Sewing a Masquerade Mask
Masquerade masks have been worn to dances, parties, parades and other events since the 17th century, beginning in Europe. Although masquerade events were originally held exclusively for royalty and aristocrats, the tradition of wearing decorated masks has spread to the general population. Whether you are attending an official masquerade ball, a Halloween party or a Mardi Gras celebration, you can sew your own mask using a few basic supplies before decorating it as lavishly as you desire.
Things You'll Need
- Mask template
- Marker
- Felt
- Fleece interfacing
- Scissors
- Sewing needle
- Sewing thread to match the felt
- 10-inch piece of 1/4-inch-wide elastic tape
- Glitter, sequins, feathers and other decorations (optional)
- Glue gun (optional)
Instructions
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1
Lay the mask template onto the felt. Trace around the template with a marker. Repeat tracing the template on another section of the felt and on the fleece interfacing.
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2
Cut out the two mask tracings from the felt with scissors. Cut out the fleece interfacing mask tracing. Trim about 1/4-inch around the edges of the fleece interfacing mask, including around the eye holes.
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3
Lay one of the felt masks down flat. Position the fleece interfacing mask on top of it, ensuring that it is 1/4-inch inward from the edges of the felt mask. Place the second felt mask on top of both masks, lining it up with the first felt mask.
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4
Sew 1/2-inch inward along the edges and eye holes of the three mask pieces with a needle and thread.
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5
Hold the mask up to your eyes to determine where the elastic tape should be placed. The elastic tape should go slightly above and behind the ears. Sew one end of the elastic tape onto one side of the back of the mask. Sew the other end directly across from the first, on the other side of the mask back.
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6
Add glitter, sequins, feathers and other decorations as desired to the front of your mask. If you use glue to add decorations, allow it to dry thoroughly before wearing your mask.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Thomas Jackson/Lifesize/Getty Images
