Personalise your mask and top tips!

Once you have created your mask you can add personalised details or designs. This could be

your initial, your favourite emoji or an embroidered edge.

2 beginner techniques that you can use to personalise your mask are applique and hand

embroidery

Embroidery

When adding hand embroidery onto the mask you want to work on an area that is flat and

won’t get distorted when the mask is opened out to be worn. You also want to make sure

that you don’t embroider over one of the tucks as you need the mask to still open to fit.

These areas work well for embroidery You can open it out and look for the

crease lines to make sure you will not

stitch down a tuck

If you are doing a design it is good to transfer some marks or a starting point for your

embroidery. To create the rainbow embroidery- we used the end of a reel of thread to draw

the semi –circle. Once we had started my first line I started to alternate the colours and

stitch round the semi-circle working slightly further out each time.

Once you have transferred a starting point then you can start stitching. We used a back

stitch to create the rainbow.

You could also add an embroidered edge onto the opening of the mask

We used a running stitch and then a blanket stitch to create a geometric look.

Running stitch along the bottom

To create a blanket stitch edge- we put the needle through

the top of the mask and pull it through the loop created in

the thread. We used the running stitch beginning and end

for the stitch markers

Applique

Similarly, to the embroidery you want to choose an area that has a flat surface and the you

do not stitch a tuck down.

You are best to use a fabric that doesn’t fray such as felt. You can cut out a small design to

attach onto the mask. Once you have your shape cut out then you simply stitch in place.

Top tips… where to find fabric and elastic at home

Upcycling Fabric ideas- Bed sheets, pillowcases, shirts, pyjamas, jersey t-shirts, light weight

skirts or dresses

Elastic alternative ideas:

Ribbon

Belt from an old wrap dress

Jersey fabric offcuts

Fabric from an old t-shirt