@jbv & @evermorian: For an easy way to cut continuous bias strips (instead of sewing a million little seams)
Also while you wait for your tool - it’s totally possible to fold and iron bias tape manually, it’s just takes more time.
You can get really crazy with bias binder foot that fold the fabric strip as you sew onto your project, they’re usually specific to the brand of sewing machine, look generally like this:
That’s neat! Thank you.
The Bernina had a fancy foot for that and, one for rolling hems. I’ll have to figure out what I have for the old Elna I am using now.
Thanks!
what length of paracord is needed. I’ve got a bunch of 550 myself just looking for and ideal length to cut it to like you have in your mask. I’m about to make a batch of these cinches
Mine are ~38”. Could probably go down to 3’, but will depend on mask-style
Also, I would cut one to test for your paracord to be sure of the fit. It worked for the three different 550 cords I have on hand, and seemed to work with smaller cord as well, although I only had a short strand of that… I think maybe 325 paracord?
Love the cinch! Thank you so much for the file.
I found 100 yards of bias tape at Home Sew in Bethlehem, PA. They were quick to ship. Considered making my own, but, the quantity needed would have taken a lot of extra time.
The mask maker group that I’m helping has distributed 900 masks to local healthcare workers so far. The feedback that we’ve gotten is that straps made from bias ply are not holding up to repeated washing, so I use paracord for the masks I’ve been making. However, apparently making straps from t-shirts (jersey knit) is easy, and the straps are supposedly very comfortable. There are videos online about making them, but what I’ve been told is: " if you lay the t-shirt flat and cut 1" strips starting from the bottom, you end up with a loop that is roughly 55" when stretched out. You just have to stretch the fabric out and it automatically rolls itself like magic!"
Thank you for the design!
I melt the end of the cord a little bit with a lighter, then squeeze it in a rolling motion between my forefinger and thumb as it cools to form a little point
You can get nice clean results by heating (not burning) first, then cutting. They don’t mention it here, but you can also pull the outer sheath forward a little, then heat again, to “close” the end, which makes it easier to thread.
All that said, it’s likely a lot of effort for something you’re churning out in bulk.
No tool needed! Just use a needle and a ironing board 
What size acrylic did you use . It looks like 1/8 ?
1/8" / 3mm / medium proofgrade
If anyone else is struggling with the cord & sizing, try upping the scale. I couldn’t feed my cord (bought at Walmart) through with the scale at 1” even using all the methods listed above to melt and cut. I did get it to work scaled to 1.378” on PG white acrylic. The red one is the 1” and the white is the 1.378”.
Unfortunately, this group of hospitals will only use their pattern for masks. Which as I understand is the case everywhere.
I sure hope they hold up, as I’m doing 400. Which even those will be useless unless one of my elastic orders come in.
Right. I’ve seen several mask designs online posted by hospital chains that mention that they will only accept their particular design. Fortunately, the two hospital chains near where I live seem to have adequate N95 and surgical masks, and so far haven’t been asking for cotton masks. The group of >100 people that I’ve been working with have been sewing masks for local nursing homes, social workers, outpatient clinics, etc. We’ve delivered over 1,500 hand-sewn masks in the past three weeks.
I just got in an order of 144 yds of 1/4" elastic yesterday. That wound up going to a group of a few dozen makers who are 3D printing masks for local EMTs, who have about a week’s worth of N95s left. The makers have obtained some potential filter materials from the hospital, which are being evaluated for filtration effectiveness by a local engineering professor whose research expertise is diffusion of bio-aerosols. I’ve been really impressed with the mobilization of expertise on the grass-roots level to address this crisis.
By the way, while I’ve still been using paracord for the masks I make, most of the other local mask makers are using cotton t-shirts. If you cut a 1 inch strip along the bottom of a t-shirt, so that it forms a loop with a circumference of about 50 inches, you can then cut the loop in one place to open it up and form a strip. If you pull on the ends of the strip, the cotton will curl so that the strip forms a rope which is slightly stretchy. I haven’t tried it yet, but everyone is saying that straps made that way are more comfortable than paracord.
Edit: Oops, my apologies - I see some of this repeats what I already said in an earlier post. It’s been hard to keep track of who I told what, lately…
I was telling someone about the t-shirt style mask yesterday. She only needed a couple of masks, and they are a quick make.
The ones I’m making have a pocket for the hospital staff to add a filter material.
It has been wonderful to see so many people do what they can to help.
