bornblesse2 said:

 But it’s hard wearing them when I am with the kids - projecting my voice and not being able to smile at them, etc.

So... have you seen the "Smile Masks"?   Practical, innovative ..... but just a little bit creepy, I think. :-)

bornblesse2 said:

just finished cutting out more masks this morning!

I was having a chat with my favorite middle daughter in NYC.  I had made her (and her room mate and the other residents of her small apartment building) some pleated face masks early on .. the kind with the continuous string tie instead of elastic ear loops.  Everyone was very much appreciative.

Well, now, said daughter says that she is somewhat envious of the smooth/contoured face masks (which I have learned are called Olson Masks).  She has also learned of the face masks with a straw hole, which enable the wearer to use a straw for a beverage while still wearing the mask.  The straw hole is covered up in various ways, depending on the style of the mask.

So, after a long hiatus, I am now back in the face mask business .. but this time just for my favorite daughter.  I will admit that when I start a project, doing the research is a favorite part.   People are SO inventive and I see no reason why I should reinvent the wheel when I can stand on the shoulders of others. :-)

She decided that she would like green fabric this time.  OK.  shade: light? medium? dark?  You gotta be *specific* when you're talking with a sewer, ya know.  Well .. medium was the choice (that surprised me, as I had a darker shade that would have looked fantastic .. but, whatever).   

Would she like a preview of the fabric selections?  Yes, please.   So, I photographed the dozen or so fabric I thought might be suitable in terms of "medium green" and she chose 4 of them.

Then, as to the *Style* of the Olson mask.  Holy Moley.  People have really come up with all sorts of variations on a theme!  One of the first pictures of existing masks that I found was for a pleated mask with a concealed straw slit.  Then, I showed her some Olson masks with straw slits.  She asked if prototypes of both could be made.    But, of course.  I live to serve, ya know.

One of the pleated, straw slit masks was made in a white background with small multi-colored flowers all over.  DD #3 liked the fabric, so back into my White fabric crate I dove.  I didn't have anything quite like the sample, but there were 4 pieces of white background that she did like ... so 4 more fabrics were added to the pile.  Oh, and one of those white backgrounds was actually light ecru with penguins on it.  Who can resist penguins?  Certainly not DD.  :-)

I figure I'll make both styles .. pleated and Olson ... with variations .. in the different fabrics.  That way she can have a fashionable choice when she emerges from her apartment. :-)

from personal experience:

I made both Olson & pleated for my daughter, she preferred the pleated because it stays under her chin while she is doing therapy, moving around etc.  I however prefer the olson one as it doesn't slide up under my glasses as bad and seems cooler - it "fits" the bump in my nose.  And the cut strips of t-shirt are wonderful regardless of how you want to tie them.  Again DD has a pony tail and moves around a lot so she ties hers behind her head, up over her pony tail.  I just tied mine to make soft ear loops.  they are so soft and comfy I don't even feel them, even with my glasses on.  

and with all the stupid t-shirt quilts I have plenty of scrap t-shirt fabric.

I have seen those, but for the tiny bit I am with the kids I didn’t want to buy one.   AND I have been waiting for the school teachers to ask me to make one....but, that means experimenting and such yet again on masks.  
not sure I want to spend my time that way.  I was glad to hear that one teacher at yesterday’s meeting had ordered a couple!

Lol, I sent pics of mask fabric choices and it was fun to hear their replies....and I’ve been glad to us some bits!  BUT I am not happy with the interfacing JoAnns sent me.

it was something I have not used before, but came with no instructions - and wouldn’t ya know I threw away the purchase slip!  It just melts under the iron in a strange way.  But it had many likes for use in masks.  I gotta find out what it is and how-to best use it!  Geeze.....

That's going to be really cute.  I do like the addition of the lack and white.

I'm with you on your dislike of wearing  the masks.  They are mandatory here in Illinois too and I hate trying to get through the grocery store wearing one.  I can't breathe and get a panicky lightheaded feeling.  Weird though--most business have a sign on the door about having to have on a mask, but the restaurants are now open and you don't need them there.  This whole business is insane.  Can't sing in church but no problems with rioting and looting.  What a sad state of affairs we are in. 

When I was making masks in mass I did both kinds--the pleated and smooth.  Not sure what an Olson mask is but it was shaped to form over the nose.  DD the physical therapist liked the continuous string one the best because she has it on all day, but I like the ones with elastic.  I know it is available now but at one time I ran out of elastic and I sliced up some theraband that DD had given me for exercising my shoulder.  I loved it!  So much softer on the ears - almost like you can't even feel it behind your ears.  

I had that panicky "can't breathe" feeing at first, too! But, since I had to wear them 17 hrs x 2 days a week, I got used to it and don't really think of it unless I go to drink or something...and the breakout on my chin. Now, at the new job it's 12x3, and we have to use the paper ones. I notice those more, cuz the ear loops have caused little pressure ulcers behind my ears. :( 

I got new glasses a few weeks ago and until I got them adjusted they caused a sore behind my ear so I know how uncomfortable that can be.  I used a 7 X 1/4 inch slice of theraband on my masks and it was so comfortable.  Wonder if you could cut off the elastic and staple it to the mask?