Troubleshooting the Pattern
Can’t find elastic?
I’ve heard from many people that
are having a hard time finding
elastic. If you can’t find elastic to
make the ear loops, you can make a
mask with fabric ties instead. The
ties will go around the back of the
head, rather than around the ears.
To make ties, you can use ready-
made 1/4″ twill tape, double-fold
bias tape, or cut long strips of the
same tightly woven cotton fabric
you are using for the rest of the
mask.
To make fabric ties:
Cut 18″ long strips of fabric, 1.75″ wide. Fold the long sides together (lengthwise or
hot-dog style) so that they meet in the middle. Then fold the strips in half again
(lengthwise) to encase the raw edges. Stitch down the strips along the edge to create
the ties.
If you wanted these straps to have a bit of stretch, you could also cut long strips from
cotton jersey or knit T-shirt material.
Whichever option you choose, you’ll want to make 4 pieces about 18″ long, and
attach one strip to each of the corners. The mask will fasten by tying the straps
behind the back of the head.