Fairly Quick and Easy Face Mask that is COMFORTABLE!

Face masks are a good idea.  If you are out in public you never know when you will walk through a cloud of malignant vapor because you don't know who just walked around the corner having coughed up a storm.  The face masks I made before were not comfortable with the elastic over the ears.  Well, I used elastic from an old pair of underwear which was too wide, for one thing.

Well!!  News Flash!  You can make a face mask that will be easy AND comfortable and will make you want to wear one.  You can even make fashion statements with your new mask/s!!

Our daughter has been making these for family and friends where she lives.  Hers are so much better than mine, but then, I am always in a hurry and don't take as much care as I should.  This is a character flaw to be deplored.  And I do.  Deplore it, that is.  I will turn over a new leaf.  I hope that flip-flopping will be rather soon...  You will notice one iteration of lack of care in the top-stitching.  I couldn't be bothered to change the thread on the sewing machine.  Deplorable.  Truly.  Bad, bad, bad.  When will I learn?

This is what she said:  take a piece of cotton fabric about 6-7 inches by 12 inches. 
Fold it in half  right sides together so you have a piece of fabric about 6 inches by 6 inches. 
Stitch around the three raw edges, leaving an opening for turning. 
Turn right side out then press. 
Press a fold in the middle.  Now press two more folds on either side of that middle fold. 
Pin the folds and stitch 1/4.  inch from the edge to secure the folds.

Cut another piece of the same, or different cotton fabric, that is about 2 1/2- 3 inches wide and an inch longer than your stitched folded mask.  This will become a casing for your straps.
On the short sides of that strip, make a 1/8-1/4 inch seam to close up the raw edge.
Place right sides together  and stitch to make a tube.
Pin one long side of this tube to the back of the previously prepared mask and stitch.
Turn the casing to the front and topstitch down.

Get out an old tee shirt and cut off strips that are about 3/4 inch wide.
Thread one end through a large-eyed needle and draw the tee shirt strip (which you have pulled to make into a more or less round strap) through the casing. Repeat on other side of the mask.
Get a pony bead at a craft store or your child's fun activities basket and thread the two ends of the tee shirt strip through.  Don't try to thread it through with the needle.  Just put the two flat ends of the tee shirt through the bead and pull it through.  Might take a couple tries but is really pretty easy.

Once threaded, put a knot in the ends of the tee shirt strip and try on your new COMFORTABLE mask.  Pull up on the pony bead to get it where you need it.

Our daughter is a pretty smart cookie!