Matching Dog Bandana And Human Face Mask: 2 Quick And Easy DIY Projects That Will Look Great On You And Your Dog!
Dog bandanas are not just cute – they are useful for adding a few drops of flea or tick repellant formula to as well. And since my beasties looked so cute in their bandanas, I couldn’t resist making myself a face mask to match.
You might find you’re required to wear a mask when you take your dog to the vet, groomer or other canine treatment session. I take my boy to a hydrotherapy session and an acupuncture session every week. Now that lockdown rules are relaxing, I can go into the building with him but I need to wear a mask.
I also found myself taking one with me on walks: one of my neighbours struggles to understand the concept of maintaining a 2m distance. For every step I take back to move away from him, he takes another one forward!
I love the fact that my mask and their bandanas match. It feels far more relaxed than wearing a plain white, paper mask. If I’m relaxed, my dogs will be more relaxed too. Many people comment on how pretty it is, so it also makes other people comfortable. Win-win!
Both the bandana and the mask are quick and easy to sew. They are made with the same fabric and both are reversible. The mask also has an opening to insert a filter.
INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE A 2 LAYER MASK WITH DISPOSABLE FILTER
Step 1: Cut
2 pieces 9″x7″cotton – use a tightly woven cotton and pre-wash it before making up the mask. I used a dog pattern for the outer side and plain cotton for the inner side. If you are using patterned fabric, make sure you cut the longer measurement as the top and bottom, otherwise your pattern will end up on its side.
2 pieces elastic. I used rolled elastic as it is comfier around the back of the ears. If you use flat elastic then 1/8″ is sufficient. Cut each piece 7″ long for a man’s mask (or if you have a large head!) and 5.5″ for a lady’s mask
10cm nose bridge – if you don’t have proper nose-bridge strips, you could use something like pipe cleaners or garden plant-tie material – anything that keeps its shape and is washable will do.
Step 2: Iron
Fold back 1 cm along the top seam of each fabric piece and iron down. Note: I am a VERY lazy seamstress. I will rarely pin things if I can get away with simply holding them in place for instance. However, ironing this seam will make your life much easier than not ironing.
Step 3: Sew down top seam
Sew down the top seams on each fabric piece. Slot the nose bridge into the seam of the front fabric and push it along to the middle. To avoid the nose bridge sliding out of place, sew a quick stitch just past either end of the nose bridge (but not sewing over it) and trap the nose bridge in the seam – the red circles mark this quick stitch.
Step 4: Pin the first elastic
Secure one end of elastic to the right side of the backing fabric, about 1cm down from the top (yep, I pinned this: I don’t want it to wriggle out of place during sewing). Make sure the other end of the elastic stays ‘inside’ the mask, not poking outside.
Step 5: Sew front and back together
With right sides together, sew from the top seam down, sewing over the end of the elastic. Continue sewing until about 3cm from the bottom. Secure the other end of the elastic to the backing fabric, about 2cm away from the bottom. Make sure your elastic is laying flat and not all twisted.
Continue sewing down the side seam to trap the end of the elastic and then go right ahead and sew along the bottom seam too.
When you get to the other side, repeat the same steps for securing the second piece of elastic in place and sew the second side seam.
Do not sew along the top seam – this stays open to insert the filter.
Step 6: Snip the corners off
Snip the corners off the bottom to stop the mask from being too bulky.
Step 7: Turn out and press
Turn the mask the right way out. You may need to use something fairly pointy to push out the corners – just be careful not to poke through the fabric. Press.
Step 8: Press the pleats
Make pleats and press them in place. The finished mask size will be approx. 7cm deep for the lady’s mask and 9cm deep for the man’s. I do the pleats by eye but I prefer the bottom section to be slightly bigger so it can tuck under the chin comfortably.
Step 9: Sew the pleats
Secure the pleats in place with pins and sew along close to the edge. Sew the other side of the mask in the same way.
Step 10: Add the filter
For a filter, you can use any non-woven fabric such as dry wipe, extractor filters etc. Cut a piece to size and slot into the mask.
Step 11: Use
Pinch the nose bridge into shape and away you go!
The finished mask! Doesn’t it look so much friendlier than a standard white one?
This is an interesting article about which face masks are most efficient.
INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE A REVERSIBLE DOG BANDANA (SLIP-ON COLLAR DESIGN)
Step 1: Cut
2 pieces cotton – use a tightly woven cotton and pre-wash it before making up the bandana. I used a dog pattern for one side and plain cotton for the other side.
Cut 2 pieces of fabric. The sizes are in the diagram below. The one shown on my dog in the photos is a medium bandana. She is a small dobermann. For my boy, a much larger dobermann, I use the large size pattern.
If you want the bandana to be reversible, choose 2 different fabrics so you can change it over when you want a different look.
Step 2: Iron
Fold over 1/4″ along the vertical side seams (the collar area) of each fabric piece and fold over again, then iron it down. Note: I am a VERY lazy seamstress. I will rarely pin things if I can get away with simply holding them in place for instance. However, ironing this seam will make your life much easier than not ironing.
Step 3: Sew
Sew the pressed folds
Step 4: Sew the 2 pieces together
Place the 2 pieces with right sides together. Sew along the diagonal edge, from the bottom of the vertical collar fold that you just sewed in the previous step.
When you get to the bottom point, continue sewing up the other diagonal and stop when you get to the other vertical folded seam. Do not sew along the vertical edges – these stay open for the collar to pass through.
Sew along the top of the pieces.
Step 5: Snip off the point
Snip the pointed tip off so the bandana isn’t bulky when you turn it right side out.
Step 6: Turn it right side out
Turn the bandana the right way out and press the seams flat.
Step 7: Demarcate the collar area
To get a nice straight sewing line, I stick a piece of tape onto my sewing machine bed and follow that. This sewing step isn’t necessary, but it keeps the bandana lying nicely and it keeps its shape better.
Sew a straight line, parallel with the top seam – make sure that your dog’s collar will slip comfortably through the gap that is left.
Step 8: Model!
I love the colours of this fabric on Toxa. Of course cute as the fabric is, none of the dogs on it are as gorgeous as she is!
OTHER DIY DOG ACCESSORY TUTORIALS
If you like making stuff for your pup, how about following one of these step-by-step DIY projects:
CONCLUSION
This face mask for us humans and the matching dog bandana are quick, easy DIY projects. They need very little fabric so can be made with scraps that you might have in your sewing box.
Get more articles on Dog DIY here.