don't know how to sew

The Ministry of Health advises us to use hygienic masks in areas where safety distances cannot be maintained. If you are considering making yours reusable, even if sewing is not one of your greatest virtues, this is your tutorial! You only need the sleeve of a shirt and two hair ties to get a really cute and neat mask.

Recommendations for the preparation and use of your mask

Include several layers of 100% cotton fabric and a well-dense weft. Fabrics for sheets, shirts, patchwork would work.
You must be able to breathe well. That is why it is so important to choose natural and breathable fabrics like cotton.
It has to adapt well to the face , that there are no side openings, but that it also be comfortable.
It is important that the mask has bands or rubber bands to hold behind the ears.
That it is washable in a washing machine at 60º to sterilize it. It is advisable to wash it every day and not use it for more than four hours in a row or if it is wet.
Wash your hands well before putting it on and after taking it off, always avoiding touching the mask, better only the rubber bands.
The mask should cover both the nose and the mouth. If you breathe through your nose and wear it uncovered, you can get infected, or cross-contamination from the outside of your mask towards the nostrils, so cover your nose well, which sits on the bridge, not at the tip so that it does not there is room for the virus to enter.
The mask cannot come into contact with other parts of your body. If the internal part of the mask touches a contaminated part of your body such as your neck, hair, forehead and you put it back on, you would be carrying the virus directly to your mucous membranes and an infection could occur. The same happens if you keep it in a pocket or bag where you have a cell phone, keys, etc … Always keep your mask by grasping it by the rubber bands, folding it in half with the inside of the mask inwards and keep it in a self-closing bag or a compartment with nothing else around it.

Once this is cleared up, relax your shoulders and take a breath because let's get started!

Recommendations for the preparation and use of your mask

Include several layers of 100% cotton fabric and a well-dense weft. Fabrics for sheets, shirts, patchwork would work.
You must be able to breathe well. That is why it is so important to choose natural and breathable fabrics like cotton.
It has to adapt well to the face , that there are no side openings, but that it also be comfortable.
It is important that the mask has bands or rubber bands to hold behind the ears.
That it is washable in a washing machine at 60º to sterilize it. It is advisable to wash it every day and not use it for more than four hours in a row or if it is wet.
Wash your hands well before putting it on and after taking it off, always avoiding touching the mask, better only the rubber bands.
The mask should cover both the nose and the mouth. If you breathe through your nose and wear it uncovered, you can get infected, or cross-contamination from the outside of your mask towards the nostrils, so cover your nose well, which sits on the bridge, not at the tip so that it does not there is room for the virus to enter.
The mask cannot come into contact with other parts of your body. If the internal part of the mask touches a contaminated part of your body such as your neck, hair, forehead and you put it back on, you would be carrying the virus directly to your mucous membranes and an infection could occur. The same happens if you keep it in a pocket or bag where you have a cell phone, keys, etc … Always keep your mask by grasping it by the rubber bands, folding it in half with the inside of the mask inwards and keep it in a self-closing bag or a compartment with nothing else around it.

Once this is cleared up, relax your shoulders and take a breath because let's get started!

MATERIAL

This is the only thing you need to make your mask:

A shirt , that you want to throw away, or like me, that you want to cut off the sleeves. It has to be made of cotton, and better if the sleeve has a straight shape, that is to say that it is equally wide in the cuff and armhole, although mine was not and I managed it anyway.
Two hair ties , which are quite elastic and thin, so that they are more comfortable on your ears
Scissors , needle and thread , don't worry, I'm not going to make you sew much.

STEP 1

Lay the shirt on with the sleeve extended. It is important that the sleeve is ironed and as straight as possible. Put your open hand in the center of it, that will be the width of your mask. Proceed to cut with a margin of a couple of centimeters above and below, if you have succeeded without losing any fingers along the way … go for the next step!

STEP 2

This step is simple but you can skip it … If the shirt is very thin as was my case, place a third fabric of the same width and height on the inside of the sleeve. A piece of sheet, cotton cloth or even the same shirt will serve you.

STEP 3

Create a crease in the center of the sleeve about an inch deep . You do not have to measure or anything, it does not matter much that it is perfect, it is so that the mask is narrower on the sides and adapts better to the face.
This would be the time to compensate if one side of the sleeve is wider , making the crease a little deeper on that side so that the rectangle of fabric is equally tall at both ends. When you have it, mark the fold with the iron, keep pressing for a few seconds and give the steam, so that the fold is well marked.
If you already have it, proceed to bend the two ends inwards approximately one finger and also mark it with the iron. This step will greatly facilitate the placement of the rubber.

STEP 4

Insert the rubber at the end of the sleeve so that it is held in the fold that we have marked with the iron. If you already have it, take a deep breath and calm … it's time to pick up the needle!

STEP 5

Once you have the needle threaded (this is achieved by inserting a thread of no more than 50cm long through the small hole) proceed to make a knot at the end that takes the two sides of the thread, we already have the needle ready!

It came the moment of truth. Hold the rubber close to the fold that we have made with the iron and fold the tab inwards. Make the stitches very close to the fold, to join the two ends together, leaving the rubber trapped inside. If you do the stitches together, it will be stronger and safer.

Detail for professionals: If you do not want the stitches to be seen on the outside of the mask, try to only take the inner fabric, the fold will be equally united, but it will not be seen on the outside when you put the mask on.

THE RESULT

Ready! Do you see how it was not so difficult? You already have your beautiful and original mask ready to go out. The possibilities are as many as the shirts you have in your closet … Shall we make another one? If you want to go a step further, take a look at the step by step to make a mask at home if you already have some notions of sewing.