Most Comfortable Best Fit Face Mask
Behind the scenes, I’ve been working on improvements for the Best Fit Face Mask and am thrilled to finally share with you the Most Comfortable Best Fit Face Mask.
Most Comfortable Best Fit Face Mask
I’ve heard from thousands of you who have emailed me, or commented and told me how much you love the Best Fit Face Mask. So many have remarked how easy it was to sew and how it truly is the best fitting face mask available. In an effort to provide better comfort and ease of wearing, I’ve changed the mask slightly to be the Most Comfortable Best Fit Face Mask!
You heard me right, this is by far the most comfortable, not to mention best fitting face mask. This new design uses the same Best Fit Face Mask pattern but I’ve changed the straps slightly so they don’t go behind the ears.
The Most Comfortable Best Fit Face Mask is super popular with:
- Children
- People who wear glasses
- People who wear hearing aids
- People with sensitivity issues
- Workers who see people on and off during the day
- Medical professionals who don’t want anything on their ears
- People who want to wear the mask around their neck when not needed
This mask design will be invaluable for children who are heading back to school or people going back to work. It allows the wearer to pull it on and off quickly with ease and without the risk of misplacing their mask! Then when wearing the mask is no longer necessary, they can simply pull it down and let it hang around the neck until needed again.
You’ll use the same pattern and instructions to make the mask as the Best Fit Face Mask. When you get to the final sewing step in my tutorial, you are NOT going to add the ear straps. Instead, just sew the sides and I’ll show you how to thread the straps next.
Go ahead over to the tutorial, download your choice of five size patterns and start making your mask.
Then watch this video to see how to turn that Best Fit Face Mask into the Most Comfortable Face Mask:
Most Comfortable Face Mask Materials:
I found that the ⅝” flat foldover elastic hairband material is the most comfortable strap material for over the head wearing. It is super soft, stretches easily, and doesn’t pull on your hair or face. For this strap design, cut the elastic at 36”. You may trim a little off the length later if you find it too long (especially for a child-size mask.)
My Source for Flat Foldover Elastic: Amazon or Etsy
Don’t have foldover elastic? Not a big deal, you can also use any cording you like for this mask, but it may not fit through the adjustment bead. You can simply tie the tails instead. Not using elastic straps means it might not be as comfortable or as easy to slip on and off, but it’s still desirable if you want to move away from ear straps.
How to Feed the Straps Through the Most Comfortable Best Fit Face Mask:
Pin a safety pin to the end of your elastic. Starting from the chin side of your mask, feed the elastic up through one side, then down through the other side leaving the ends on the chin side.
Adding an adjustment bead helps make this mask easy to adjust. To feed the straps through the bead, fold some fishing line in half. Feed the loop end through the bead. Slip both strap ends through the fishing line and pull back through the bead.
Pull the strap ends through the bead completely. Tie the ends of the ribbon elastic and singe the ends to keep them from fraying.
Ways to Wear the Most Comfortable Best Fit Face Mask:
1. Straight Forward:
To put the mask on, make sure the nose clip is facing up. Put the bottom strap (or the tail end side) over your head first and rest it around your neck. Then pull the top strap over your head and let it rest on or slightly below the crown of your head. Pinch the nose clip against your nose. Then pull on the tails to tighten the strap to your comfort level. To loosen the straps, move the bead away from your neck.
2. The Good Hair Day:
One thing I love about the straps on this design, is the versatility. If you are having a good hair day, congratulations. You can simply put the top strap over your ears and behind the base of your skull. Now tug on the tails of the strap until it’s comfortable. Adjust your hair over the straps. Now you go rock that great hair today!
3. Both on Top:
If you don’t want the straps on your neck, or want a very secure fit under the chin, pull both straps to the crown of your head.
I’d love to hear from you in the comments if you find other ways to wear the mask. I know you’ll love how comfortable it is and how lightweight it is when hanging around your neck. I also know that kids are going to love this design change!
Please share this tutorial with friends and family. I see so many disposable and poor-fitting masks out in public. This is a much better solution, but I need your help to spread the word. In the meantime, thank you all for doing your part to stay safe and stay kind.
Pin this image to share:
Don’t forget to see my Time Saver tips when sewing the Best Fit Face Mask:
Finally, if you are looking for the original Best Fit Face Mask tutorial, here it is:
When making the Most Comfortable Face Mask with the 5/8″ flat foldover elastic hairband material I can’t find on your instruction or I have over looked it but I don’t understand what size bead and what size the center hole of the bead needs to be. Please share what size bead and bead hole size I should be using. I wonder if a spring cord lock could also be used. If so what size would I select? Thank you for the wonderful easy to follow instructions.
