Here’s the pattern – video to come some day soon! I know there are other patterns out there but this one eliminates two problems I hear sewists complain about – raw edges on the inside, and trying to have the vinyl against the foot or the feed dogs and it not feeding properly. In this pattern the ONLY time you are stitching through vinyl it has fabric on either side of it.
Materials:
I use 100% cotton, pre washed in hot water with unscented soap and dried in a hot dryer. I did not add a Pellon liner to these like I do to my three layer masks because I felt like they were already fogging up a little and I didn’t want to make the wearer any warmer than they already were.
I used 16mm clear vinyl, small amount
1/4” elastic
Nose wire of your choice. I used 5” of the cotton covered copper wire I keep in stock on the Tailor Made Cosplay Etsy store here – but you can use what you normally like to use.
The usual sewing accoutrements
Clips like Wonder Clips from Clover or Dritz Grip Clips are helpful for the vinyl stitching.
Cut List:
NOTE: I know the math doesn’t add up. I have been cutting the fabric pieces a little over size and trimming off the excess at various points to accommodate how easy it is to slip up when sewing the vinyl. Believe me, there isn’t a ton of fabric waste and this is SO much easier to deal with.
Vinyl – 3 1/4” tall x 4 3/4” wide
Fabric – Top – 2 pieces 10” wide x 2 1/2” tall
Bottom – 2 pieces 10” wide x 4” tall
Sides – 4 pieces 3 1/2” tall x 3” wide
Elastic – 2 pieces 7” long or size needed to fit wearer
Nose Wire- I used 5”
Optional: Clips like Clover Wonder Clips or Dritz Grip Clips for areas where you can’t pin
Notes:
Keep the hot iron away from the vinyl, it will melt and make a literal hot mess.
Do not pin through the vinyl because pins make holes. You can use clips, or pin the fabric that overhangs the vinyl.
Assembly:
Sandwich short side of vinyl between the long sides of two fabric Sides, stitch. Make edges even – they are adjusted in the photo below so you can see.
Fold both fabric Side pieces away from the center, and topstitch down.
Repeat for other Side.
Trim the long sides straight.
Repeat the steps above for Top and Bottom, sandwiching the vinyl between two pieces of fabric, stitching, folding the pieces away from the vinyl, and topstitching.
Top and Bottom Edges:
On both Top and Bottom edges, press under 1/2” toward the vinyl in the center of the sandwich.
Topstitch along both pressed edges.
Install nose wire centered along top edge. For the cotton covered copper which I use, turn each cut edge under about 1/4” so the cut wire isn’t exposed, zigzag in place.
Press under 1/2”.
Tuck cut ends of elastic into place as shown in photo, being careful not to twist it.
Press the raw edge of Side under another 1/4”, covering the elastic ends.
Topstitch.
Fold elastics so they extend past the side of the mask. Topstitch them down for security.
Pleats:
There is not a template as I pretty much estimated the pleats.
With right side of mask facing you, pin a box pleat on each side adjacent to the vinyl, taking up all of the width of the Side piece of fabric.
Pin a pleat into each bottom section of the mask, taking up about 1/2” folded and with the fold pointing up on the wrong side of the mask.
Topstitch down each side to hold pleats in place.
All done – and NO raw edges!
