Free Pleated Face Mask Pattern & Tutorial – with Filter Pocket

This tutorial given is to make a pleated surgical style fabric face mask with filter pocket, you can insert face mask filters into the mask for better protection. Let’s start to make your face mask at home by following below instructions. (Be noted: fabric face mask is not effective as disposable surgical mask, if you will go to crowded place and high-risk place (e.g. hospital), it is recommended to wear surgical mask, rather than fabric face mask).

How to Sew an Pleated Face Mask?

Get Free Mask Pattern

Free Pleated Face Mask Pattern PDF are available now!  – This mask pattern is also a folding template, it should be more convenient for you to make the mask. Scale of each mask pattern is for reference only, please feel free to adjust the scale to fit your face shape.

Note: Before printing out, please follow the printing instructions to ensure the scale you print is correct.

Download free pleated face mask pattern ( teens & adult size)

Download free pleated face mask pattern (child size)

Download free pleated face mask pattern( small child size)

Prepare materials and tools for DIY face mask

1. Main fabric (front of mask)  (Better choose fabrics that waterproof or water repellent)
2. Lining fabric (back of mask)  (Better choose fabrics that comfortable to breath, such as cotton fabric)
3. Elastic bands x 2 (Approximate length – Teens & adult: 165mm / child: 115mm / small child: 100mm, recommend measuring the size by yourself as face size are different for everyone)
4. Sewing machine (if you don’t have this, just prepare sewing thread and needles)
5. Few sewing pins/sewing needles (for fixing fabric when sewing)
6. Scissor
7. Wire for mask (Length: 10mm – for nose bar)
8. Ruler
9. Pen

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Download Face Mask Sewing Instruction PDF

Downloadable PDF: Pleated surgical type face mask with filter pocket sewing instruction

Pleated surgical face mask step-by-step sewing instruction

Step-by-step Sewing Guide – Pleated Face Mask with Filter Pocket

Fabric pleated face mask

Step 1: Cut the fabric

Cut the fabric with your size. You can place our pattern on your fabric and follow the pattern to cut. (Be noted that the size of our pattern is half of actual size, fold the fabric first, then the fabric.)

Step 2: Sew the short side with 10mm seam allowance

Fold the short side of fabric toward wrong side and sew the edge with 10mm seam allowance.

Step 3: Fold the fabric in half and sew to create a filter pocket

At this step, fold the fabric in half with right side facing each other. Then sew the edge of long side with 5mm seam allowance but retain the middle 100mm (you can use sewing pins to pin the position) to create a filter pocket. Then move the open pocket from top to the middle.

Step 4: Add elastic bands

At this step, the edge of left and right sides is opened, put two elastic bands in the end of both sides separately, and then sew the edge with 5mm seam allowance to fix the elastic band on fabric.

Step 5: Turn the right side of fabric out from the 100mm open pocket

Step 6: Add Wire for nose bar 

Back of mask facing you and the middle is the open pocket. Insert wire at top inside the pocket and sew from left to right to fix the position of wire.

Step 7: Make 3 pleats

Turn the mask that front side facing you, place our folding template on fabric and fold 3 pleats (or use ruler and pen to mark down the position of 3-pleat on the fabric, then follow the position you marked and fold the 3 pleats), then use sewing pins to fix it and sew the edge once.

Step 8: Sew all the edge to keep the shape well (Optional)

You can sew all the edge once on right side of fabric to keep the shape well, this step is optional.  

Your mask is done! For better protection, you can insert your surgical mask as a filter or face mask filters into the fabric face mask.

We have different types of  face mask tutorial that you may interest, check it out here.

Feel uncomfortable when wearing face mask or looking for more mask accessories? Click to know more.