Mask Pattern & Instructions - Homemade Microfiber Towel Mask

Cut line for cotton
Cut line for towel
1 inch
Nose Bridge Insert
Cut 1x – cotton
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Mask Panels
Cut 2x – cotton
Cut 2x – towel
Homemade
Microfiber
Towel Mask
Pattern & Instructions
Materials
• Microfiber towel
• Cotton (breathable)
• Metal strip/wire for nose
• Elastic/string to wrap
around ears/head
SMALL cut line
MEDIUM cut line
LARGE cut line
1 inch
90°
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Homemade Microfiber Towel Mask - V.3 FOR NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY 1

Notes on Materials
• Towel – PureClean multipurpose microfiber cloths are used here, but any breathable
microfiber or standard towel can be used.
• Cotton – Cotton should be breathable. (You should be able to breath through a layer of
cotton and towel held over your mouth and nose while creating a seal with your hands.) The
cotton may be slightly stretchy.
• Metal – Aluminum and copper are recommended because they are strong, pliable and
washable. 12 or 14 gauge solid (not stranded) insulated copper electrical wire is easily cut to
length with a wire cutter. (For best results, use two wire strips per mask.) Alternatively,
aluminum sheet (0.05” thick) may be cut into ¼ inch-wide strips.
• Strap – A strap with some stretch is preferable. Elastic, thin bungee cord, string or shoelaces
may be used. Strap ends may be coated with super glue to prevent fraying.
• The finished mask is 100% machine washable. (For mask care, see page 15.)
Before You Begin
• Determine the appropriate mask size using the Mask Size Measurement document (at
www.yumpu.com/user/MaskMaker8765).
• Wash and dry cotton and towel fabric.
• Iron cotton for ease of cutting. Do NOT iron microfiber towel.
• After printing page 1, verify correct scale by measuring the 1 inch x 1 inch guide in the
lower right corner. (Note: Print at actual size or 100% scaling.)
Disclaimer
This mask has not been tested for effectiveness in blocking viruses, including the COVID-19
virus, and other contaminants. Therefore, its effectiveness cannot be quantified or guaranteed.
Feedback/Questions
Please send an email to MaskMaker8765@gmail.com.
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Homemade Microfiber Towel Mask - V.3
FOR NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY
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Materials
Two towel
panels
Nose bridge
piece
Towel padding for nose
• L & M size: 3.25 in. x 5.5 in.
• S size: 3.25 in. x 5 in.
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Metal/wire for nose bridge
• L & M length: 4.75 in.
• S length: 4.25 in.
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Two cotton panels
Elastic/string to wrap around ears/head
• Length: 45 in. to wrap around head
Homemade Microfiber Towel Mask - V.3
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FOR NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY

