We know that many of you in our Zuri community are sewers, and we'd love to mobilize all of you to join us in making masks! Dee Dee, from our SF team, has put together an instructional how-to for all of us (experienced and newbies alike), that we hope you will use and share!
If you're interested in learning more about our response to Covid-19, here's a note from our team. In addition to making masks at home for ourselves, we are also producing and donating masks in Kenya. You can also purchase a mask here.
Pattern and instructions by Dolores Presley and Inja Vitero
Materials needed:
2 pieces 100% cotton fabric, 7”x9”
2 Pieces 100% cotton fabric, 1-1/4”x5”
2 pieces 100% cotton fabric, 1-1/4”x 40”
Ruler, pins, scissors, sewing machine, thread
How to check your fabric: fold into two layers. You should not be able to see through it, and you should be able to breathe through it.
Lay 7”x9” fabrics wrong sides together. Sew around edges at ¼”.
Create pleats on both sides of 7” edges by placing pins 1-1/2” from top, 2-1/2” from top, 3” from top, 4” from top, 4-1/2” from top, and 5-1/2” from top. This should leave 1-1/2” on bottom.
Bring first pin to second to create pleat. Repeat with third and fourth, fifth and sixth.
Sew around previous stitching to secure pleats.
With the two 1-1/4”x5” pieces, bind the short sides. You can make double seam binding by evenly folding the strips length wise and pressing, and then folding length wise again. This will make the mask reversible. Or, you can double the strip length wise and sew the back piece (open seam) on first and top stitching the front.
After sewing, trim binding to match mask.
With the two 1-1/4”x40” pieces, you can use the method above to make double seam binding or just double the strip and sew.
With either method, mark the center of the mask and the center of your strip. Match both centers and sew one side onto the mask.
Fold the strip over the top and bottom, and top stitch not only the mask but the entire strip. Before sewing, finish the end of the strip by opening it and turning under ¼”, then folding it back to match the strip.
Printable pattern: