Simple Sewing Tutorial: How to Make a Fabric Face Mask

***This post was updated on 10.06.2020***

There’s no avoiding it these days. Coronavirus.

It’s in the news. It’s all over social media. It’s all anybody seems to be talking about. Perhaps you have been home-schooling the kids and juggling to work from home yourself. And when you do go outside, there are a couple of things that grab your attention.

One: the social distancing thing. You notice that people are trying their best to give every other person around them extra space. That shopping queue looks so verrrry long, but actually it’s just the space between each human.

Two: the face covering thing. Here and there and in ever increasing numbers, you see people wearing face masks. Some wear a simple scarf or bandanna, wrapped around their face and nose. Some wear what looks like professional, fancy blue, medical one. While others cover their face with a mask that would almost make Darth Vader jealous.

Whatever it is that you have noticed around you and in the media, it’s new, it’s strange, and perhaps even a little disconcerting.

For the first few weeks of Coronavirus spreading here in Germany, I held off from sewing a face mask. Would I need it? Would I have to wear it? Would it even help?

But I noticed more and more popping up on people’s faces everywhere I went. And the World Health Organisation altered their original recommendations about wearing face masks. And then there was talk in the media of making face masks compulsory as people gradually return to “real life” after lockdown.

***Updated*** From 27th April, 2020 face masks DID become compulsory on public transport across Germany. As businesses have begun opening up again, in many states it is also compulsory in shops, restaurants, hairdressers, health providers, post offices etc.

Decision? Time to make myself and my family face masks!!!

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I have had SO many people ask me how I made them, I can’t NOT share this sewing project with you. I will walk you though step by step with plenty of easy-to-follow photos so you can sew a fantastic, fabric, face mask yourself.

You’ll also learn some simple tips and tricks to help get you through sewing a face mask (or 2… or 5… or 10…).

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11 Simple Steps to Sewing Your Own Easter Egg Basket

With Easter just around the corner and a lot of people having some unexpected time on their hands at the moment, what better way to cheer up your mood and your living space than with a couple of super sewing projects?!?

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This week I was lucky enough to be invited to create an easy, (child-friendly) sewing project as a guest post on the Skelly Hodgepodge blog. You can check out my “Easiest Easter Bunny Sewing Project” HERE. I bet you and your kids will have as much fun sewing these as we did! You know what happens when you start off with just a pair of bunnies, don’t you? Pretty soon there are more popping up everywhere 😉. Kind of like the felt bunnies around our place!

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The project that I will be sharing with you in this post though, is something I promised a couple of weeks back: an Egg Basket with space for 5 eggs!

Did you see my tutorial How to Sew an Egg Warmer Basket already? That version had space for 4 boiled eggs to snuggle in all nicely together. This updated version has place for 5 eggs!! Which comes in handy for those of us with larger households. 😉

Don’t just think of this as an Egg Warmer. It’s also the perfect sewing project for Easter. You can hide some coloured eggs inside and use it as a simple table centrepiece. Or for the chocolate fans fill it with Easter Eggs and you’ve got yourself a sweet Easter gift! Mmm, chocolate…

All my detailed instructions and photos are ready to guide you through this easy sewing project. Read on to find out how!

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Tutorial: How to Sew an Egg Warmer Basket

Around here lately it’s been all about the sewing. Karneval costumes! Shirts for my own and other children! Dresses for my girls!

Somehow in the background, the house stays (somewhat 🙈) organised, the kids get wherever they need to be (on time, no less!) and everyone is clean, fed and happy. What more could you ask for? Well, apart from a 2 week holiday in Tahiti perhaps…

Wait, what?!? Oh! A new sewing project, you say? Well, have I got something egg-citing for you 😉.


Q: What happens when you make an egg laugh?

A: It cracks up!


Easter is coming up and for some reason, this project always makes me think of Easter. Even though it’s really meant for chicken eggs, not the chocolate kind. Note: chocolate eggs also fit snugly into this sewing project 😉.


Q: Why does the Easter bunny paint the eggs?

A: It’s too hard to wallpaper them!


In this week’s post I am going to walk you through an egg-cellent, easy, quick sewing project: How to Sew an Egg Warmer Basket. Not only is it easy, it’s also fast. Perfect for when you really really want to sew something but know you haven’t got much time!

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If the last 2 posts of me interviewing fellow bloggers about their early days of sewing (you can read them here and here ) haven’t stoked that creative fire in your belly, see whether this egg warmer tutorial gets you warmed up 😉.

Are you ready to discover how it’s done?

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How to Sew a Terrific Tiger Costume

(Even if You Don’t Have a Pattern!)

In today’s post I am going to show you how you can create a totally cool tiger costume, without actually having a pattern for a tiger costume. “Huh? How does that work?”, you ask. Ahh, that’s the magic of sewing! 😉

Perhaps you’re even asking why it is that I am sewing a tiger costume or why I am sharing this with you today.

