Face Warming Cowl Mask to Sew

I’ve been spending quality time outside this winter, hiking in a local park with good friends, and freezing my face off. Sew, I sew, and am creative, and came up with a solution; a face warming cowl mask that I can pull up over my face when social distancing out on the trails.  With an optional nose wire for those of us that wear glasses!  It’s a quick and easy project!

To make your own face warming cowl mask you need:

• 2 piece of stretchy fabric 21″ by about 9 to 12 inches.  I used polar fleece as the inner (lining) layer and a scrap of fashion knit fabric for the outer layer.  Both fabrics need 50% stretch in width and good recovery.  That means 4 inches along a fold stretches to 6 inches.
• (optional) mask nose-wire 3 1/2 inches to 4 inches long with peel and stick. (I use these)
• I used both my sewing machine AND my serger, but this project could easily be sewn with just a sewing machine.

Let’s Sew

Seam allowance is about 3/8 inch which is the width of my 4-thread overlock stitch.  If you’re using your sewing machine, select a short, narrow zig-zag; length and width of 2mm.

With right sides together, sew or serge the seam that will be the top of the cowl.  Lightly press the seam allowance toward the outer layer fabric. (If you’re inserting a nose-wire, peel the paper and stick it, centered, to the seam allowance that faces the front fabric.) 

Fold the outer fabric around the wire, so the wire is imbedded between the inner layer and the seam allowance.  The fold is the seam.

Use a pin the hold the layers together adjacent to the edge of the nose-wire, then stick one into the fabric at each end of the nose-wire.  Sew through the layers to enclose the nose-wire completely.  Press the top seam lightly.

To Complete the Face Warming Cowl Mask

Open out the layers and bring them together with right sides together.  Serge or sew the long seam for the bottom.  Turn right side out and press very lightly to set the seam.  To complete the final seam, pull one open end through to the other open end so the right sides are together.

  Sew or serge the final seam, leaving a 2 inch opening in the inner layer for turning.

Turn to the right side through the opening.

Hand sew the opening in the lining closed.  I used a ladder stitch, then pulled the thread taut to close the hole.

Flip right side out so the cozy fleece is inside, and pull it down around your neck.  You can wear it like that, or up over your chin, or all the way up over your ears and nose.  No more freezing my face off!  

This is a quick project, it took me less than 45 minutes, even with stopping to take photos and pet the cat.

If you’re looking for a pattern for a regular mask, I designed one and published it here.  I also reviewed a sewing pattern by Jalie, “Flair”,  which has patterns for 4 different styles in various sizes, here.