While you may see people in line at the supermarket wearing a face mask, or going for a walk with their mouth and nose covered, facemasks currently aren’t mandatory everywhere, face coverings do now have to be worn on public transport in England. Knowing how to make a coronavirus facemask at home is fairly straightforward – and while a homemade DIY face mask is unlikely to help protect you from coronavirus, it may help prevent you infecting others.

Washing your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, abiding by social distancing rules and coughing/sneezing into tissues you then bin, continue to be the most effective measures to avoid and stop the spread of coronavirus, but if you’re keen to wear a mask as well, check out these tutorials for guidance and inspiration…

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Read our guide to free and easy ways to refresh your home during lockdown.

How to make a DIY face mask at home

Latest government advice now says to use ‘face coverings’ in enclosed public spaces where social distancing isn’t possible such as in shops, and wearing a face covering is compulsory on trains, buses and other public transport.

The Department of Health and Social Care states: “They do not need to be worn outdoors, while exercising, in schools, in workplaces such as offices, and retail or by those who may find them difficult to wear,” – such as those with respiratory conditions.

However, it’s important to stress that for NHS and care home workers, PPE is still in short supply, so don’t buy high-grade medical masks intended for professional healthcare or use in industrial settings.

How to make a DIY face mask at home (Makewithme/LoveCrafts/PA)
How to make a DIY face mask at home (Makewithme/LoveCrafts/PA)

Making a face-covering yourself may be the answer, and LoveCrafts.com say there’s been a 4,000% spike in searches for face mask patterns over the last couple of months.

if you’d feel happier or more comfortable donning a mask – no matter the potential protection one offers – there’s nothing to stop you, except of course, availability. Making a DIY face mask at home is likely the way forward.

You’ll need it to cover your mouth and nose and ideally be double-layered. Here, sewing pro Kate Owen shows how to make your own…

How to make a DIY face mask with elastic

How to make a DIY face mask without elastic

Need more DIY face mask tutorials? Whatever your skill level, we’ve got you covered (literally) with our video guides.

Follow along with the videos below for how to make a coronavirus facemask – from the basics to advanced guides.

Skill level: No crafting ability

Indian actor Ronit Bose Roy has shared a video of himself on Twitter turning a standard round-neck t-shirt into a mask, and it’s really effective.

No pins, needles, scissors or spare material required, it’s basically a case of fabric origami. Clearly it’s not medical grade quality, but does provide coverage for your nose and mouth, and keeps your head snug too.

Skill level: A little crafting ability

If you don’t mind getting the scissors out and have odd socks to spare (finally, they might actually come in handy), you can transform them into a face mask very simply.

Inserting a paper towel, tissue or sheet of kitchen roll as a makeshift filter won’t make them medical grade – just a little more robust.

Skill level: I can operate a sewing machine, no problem

Able to follow fabric patterns and make your own alterations? Pinterest and YouTube are awash with video tutorials and free downloadable patterns for those who are nifty with a sewing machine.

The Fu face mask design, courtesy of FreeSewing, has been hugely successful, while Thredhed has designed a pattern that meets the Centre for Disease Control and Provention (CDC) guidelines and is suitable for those with basic machine (or hand sewing) skills.

Now you just have to pick your tee, sock or fabric to repurpose.

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