When it became more and more clear in the COVID-19 pandemic that our homemade masks can make a difference in preventing spread of the virus, I decided to give this a try. I am no professional seamstress, but I know my way around a basic sewing machine and have had plans for years to sew some crafty items to sell, like denim bags and things like that. But who knew that I would start with masks?!

I dove into the various recommendations and patterns for homemade cloth face masks. I asked several people who were making them or had scientific insight for advice and watched numerous online how-to videos. With some trial and error (read: improvements) I ended up with what I feel is the perfect mask: pleaded model for more space, breathability and fabric surface, sewn in nose piece which I find is a must if you wear glasses, and adjustable loops. One size truly fits almost all! Tested on big heads as well as children! I have 6 year olds wearing these, but I have also made slightly smaller ones (1 to 1.5″ smaller than the standard 7-8″) for a 3 year old and other 6 year olds.