Free Doll Face Mask Pattern + Sewing Tutorial

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Interested in making your favorite doll their own face mask so they can dress up like a doctor, nurse, or other health care professional?

In this easy sewing tutorial, I’ll walk you through sewing a doll face mask! (Free pattern is included, of course.)

Considerations & Sizing For This Doll Face Mask

I’ve made two little pleats down the front for this doll face mask pattern because it looks more like the surgical masks my husband and I wear at work. 

It also spreads out well over the nose and chin when tied on the head, giving more sizing flexibility.

I’m using an 18″ Our Generation doll as the model for this doll face mask.  She is very similar in size and dimensions to American Girl dolls. 

Because some 18″ doll heads are slightly different in size, make sure that the face mask size will be a good fit before you take time sewing on the bias tape. 

The finished size is roughly 4 3/4″ x 1 3/4.”  Again, the height is very forgiving, though, because the pleats will spread vertically up to an inch to cover larger dolls’ faces.

Poor Sienna doesn’t have ears that are prominent enough to hold a face mask on with elastic, which is why I’m sewing a tie-behind-the-head doll mask.  If your doll has bigger ears, you could use elastic if you prefer!  (Learn more about the different elastic types if you’re unsure what will be best!)

And lastly, this is a single-ply mask.  I’m all about fabric conservation!  If your fabric is thin or you want a thicker mask, you can make it two-ply.

Materials Needed

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread if hand stitching); I used my Brother SE1900
• One piece of woven fabric, cut to 5 3/4″ x 2 3/4,” prewashed and ironed (read my guide to choosing doll clothes fabric!)
• Two 28″ pieces of 1/4″ double-fold bias tape (read more below if you’re confused here)
• Iron and ironing board
• Wonder clips or pins
• Basic sewing tools such as sewing scissors, etc

About Bias Tape + Make Your Own Option

You can purchase folded bias tape, although it’s easy enough to make your own from your fabric stash.  I use this bias tape maker I picked up from Amazon to make my own pink bias tape.

If you make your own bias tape, to make 1/4″ double-fold bias tape, start out with approximately a 1″ wide strip of fabric.  Use the 1/2″ bias tape maker to make 1/2″ single-fold bias tape.  Then, fold this in half to make the 1/4″ double-fold bias tape.

How to Sew a Doll Face Mask – Tutorial

First, take your woven fabric and make two small pleats. 

To do this, I measured up 3/4″ from one side of the fabric and then folded down wrong sides together and pressed.  Then, I folded back up leaving a 1/4″ pleat.  Make sure you’re pressing to get them nice and creased.

After this, I made the second pleat.  I folded the right sides of the fabric together in half and pressed.  Then, I folded back, leaving a 1/4″ pleat, and pressed again.

(As an aside, if you are looking for a handy hemming tool, I LOVE my Clover Hot Ruler and Dritz Ezy-Hem.  You can press right onto them!)

On each side, I folded the raw fabric edges in 1/4″ and pressed.  Then, I folded around 1/4″ again, thus fully encasing the raw edges.  I pressed and then clipped them with Wonder Clips.

With your sewing machine, sew a scant 1/4″ seam from the edge. 

Make sure you’re stitching right along the edge of the folded fabric.  When you’re sewing, also make sure your face mask pleats are going in the right direction, so they don’t get stuck or turned down while they’re passing under the presser foot.

Now, it’s time to attach the bias tape.

First, find the mask’s midpoint and the bias tape’s midpoint.  Wrap the bias tape around the raw edge of the fabric on the top of the mask, lining up the centers.   Clip or pin in place.

Next, stitch close to the opening of the bias tape from one end all the way to the other end.  Pay attention as you’re sewing over where the bias tape wraps with the mask that it’s in place and straight.

I like to use my That Purple Thang to help feed the bias tape under the presser foot to keep me from accidentally hurting my fingers.

Repeat the last two steps for the other side of the mask, attaching that bias tape to the other side of the face mask.

Press one last time if needed.  Here’s what it should look like on the back of the face mask.

Here is Sienna rocking her new doll face mask!

I hope you enjoyed this doll face mask tutorial.

Stay safe out there!