I never thought I would hit crochet popularity because of a literal GLOBAL PANDEMIC, but here we are. The COVID-19 amigurumi has been so popular and resonated with a lot of people, which I am forever grateful for. You guys are the best. Today, I’m sharing my experiments in crochet mask making…along with this truly unfortunate picture.

The CDC recently started advocating for the use of face masks when out in public. These are mostly to keep people from spreading the disease rather than contracting it, but there’s some research that says it might help keep you from getting it, too. Now, the most important thing is, if you’re crocheting or knitting these masks you need to line them with fabric. The holes are just too big in crochet fabric.

I messed around the Internet for a while researching different patterns, and I ended up going with this one. However, there is no author listed for the pattern, and all that exists is a crochet chart – absolutely no information on yarn, hook size, gauge, etc. So I experimented for a bit and ended up with my own variation on the pattern. I was hesitant about posting it because I don’t want to claim credit for a pattern that isn’t my own. So if you’re the owner of the original pattern and want me to take this post down, please let me know and I will do so. In the end though, I thought this information might be useful to a bunch of people out there, so I’m posting my modifications to the pattern. Because I did end up changing a lot of things.

So here is a quick and easy way to crochet a face mask.

Materials

• About 50 yards of worsted-weight cotton yarn – the examples use Lily Sugar and Cream Cotton
• G (4.00 MM) crochet hook
• Cotton fabric to line mask
• 2 ponytail holders (there is a run on elastic around here – I cannot get my hands on ANY. so this is the alternative I devised.)
• Yarn needle

Notes

• I use US crochet terms for all of my patterns.
• Gauge: 10 dc = 2 inches
• work last stitch of each row through both loops to prevent edges from having gaps
• Sizing: This mask fits me, an adult woman with a large head. It fits an adult man as well. To downsize the pattern, I suggest making less chains and reducing the amount of dc. For instance, ch 37, sc 6, hdc 3, dc 18, hdc 3, sc 6. Then do 8 or 9 rows. I have not actually made one with this pattern, so I do not know how big it will turn out. Just hold it up to your face while you make it and remember that this pattern is forgiving.

Pattern

Ch 45.

Row 1:  Starting in second chain from hook, sc in next 8 ch, hdc in next 3 ch, dc in next 23 ch, hdc in next 3 ch, sc in last 8 ch.

Row 2-11: Ch 1, turn. Working in back loops only, sc in next 8 sc, hdc in next 3 hdc, dc in next 23 dc, hdc in next 3 hdc, sc in next 8 sc.

Adding elastics

Ch 1. Sc 11 along row ends, working over ponytail holder. Ch 1, sc along opposite end of starting chain. Ch 1, sc 11 along next row ends, working over second ponytail holder. Ch 1, sc in both loops of each stitch from Row 11. Fasten off and weave in ends.

LINE MASK. There are plenty of tutorials for this online. I am no seamstress, haha. I’m just going to do the best that I can.

Don’t forget to wash masks after every use. Stay safe out there, you guys.