The July 2020 issue of Machine Knitting Monthly had a pattern for knitting a face mask. I saw where Kiwi had knit this and posted at note on KnittingParadise. It looked like a fun project, so I knit one also. Here is my take on my knitting.
I have knit just 1 so far. They really are easy. The label in the cone of yarn I used says 3/14 100% cotton, from UK. It seems to knit as 4 ply. I put a coffee filter (small size but also folded in half) inside. The coffee filter makes the mask stick out funny, but who cares?
I like the way the short rows do not leave holes. They also shape the mask nicely.
It was suggested to me that maybe 2 layers of cotton fabric would be better than the coffee filter, and I agree. It would drape better and maybe stay in place better.
The mask is knit with two layers and has a slot at the bottom to insert the filter (or cloth). There is a button on the bottom to hold the slot closed.
I had washed the mask and dried it in the dryer before wearing it.
Now I have worn the mask for an hour or so while I walked vigorously in the mall, where it was air-conditioned. At first the mask felt great. It was soft, fitted nicely, and let me breathe. Later, as my head sweat a lot as it usually does, the mask stretched out and the coffee filter sort of dropped. The lovely I-cord ear pieces stretched out also. I found myself tying the ear-loops to make the mask tighter.
When I later washed the mask by hand and hung it to dry in the sunshine, it stayed stretched out.I think I need to wash it in the washing machine and definitely need to dry it in the dryer to shrink it again. I should have remembered how cotton sweaters stretch while being worn <G>
Maybe a better yarn would be a cotton/acrylic blend such as Panama?
Maybe a sock yarn would be a better choice?
I'll have to try with other fabric content. It was an easy and fun pattern to try. It will be useful for grocery shopping, which I have done while wearing this mask. It caused no problems and was comfortable for non sweaty endeavors!
Please ignore the quarantine hair-do and the seemingly "dirty look" I show in the side photo <G>
