How to make a no-sew mask with a handkerchief, tenegui, or other piece of cloth

Face masks are probably the hottest commodity of 2020 courtesy of you know what, and they've been selling out from stores faster than you can say COVID 19. Many people have taken to sewing their own masks with cloth and elastic they have on hand at home, but what are the options if you don't have a sewing machine or just don't know how to sew?

Thankfully, the internet delivers, and a number of tutorials have been going around about how you can make a no-sew face mask with just a handkerchief and a couple of hair elastics. If you have a supply of tenegui like we do, this would work great with those. Here are the steps - it's super easy!

Step one:

Lay your handkerchief or tenegui down flat

Step two:

Fold the top portion to the middle of the fabric

Step three:

Fold the bottom portion to the middle of the fabric

Step four:

Flip the handkerchief or tenegui over

Step five:

Repeat the process - bring the top portion to the middle

Step six:

Bring the bottom portion to the middle

Step seven:

Grab your hair elastics and place them on either end of the fabric, approximately at the size you'd need the mask to cover on your face

Step eight:

Bring the ends to the middle of the mask (this side is going to be the side that touches your face)

Step nine:

Flip it over and try it on!

I would recommend to try and use hair elastics that have been stretched out a little. On my first try, I used brand new hair ties and they felt a little bit tight. If you had regular elastic on hand instead (plenty of types available at Daiso in the craft section), you could easily just chop some off a roll, tie it in a knot at a comfortable fit, and use that instead of hair ties.

Another great thing about this approach is that it's easy to then switch out the fabric for a clean cloth. You can imagine if you're out and about that you'd be getting a range of dust, gunk or grime on your mask - and you want to make sure you're not reusing it over and over. Grabbing a new handkerchief or tenegui and repeating the process is simple, plus you can pick a new cute fabric to accessorize with!

Stay safe and healthy!