Sew Cotton and Towel Panels Along Curve
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• Sew curve of cotton panels so that
the “right” sides face each other.
• Seam allowance ~1/8 inch.
• Sew curve of towel panels so that
the “right” (less fuzzy) sides face
each other.
• Seam allowance ~1/8 inch.
Note: The towel and cotton panels are symmetrical. Therefore, either peak can be the
nose and either can be the chin of the mask.
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Homemade Microfiber Towel Mask - V.3
FOR NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY
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Sew Nose Seam
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• Invert the towel panels.
• Layer the cotton panels, nose bridge
piece, and towel panels so that the curve
seams are stacked, and the towel bulge
sits inside the cotton bulge.
• The smooth side of the towel panels
faces the “right” side of the cotton
panels. The “right” sides of the two
cotton layers face each other.
• Tip: Mark the center of the nose bridge
piece on its shorter curved edge and align
this mark with the curve seams of the
cotton and towel panels.
• Align edges of the three layers and sew
from the center out towards the sides of
the mask. The seam will end at the edge
of the towel because the towel panel is
shorter than the cotton panel.
• Repeat this step from the center towards
the other side of the mask.
• Seam allowance ~1/8 inch.
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Homemade Microfiber Towel Mask - V.3
FOR NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY
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Sew Chin Seam
• Sew the chin seam from the center out
towards one side of the mask. The seam
will end at the edge of the towel because
the towel panel is shorter than the cotton
panel.
• Repeat this step from the center towards
the other side of the mask.
• Seam allowance ~1/8 inch.
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Homemade Microfiber Towel Mask - V.3
FOR NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY
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Flip Mask Inside Out, Iron Edges
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• Flip the mask inside out by pulling the
fabric through one side opening.
• Fold over the side edges ~1/8 inch and
iron them so they remain folded.
• Fold over the end of the cotton panel and
iron it so it remains folded.
• Repeat on other side.
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Homemade Microfiber Towel Mask - V.3
FOR NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY
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Sew Strap Channels
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• Fold the end of the cotton panel over
the end of the towel panel and sew the
edge such that a channel for the strap
remains open. (The wire pictured here
shows the channel.)
• Repeat on the other side.
• Seam allowance ~1/16 inch.
Note: If you are using a wide strap, adjust
the pattern so that the sides of the cotton
panels extend farther out. This will enable
you to create a wider strap channel.
If you choose, you may place the strap in
place, fold the cotton panel over, and sew
the edge of the channel with the strap in
place.
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Homemade Microfiber Towel Mask - V.3
FOR NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY
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Sew Nose Bridge Bottom Seam
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• Fold the bottom edge of the nose bridge
piece under (about 1/8 inch) and iron.
• Sew from the center of the nose bridge
piece to the end of one side (about 1/16
inch from the bottom edge).
• Repeat on the other side.
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Homemade Microfiber Towel Mask - V.3
FOR NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY
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Wrap Metal/Wire for Nose Bridge
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• ALUMINUM: Place the
aluminum strip near
one long edge of the
towel padding and roll
the strip until it is fully
wrapped.
• WIRE: Place one wire
near one long edge of
the towel padding and
roll until the wire is
concealed. Place the
second wire next to the
concealed wire and
continue rolling until
the wires are fully
wrapped.
4/16/2020
Homemade Microfiber Towel Mask - V.3
FOR NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY
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Pull Metal and Towel through Nose Bridge Channel
• Insert a long clamp or pliers through the nose bridge channel.
• Clamp the rolled metal/wire and pull it through the channel.
• Adjust the towel padding and metal/wire so that both are centered in the nose
bridge channel.
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Homemade Microfiber Towel Mask - V.3
FOR NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY
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Pull Metal and Towel through Nose Bridge Channel
(Alternate Method)
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If you do not have a long clamp or pliers, you can:
• Cut a piece of paper approximately 3 inches by 5 inches.
• Tightly wrap the paper around the metal/wire-towel roll so that one end of
the paper extends beyond the towel.
• Tape the paper in place. Tape the end of the paper so that it forms a point.
• Insert the pointed end of the paper into the nose bridge channel and push
the rolled towel through.
• Grip the towel on the opposite side and pull the paper out of the channel.
• Adjust the towel padding and metal/wire so that both are centered in the
nose bridge channel.
Homemade Microfiber Towel Mask - V.3
FOR NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY
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Insert Elastic/String Straps
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• Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic/string and pull it through the fabric channel
on each side of the mask.
• A longer piece of elastic/string (45 in. suggested) can be used to wrap around the head.
Note: Skip this step if you sewed the channels with the straps in place.
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Homemade Microfiber Towel Mask - V.3
FOR NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY
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Completed Mask
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• Tie the elastic for a comfortable fit
around the ears/head.
• Adjust the shape of the metal/wire to
create a seal over the nose and upper
cheeks.
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Homemade Microfiber Towel Mask - V.3
FOR NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY
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Mask Use Recommendations
• Before putting on the mask, clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
• Cover your mouth and nose with the mask and adjust the metal strip such that there are
no gaps between your face and the mask.
• Avoid touching the mask while using it. If you do, clean your hands with alcohol-based
hand rub or soap and water.
• After use, remove the mask from behind (without touching the front of the mask).
• Place the used mask in the washing machine and wash hands with alcohol-based hand
rub or soap and water.
Mask Care
• Machine wash the mask in hot water and let it air dry to
avoid additional wear. It is fine to wash the mask with
other laundry items.
• In order to prevent repeated deformation of the metal
strip and tangling of the elastic, you may wish to place the
mask in a protective structure, such as a washing machine
bra protector.
• If the mask is wrinkled after washing, you may gently iron
the cotton side (not the towel side) with a warm (not hot)
iron.
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Example of a bra protector
available from Nevaeh Daisy
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Homemade Microfiber Towel Mask - V.3
FOR NON-COMMERCIAL USE ONLY
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Mask Design Notes
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This mask was designed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. To select materials, a summary of
homemade mask materials provided by Smart Air was used.* Smart Air’s article, which draws upon a
study in Cambridge University’s Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness journal, states that a
surgical mask was 89% effective in capturing 0.02 micron Bacteriophage MS2 particles (5 times smaller
than the coronavirus). One layer of dish towel was 73% effective and one layer of cotton blend fabric (tshirt)
was 70% effective. To increase effectiveness, two layers can be used. Two surgical masks were 97%
effective in capturing the same particles. Two towels were also 97% effective. Two cotton layers were
71% effective. However, after breathability was considered, the researchers recommended cotton t-
shirts and pillowcases as the best materials for homemade masks.
The mask described in this document combines one layer of towel with one layer of cotton in order to
achieve high filtration while also ensuring breathability and ease of hand production. A microfiber towel
(PureClean) was selected to increase filtration further. According to PureClean’s packaging, “Even when
used with water alone, PureClean cloths remove 99.9% of pathogens dead or alive, including Norovirus,
Listeria, E. Coli, MRSA and Solmonella.” While this does not address pathogen capture via air
transmission, the porosity of this towel likely makes it a more effective filter than a standard dish or bath
towel. The mask bulges slightly in the front in order to increase the surface area of the towel filter and
facilitate breathing.
Mask fit is a very important factor in blocking pathogens. The nose bridge contains an aluminum strip or
copper wire for molding the mask to the user’s face. Fitted properly, the mask achieves minimal leakage
during breathing. Please note that facial hair may impede a good seal.
*Smart Air, “What are the Best Materials for Making DIY Masks?”, March 8, 2020 (https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/best-materials-make-diy-face-mask-virus/). Smart
Air based its findings on the article, “Testing the Efficacy of Homemade Masks: Would They Protect in an Influenza Pandemic?”, July 2013, Disaster Medicine and Public
Health Preparednes, Cambridge University Press,
(https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258525804_Testing_the_Efficacy_of_Homemade_Masks_Would_They_Protect_in_an_Influenza_Pandemic).
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Homemade Microfiber Towel Mask - V.3
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