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Well, answering the second part of that is easy. Why share? Because I am not one to keep a good sewing tip to myself! I love to support you in getting creative with your sewing machine and sewing things that will make you smile! And I love a good work-around; when the pattern doesn’t match exactly what I’m trying to achieve, then it’s the pattern that has to change, not my goal. That’s why I’m eager to share so many sewing ideas, tips and cheats with you (you can find more under the “Sewing” category on the menu bar above ☝).

And why am I sewing a costume at all? Well, Karneval is coming in a couple of weeks! In case you’re not familiar with what Karneval in Germany means (especially from a non-German’s perspective), be sure to check out my post here. Karneval is a BIG deal in many parts of Germany and for the cities’ colourful parades, getting dressed up in costumes is practically a must (at least for children it is!!).

Because I am able to sew, and for the time being my kids actually like and enjoy what I can create, I am the one responsible for coming up with the goods. Hence the DIY, sew a tiger costume as my current sewing project.

I promised to show you how to make one without a pattern, right? Well then, read on…

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How to Sew a Patchwork Infinity Loop Scarf

diy, diy sewing, sewing project, loop scarf, infinity scarf, patchwork infinity scarf, tutorial, how-to

Last week I was feeling fired up and feisty, what with all those totally powerful inspirational quotes! “Go get ‘em!” was the message I was pumping myself up with and bringing you along for the ride too 😉. What?!? You didn’t see it? If you feel like you need a bit of motivating to pursue your goals, then be sure to check it out here because it will really give you the kick up the butt you’re after!

And what now? Well, It’s official. The cold weather here in Germany has continued it’s march towards winter.  So while I may be energised and motivated, I am also damn cold!!! The days are getting shorter and shorter, so much so that the kids are walking to school by the light of the moon. And a flashlight. 😉 For the sunshine-y Australian girl in me lousy, grey, cold weather = time to hibernate time to find fun projects I can accomplish indoors.

If you’re into sewing like me, but also trying hard to not waste too many materials while you’re at it (Hello! #reducereuserecycle), you’ve probably got a stack of odd-shaped, leftover pieces of fabric hoarded away “for later”.

Do I have the PERFECT sewing project for you!!! (And I’m gonna show you how to do it!)

*** drumroll please… ***

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More DIY Easy Halloween Costumes Anyone Can Sew

sewing, sewing project, diy sewing, diy, diy costume, halloween, halloween costumes, pirate, bat, ninja, ninjago

Hi there! Have you been psyching up for Halloween? Or rather, are your kids getting crazy for Halloween? Let’s be honest, in the end, rambling through the neighbourhood trick-or-treating is more for their benefit than ours. Right? Nevertheless, I will admit that I am also getting a little excited.

When I prowl the neighbourhood with my kids on the 31st October, it’s not as though I’m going to have a fistful of lollies thrust my way. (*Psst!!* There are however, a couple of neighbours who like to share a quick slurp of some fiery type of liquid that is definitely NOT for the little ones! Nudge nudge, wink wink)

What I do enjoy is watching the kids each year get bolder and more adventurous and confident, relishing the thrill of dressing up and dashing so free-spirited around the neighbourhood after dark. And we bump into so many of their friends also doing the rounds, so it’s practically like a street party. 😊

I know that last week I posted here a few home-sewn DIY Halloween costumes. But guess what I also enjoy?

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DIY Wicked Halloween Costumes You Can Easily Sew

I could have sworn we just enjoyed summer holidays and now all of a sudden Halloween is upon us. For most kids, Halloween means 2 things: costumes and lollies!

And when my kids think of costumes, what they really mean is “Mama’s GOTTA sew me one!!!”. 😉

halloween, halloween costumes, costume, diy costumes, sewing costumes, sewing, sewing project

Are your kids hankering for a really cool costume? That you are apparently going to make?!? If you are a #sewingnewbie perhaps you are feeling the pressure to come up with something great, while not necessarily knowing where to start. Even if Mama doesn’t think that Halloween is a really big deal, it’s a sure bet that the kids do!

Fear not! I would recommend you go grab yourself a hot beverage (coffee is my poison!), find a comfy chair because I’ve got a bunch of creative Halloween costume ideas just for you! They won’t break your budget, won’t take too long, but they will give you that satisfying feeling of a job well done.

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Easy DIY Fabric Ornaments to Sew this Christmas

Hear ye, hear ye! Christmas is coming! Christmas is coming! Yep, it’s just a few short weeks away!

sewing, sewing project, diy sewing, christmas crafts, christmas ornaments, christmas decorations, christmas sewing, how-to, tutorial, pin, Pinterest

How are you going with your preparations? All ready to celebrate? Or are you like me and tend to wait until the start of December to start shopping/ baking/ sewing/ crafting/panicking?

And why is it that?!?

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