2. Key Features I considered
when making my mask.
• The length of the ‘beak’.
• Eye Sockets.
• Strap to hold the mask on
the face.
3. First I decided
to order some
material for
my mask. I
searched a
few websites
and visited a
textile shop
until I found a
cheep yet
sturdy
looking
material I
could use. I
decided to use
Faux Leather
brown
material as it
was the best
material to
achieve the
rustic leather
look I wanted.
4. Once the material arrived I decided to use a stencil to cut out the shapes for the
structure of my mask. I used paper to draw round so that the size of the mask would
be constant. I then used sharp fabric scissors to cut the sections of fabric out. I then
pinned them together ready to be stitched together.
5. Here is some pictures of the
template that I created with the
fabric once it was stitched
together. Once I had stitched the
fabric together and placed it out
flat on the table I attempted to
fold the two sides round so that
it created the beak. However I
felt that it would be too slack
and not support it’s self so I
decided to used grey board to
make the mask more sturdy. I
used grey board because even
though it is very stiff because it
is made of compressed paper
sheets it was still some what
flexible and was easy to shape
once I had placed the sections
on the mask. Slip Stitch or Ladder
Stitch
I wanted to create a seamless and almost invisible seem for the panels of the material. A slip
stitch is used to create an invisible seam between two folded edges, or a folded edge and a
flat edge. You can use slip stitching for bindings, to close a lining, or to apply applique
invisibly.
6. Once I had cut out the grey
card I needed to find a glue
that would be able to securely
fix the card to the fabric. So I
asked the Art Technician and
she recommended the glue
you can see in the picture to
the right as it was a strong all
purpose glue that would
work fast and allow me to
continue working on my
mask.
7. Once I had stitched the
masked together I could
finally see the mask coming
together. I then decided
that I needed to test the
mask on someone to see if it
would fit and look the way I
wanted it too.
I decided that I needed
to add a section of
material around the
edges of the mask so
that it would be more
sturdy and not sag on
the face.
8. These are some pictures
that I took of the mask
on someone’s face.
I am going to stitch
round the edges of
the top and side of
the mask to make it
more durable and
sturdy.
Here you can see
that the mask sags
on her face around
the eyes. I am there
for going to cut out
larger rings of the
same material and
stich them round
the eye holes so that
it becomes more
sturdy and also
looks better.
9. Backstitch
The backstitch creates a very strong
seam. It's used on heavy or dense
fabrics and often to repair a seam.
Begin at the right end.
I then cut a length of material no more than 2cm
wide so that I could create a stonger and cleaner
edge to the mask. I used a backstitch for this as
it enabled me to stitch through 3 layers of the
heavy material with ease.
10. Overcast Stitch
The overcast stitch is used to
finish cut edges on fabrics that
tend to ravel, such as linens and
gabardines.
I also needed to make the eye holes stronger and
also more detailed and they felt quite minimal. So
I decided to cut out rings on material that I then
stitched over the existing holes. I did this by
using a variant on the overcast stitch. I slightly
changed it because it was an exterior decoration
as well as an additional practical element. I also
felt that this style of stitch went with the circular
pattern of the fabric I was adding.
