" Making your own face mask? Some fabrics work better than others, study finds " This study, non peer reviewed and non published that's touted all over NBC is, sorry, looking at the issue in the wrong way. They studied how various materials can filter out the virus, which is tiny teeny, 03 micron. Sounds like this means that they're trying to prevent incoming viruses from infecting the person who wears the mask. However, one primary mode of transmission is through face-to-face interaction. Fact is that in normal interaction, speaking, coughing, sneezing, the virus is ensconced in droplets --- these droplets are way, way bigger than what Segal tested. Therefore, 1. The point is to look at how to prevent EMITTING these virus carrying droplets, that is, the wearer prevents transmitting his/her infection to others. And this is where face covers are extremely efficient: They block the spit droplets from leaving the mouth of an infected person. 2. So, any meaningful tests of protective mouth covers needs to test such droplets. 3. Yes, there is evidence that such droplets that are emitted by talking, sneezing, coughing can become aerosolized, ie become tiny, the size of what Segal tested. However, again, this can be prevented by emitting droplets in the first place. Super frustrating to see some anesthesiologist's unpublished, non-peer reviewed "study" be all over the Internet.

I made the craftpassion masks and I find them to run a bit small, too. I would step up a size in all of the sizes and use the patterns with SA drawn in as finished lines and add an additional SA to it. I like the one for the nurse, too. There is a longer dart at the nose and a shorter dart at the chin. What I have settled on that seems to work best for me as far as the ties goes, is to create a casing on each side of the mask, either of these two masks. Then run your tie in one continuous strip up through the casing from the bottom, across the top , down the casing on the other side and have it tie around the back of your neck. Put the mask on, sit the upper ties on your ears, and then pull down on each side of the ties to cinch it up and then tie it around the back of your neck. It makes more sense when you actually do it. I have actually made the ties longer so that they can be crossed over in the back and brought around to the front of the neck and tied because my husband cannot tie behind his head very well. I have found that you can make ties from a good solid interlock knit fabric or a rib knit. The rib knit will have more stretch. This method works well with fabric ties too. I have found that you can make pretty ties if you make them as you would an old fashioned sash on a an old fashioned little girls dress. We used to make them for little girls dresses. They were a couple of inches wide and either sewn and turned or they were narrow hemmed. If you make a sash type of tie, you will also want to make your casings a bit wider than you would if you were going to use something more narrow. But, I have found that, to avoid elastic, you can make ties out of different materials and they work well when threaded in this manner. Just remember to keep in mind how thick or wide your material for the ties is. It needs room within the casing to be able to draw easily. I have found that this arrangement of ties gives the ability to cinch it up nicely with many different things that are used for ties. It has been my experience that the continuous tie should be about a yard long for most cases. If you are making a sash type of tie, I would use a full width of 45" wide fabric. I found that this method works for both the pleated and the non pleated masks. Ali.....I woudl suggest that you make your mask a bit deeper and make each of the pleats a little deeper. I have added two inches to the depth on some. I notice that a lot of people get that little gap on the sides of their masks. It is my opinion that adding the ties as I have suggested does take care of that gap most times. I also sew any interlining to the facing piece and not the front piece, and I cut out the bulk in the seams. I just can't help myself but to apply old fashioned old school sewing of understitiching, top stitching, grading seams, basting to the seam line, easing, hemming, etc. It is the way I learned to construct and to sew.

I have been making the 3-layer pleated masks - using either elastic or ties. They were 7x9 before sewing. I have done about 350 using this method/size. I just got a "kit" of precut fabrics & pelon interfacing from the group I sew with #MasksNow with material cut 8-1/2 x 9 to make 45 of the 3-layer pleated masks which will be a little larger. I usually cut fabrics one day, sew them together another day, turn-iron-and pleat the next, then sew pleats in the next. Keeps me busy! Sue

One thing I've discovered is that trying to find a mask you like is like trying to find a swimsuit or bra that you like and is comfortable. Different people will prefer different ones because heads and faces come in different sizes and shapes. Each person in my family prefers a different kind of mask so we have masks made by different 3 different companies. My husband and older son prefer the masks made by Stark Vacuums. My younger son prefers some children's masks we bought at Target. Most children's masks are too small for him and adult ones are too big. These are the right size. I find that some I got at Sam's Club fit best. If you find the mask to be uncomfortable, you won't want to wear it or you may not wear it properly. I've seen people wearing masks with improper fit so they gap somewhere or they're always trying to fiddle with it to try to make it comfortable. It can be the most highly rated mask with the best filter but none of that matters to you if it doesn't fit right on your head.