How To Make A Face Mask At Home

As the world slowly starts coming out of self-quarantine and attempts to return to "normal," it is still essential for everyone to do their part to protect themselves and others. For now, this new "normal" will include wearing a face mask while out in public. But who said you cannot keep those around you safe and look fashionable at the same time? Read on to find out how to make an SSI face mask at home.

How to make a face mask out of your SSI/Blue Oceans bandana.

Is it easy to make a face mask?

With medical-grade face masks hard to obtain, even for hospitals, many people have taken it upon themselves to create their face masks. From Facebook to Instagram, the internet has exploded with images of homemade cloth face-covering creations. Pinterest and YouTube are abuzz with "how to sew your own face mask" tutorials. But what about those of us who are not gifted in the art of sewing or do not own a sewing machine? Are we destined to stay stuck inside, or join the rest of humankind out in the world unprotected? Making your face covering is easier than you think, and you can do it with your SSI and/or Blue Oceans bandana. We will show you how to make a face mask in two different ways using your bandana. The first method is great for those with larger faces, and the second method works well for everyone, especially those with smaller faces and children.

How to make a face mask for larger faces:

Step 1: Lay the bandana out flat and fold it in half. Step 2: Do a quarter fold of each side so that they meet in the middle. Step 3: Slide a hair tie-elastic or rubber band onto either side of the bandana, making sure they are about three inches from the center of the bandana on either side. Step 4: Fold both sides inward to meet in the middle and tuck one end inside of the other. Step 5: Place elastics around each ear to secure the mask with tucked ends against your face. BEAT THE COVID BLUES WITH 6 WAYS TO JOIN YOUR LOCAL DIVE SCENE.

How to make a face mask for smaller faces:

Step 1: Lay the bandana out longways. Step 2: Repeatedly make four-inch folds longways until the bandana looks like a long, four-inch-thick piece of fabric. Step 3: Slide two hair-tie elastics or rubber bands onto either side of the bandana, making sure they are about three inches from the center of the bandana on either side. Step 4: Place the entire bandana around your neck with the two long ends draping down your chest. Step 5: Take a third hair-elastic, scrunchie, or rubber band and loop the two long ends through it, a few inches from the bottom. Secure tightly with elastic. Step 6: Rotate the bandana around your neck 180 degrees so that the two loose ends are now behind your neck. Step 7: Place the bandana up over your face and secure the two elastics over your ears. Step 8: Grab the two ends of the bandana in the back and pull them opposite each other to tighten where the third elastic was placed.

Add an additional layer of protection to your face mask.

If you want to add another layer of protection to your handmade face mask, you can add a filter such as a HEPA filter, a coffee filter cut in half, or even a paper towel. WATCH THE SSI BANDANA FACE MASK TUTORIAL HERE.