One year ago, I got really fed up with testing one poorly fitting mask pattern after the other, and decided to use what I’ve learnt to invent my own Hybrid Mask pattern. And my very first attempt fitted perfectly! In order to help others with similar problems, I published pattern and instructions in German on April 14th and in English on April 21st.
I knew that my hybrid pattern was somewhat special, but I had no idea how enthusiastically it would be sewn all over the world – and that I would spend a whole year helping all the makers, thinking up tips and tricks, creating a detailed picture tutorial and a stapleable instant mask, collecting mask tying techniques and mask science as well as making countless customized Hybrid Mask pattterns for all sorts of particular face shapes, special needs and preferences!
This year was busier than ever, but looking back, I am deeply grateful to be able to help the helpers in my own way, and I feel so lucky to meet so many wonderful makers who are truly committed to helping and protecting others – and all this even helps me, to not despair about this pandemic, or the way people react to it. Thank you so much for this!
This year at home has made our worlds seem terribly small, which makes it even more delightful to go places with the hybrid mask, and I love to learn about the places where it is enthusiastically sewn and donated! In addition, I’ve been wondering for a long time how many hybrid masks have been sewn where and for whom (I might even turn this into a graphic at some point :)). So, I’ve thought of a little survey for my Hybrid Mask’s anniversary party:
(1) How many Hybrid Masks have you sewn where, and for whom?
(2) Which patterns, styles and special features do you use?
(3) Can you name three things that make your hometown special?
You can take part with a comment, either right here in the blog or under my related posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram – and if you prefer, feel free to post pictures of your Hybrid Masks in your own channel (I’d love to see sights in the back! :)) with the tags #luckhausmask and @irisluckhaus. – Congratulations, dear Hybrid Mask!
Take care of yourself and stay well! ❤
PS: (1) So far, I have sewn around 400 masks for friends, family, friends of the family and family of friends, most of whom are located in Bergisch Land and Berlin. (2) I usually go with the original pattern, but have donated some Nose and Beard masks too! Recently, I like to use polypropylen, and I usually donate two masks, one with elastic ear loops and the other with a long jersey head tie. (3) Special features of my hometown Wuppertal are an unmistakable shade of green, Bergisch slate houses as well as industrial monuments and the Schwebebahn, a unique suspension railway!
PPS: Yes, I had already published my questions in the blog (so there are already comments :)), but not yet shared, because I didn’t find the time for that… but I thought the maskiversary was the perfect opportunity to finally do so! :)
I downloaded the pattern on 5/14/20 and have made them for myself ever since. I’ve experimented with other patterns but keep coming back to this one – it can’t be beat! I’ve sewn my masks on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, in New York City. Three special things about my neighborhood are Riverside Park, which brings space and green; the Hudson River, with its wind and sunsets and views; and the dogs…oh so many dogs!
Thank you so much for being the first to comment on this half-published post (I’ve intended to share it on social media for quite some time, but there were always more urgent things to take care of, so I kept delaying the fun part :)) – and even more, for brightening my day with your kind and generous donation! I’m so happy my pattern works so well for you and your glasses too, and I adore the beautiful picture you paint of the Upper West Side… I can almost hear them bark! Thank you <3
I looked for one very LONG weekend at about 20 mask patterns because I knew from the start that gaps = ineffectiveness and SO MANY masks have that problem, including the commerciallly-available rectangular ones! That weekend in April 2020 I downloaded the original (corrected) pattern and later the long nose pattern and love them both. I’ve made about 30 of these, mostly for my immediate family but some for friends who might as well be family. Like the previous poster, I’ve played with other patterns but this one is the best I’ve found. I live about 20 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts but work in town and this is the only mask I’ve found that stays up and wearable for a full 8 hour workday. Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for your kind appreciation, dear Holly! I’ve had a similar experience last spring, when none of the patterns (or tweaks) I’ve tested fitted even close to gapless, or passed my yawn test, so at some point, making my own mask pattern seemed like the only option :) – I’m happy my hybrid works so well for you too! All my best wishes, take care and stay safe! <3
I also looked at (and tried) many mask patterns before trying the original. It’s the one I’ve made the most of, well over 200, and have sent them to family and friends all over, in additional to many here locally. So, besides here n Wyoming, they are being used in Oregon, Texas, Colorado and New Mexico. Besides the original, I’ve used it in the large size, also the Nose version.
My hometown is Albuquerque, but haven’t lived there for many years. My “adopted” hometown is close enough to both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park you can drive through them both in a day. We grow sugar beets that are processed 20 miles away, plus malt barley and some years, wheat. I always save some of that to grind and make bread with. Our whole area is irrigated with water stored behind a dam built over 100 years ago, otherwise it’s all high desert, but still beautiful.
Thanks again for sharing your wonderful pattern.
Thank you so much for replying so kindly, and for sewing so many masks for others! Yellowstone is reknowned even in Germany, Grand Teton (which I haven’t heard of before) looks absolutely stunning too, and Wyoming sounds like an amazing roadtrip destination to me. Do sugar beets smell sweet, and do you have interesting local recipes with syrup, molasses and malt? Baking your own bread from your own wheat sounds pretty amazing. Thank you so much for the little trip! <3
Happy anniversary Iris and thanks again for all your wonderful mask patterns.
I’ve made about 30 of your masks for family using your original pattern. I made them for all ages – from 4 to 77 I think! Everyone appreciated them.
I’m in Dublin, Ireland. Things I like most about where I live are the nice parks and neighbourhoods for my daily walks & the city centre being compact so I don’t need a car. Plus, while I don’t drink it myself, most Dubliners think the Guinness is pretty special too :)
Thank you so much for your kind reply – and also for introducing my pattern to others with your awesome post back then, dear Janine! Dublin sounds amazing, I absolutely love parks too, and they’re usually the first thing I look for when exploring a new city! I just googled Dublin parks, and stumbled over roaming deer, a small dolmen and walled gardens, which look beautiful. And even though I don’t like German beer at all, I found Guiness quite enjoyable, so I’d call that special too! :)