Adapted from David Josef
*** TRY TO NOT USE PINS AS THIS INTRODUCES HOLES INTO INTERFACING ***
1) Cut fabric
– Cut 1 top of mask 9.5″ x 7.25″
– Cut 1 back of mask (liner) 7″ x 5″
* EVEN BETTER if you interface these pieces with non-woven medium-weight interfacing.
2) Mark center of mask front and liner pieces. Fold front mask piece in half
Clip small triangles less than the seam allowance
Do the same with one of the liners. These will help with aligning the pieces.
3) With two liner pieces, fold the long (un-clipped) edge
4) With right sides together, align the mask front with the liner, aligning the centers. Place 2 liners, be sure the finished sides are against the right side of the top of the mask.
5) Serge around all of the outside edges
6) Press the liner into place, forming an envelope-like opening, then stitch the edges down.
7) Form the pleats, use the edge of the liner to fold the first pleat, then form 3 shallow pleats all in the same direction.
8) Press the pleats into place. Make sure both ends are the same finished width after pleating.
9) Stitch the pleats into place on the very edge, and along the edge of the liner stitching.
10) Fold the edges towards the back of the mask to overlap the liner, and stitch into place. Repeat for the other side.
11) Cut two 7.5″ pieces of elastic, thread it through the sides of the mask, and stitch the ends of the elastic together. (Alternate: cut elastic slightly longer and knot ends together)
12) Rotate stitch (or knot) to the inside of the mask.