Tips

Mask tips, tricks and hacks to make your mask use as comfortable as possible...

Fogging glasses

As a glasses wearer myself, I found the fogging glasses problem more stressful than I anticipated when starting out down the pandemic road. Nothing makes you fog faster than worrying you're going to fog! There are a number of tips on the internet, and I encourage you to try different suggestions as no hack fits all. However, as someone who has tried a few, I've found I've had the best success with my masks, by combining two things.

1. Make sure you have inserted a wire into the nose wire sleeve and molded the mask snugly around your nose bridge, and

2. Rest your glasses over the mask rather than under it.

This method requires a bit of fiddling to find the magic spot on the bridge of your nose that is not too close and not too far, but once you do, you should be able to function comfortably without fogging.

It's also worth noting that some glasses manufacturers are selling anti-fogging coating on their lenses, so if you're due for a glasses upgrade, ask your optometrist about this option.

Ear Loops

I've chosen t-shirt yarn over elastic for the ear loops as I'm pretty sensitive about what touches my skin, and have found the t-shirt yarn to be the most comfortable material I've tried. However I never realized that it had additional superpowers, in that the loops can be adjusted easily to accommodate subtle differences in head size.

1. If you are finding the ear loops too loose, simply wash your mask and the loops should contract after washing.

2. If you are finding the ear loops too tight, a gentle hand stretching as illustrated below, instantly stretches the loops to the desired size. This can be done after every washing as necessary. Be careful not to tug too hard on the loops, to avoid weakening the stitches on the hidden joined ends.

Ear Loops vs. Ties

The Capulets and Montagues have nothing over the loops vs. ties debate! Some people like their masks looped around their ears, others like them tied at the back of the head and neck. That is why I've created my masks with loops that are attached to themselves, rather than to the sleeve they're strung through. This means that if you wake up one morning and it dawns on you that you've been a tie person all along, living in a loop person's body, all is not lost and you don't have to start from scratch buying new masks. Buy, make or improvise some tie material, snip and remove the existing ear loops, measure out the ties (google for length suggestions or just experiment), string them through the tie sleeves, and hey presto, your inner tie person can shine! (You can also do this if you want to switch out my neutral loop colours for your own neon pink loops.....)

Nose Wires

The easiest choice for a nose wire is probably a pipe cleaner, but where's the fun in that when you can make your own out of twist-ties! The method below will work for any household wire or beading wire. I don't recommend inserting wire without some kind of protective covering as it could poke holes in the fabric. The electrical tape is a great solution. It also protects your fragile twist-ties when you inevitably forget to remove the wire before washing... as I basically do every time.... Duct tape also works.

Fabric choices

I have tried to include fabric choices that would appeal to the ages they are listed under, however a lot of my fabrics could work for any age. Have a look around the different mask pages and if you see a fabric you like, but it's not in your size, message me. Sometimes that's the last of that fabric in stock, but if I have any extra, I'd be happy to make one up for you in your size.