Yes, you could also use a spring cord lock. The full instructions and bead size are here: https://prettyhandygirl.com/best-fit-facemask/
I made this for the first time this weekend, and it is by far better than any other mask I have tried. I think I have done something wrong though, there is quite a bit of pressure on my nose, and my glasses continue to fog up. I used coffee bag ties for my nose bridge, and I do have an extra layer for a filter pocket. Any tips or pointers on what might have gone wrong?
How tight are your ear straps? You might have to adjust them.
I love your masks. Only one question though. My grandson says that it is too close to his eyes, especially the lower outside of his eyes. if he lowers the mask down away from his eyes, it falls off his nose. Would it make sense to angle the pattern a little sharper from the bridge of his nose to the ear? Have you ever tried that?
It sounds like he needs a smaller size.
I love these masks! Thanks so much for the design and the useful instructions. I am in the UK and have not found anything nearly as good here. My grandchildren will love the new fastening as they hate ear straps. Caroline.
Brittany. You are a star! Just love your new improved mask. I am now getting very creative and embroidering bespoke masks for friends. Thank you so much for sharing.
I am excited about the new straps especially for the kids. I am going to try it soon The question I have is the length to cut the flat fold elastic in the video it says 18 inches and I did that and it looks small but in the written directions it says 36 inch, what is the size. Thank you Judy
My mistake in the video. The instructions on this page are correct. Cut it at 36 inches.
Love the new elastic ribbon. Bought it directly from your site on Amazon. It is so comfortable I know my grandsons will love it. Problem however, is that the elastic ribbon does not want to feed through the bead. I spoke with you before about that and discovered your father-in-law’s fishing line trick and it worked great. Now am puzzled why I cannot get the ribbon to feed through. Am wondering if you have to “roll” the elastic (I tried with no success) or is it simply not moving because the elastic side won’t let it slide? I finally went to a larger bead with a bigger hole but don’t like the looks of it and for a kid it seems a little big. Thank you for sharing your talents with this…truly the MOST COMFORTABLE BEST FIT FACE MASK!
Pat
It’s definitely a little trickier getting the 5/8″ straps through. I can make it work, or you can try poking one side through, then put the second in the roll of the first and poke as you pull the first one. If that makes sense.
Love your mask Brittany! Have made many to hive away and it’s my husband’s favorite fitting mask. Now with the strap adjustment it is even more versatile. I am making many, many to send with my son as he is able to start his freshman college year. Thank you for really making a positive impact during these trying times.
Karen
Thank you Brittany, I love your design it IS the best fitting mask. Now with the additional sizes and the new comfort design I am so excited to start making more. I hope to send a tote full to college with my son as they are returning to campus and my husband is thrilled to be able to take his off without putting it in his pocket!
Thanks for sharing your gifts and talents for such a great cause! Stay safe and healthy!
Thanks!!
You are amazing! I love your best fit face mask! I use one long tie but thread it with the lock on top. That way you can wear it like a necklace until you need to “mask up”. I used to make ties with fabric and bias tape tool. Switched to paranormal and buying loved locks from Amazon. Much faster! You can see my mask YouTube tutorial -how to put it on! by searching Cindy Blattner. I also use aluminum nose wire that I order on amazon and put a layer of polyester chiffon between front and the lining. Still easy to breathe through and supposed to be best filter.
I donated masks to our city staff and police officers. Starting on 26 for our volunteer firefighters now. Blessings to you!
Hey Cindy, thanks for the shout out in your video. Nice tip on the cord lock. Have you tried the lock on the neck strap? Just curious because I like to hide the bead under my hair.
I have found the coated paper clips in electrical tape has been the best so far!! Love these masks! Thank you!! My so works at Trader Joe’s and I have made a bunch for him and his co workers! Customized them by putting Trader logos from my shopping bags on them!!
Is there any place non-sewers can get these?
Sellers are listed here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1a6yqchGZJVuaUw1K2iezY_2ABViFSjog64OmsAEtkjo/edit?usp=sharing
These tips are absolutely what I needed. I tried it out when I went to the grocery store, the straps were really comfortable and it felt like I ain’t wearing anything. Thank you for sharing this.
Hooray! So glad to hear this Tom!
Hi Brittany: I’ve discovered another nose bridge metal – a snipped can of soft drink. I cut up a root beer can in strips, folded them down to 1/4″ enfolded them in electrical tape and stuffed them on in there. Works great so far. Thank you for a great mask video, one of the best so far!
My concern with this is rust and breaking. But, please let me know how it holds up after a dozen washings.