In the meantime, I’ve finished my identification chart on kitchen herbs that I started years ago (but never found time to edit), mainly because I wanted to know for myself what is what and because it’s so exciting to try and understand and draw the blueprint of plants! The chart is now available via Posterlounge [eBay], Redbubble and Søciety6. ➔
After drawing Tree Shapes, Leaves, Fruits and Shoots, I have put all these characteristics of the most common foliage trees into a single identification chart, which is helpful to get to know the tree species and identify them over all the seasons. The identification chart is available at Posterlounge (also via eBay!), Redbubble und Søciety6! ➔
After illustrating the Wildlife of New England last year, planning a color version of my black-and-white forest animals for a long time and recently working more often with and about urban wildlife, at some point it made sense to create an identification chart with wildlife close to settlements, i.e. wild animals that can actually be seen in the city and on walks! The illustration is finally finished and already available now at the Posterlounge (also via eBay!). ➔
I am very happy about my specimen copy of the opulent catalog for the exhibition »Modebilder – Kunstkleider« at the Berlinischen Galerie, for which my former costume history lecturer Dr. Gundula Wolter wrote a very exciting article about Vivienne Westwood’s fashion class at the Berlin University of the Arts, and where I found unexpectedly many and full-page pictures of the huntresses from my diploma collection »Jagdfieber«, which I created there! ➔
After a couple of years, in which I learned a great deal about trees – partly thanks to my client, the Niedersächsische Landesforsten – I recently completely revised and lovingly corrected the details of my tree leaves, so that every tiny line is finally right (I hope :))! The revised identification chart is now available at Posterlounge (also via eBay!). ➔
As new variants and increasing incidences appear, while at the same time mask mandates for public indoor spaces are lifted (…), mask upgrades and mask optimisation are once more discussed widely – and more often than not, the topic is oversimplified. Therefore, I would like to summarize our various DIY approaches to making masks safer and more efficient for the new challenges we’re all facing these days! For further information, you’ll find links in the text. ➔
Right in time for the phenological inception of spring (at least the sun these days feels like that!), we uploaded some fresh seasonal wallpapers and electronic greeting cards for you and your loved ones over at Lily Lux’ website! ➔
I’m so happy that my Animal Tracks Pin was featured on the Pinterest “Today” page on February 24th! Unfortunately, I missed it, but I think it’s all the more great that these lovely people of Pinterest told me about it. Thank you! ➔
After the Hybrid Pleated Mask, Hybrid Custom Masks and the Hybrid Boxy Mask, I created a Hybrid Mask Frame – as an alternative for all those who cannot breathe well with Double Masks, yet don’t find a gaplessly fitting, slip-free respirator or surgical mask. Due to a reverse pleat, this Mask Frame fits perfectly – even without nose wire! ➔
Design historian Serena Newmark, whom I first met when she showed some beautiful Hybrid Masks on Twitter (#luckhausmask) and lateron introduced my pattern to the workshop »Clothing the Pandemic« by ICOM [International Committee for Museums and Collections of Costume, Fashion and Textile] as part of a lecture on the exchange of information between makers, has now written a great article about me and my Hybrid Mask for the ICOM blog! ➔
We’d like to wish you very lovely, candle-lit and heartwarming holidays (and a merry Christmas, or whatever you may be celebrating!), and all the best for a truly happy, healthy and wonderful new year Twothousandtwentytwo! ➔
In addition to the illustrated instructions for sewing my brand new, not only gaplessly and slip-free fitting, but also very spacious Hybrid Boxy Mask, I have now created a highly detailed step-by-step picture tutorial for beginners! ➔
Now that I’ve gone through all the possibilities to customize my original Hybrid Mask for a wide range of face shapes, needs and preferences, I finally created a new cloth mask pattern with an open chin dart (or twisted pleat). Similar to 3D, Boxy, Origami, Japanese or Octagon shapes, which form a square box, the Hybrid Boxy Mask forms a triangular box which does not touch the mouth or nosetip and offers plenty of space for breathing, speaking or singing. ➔
For those who want to redecorate their walls in November or to buy their Christmas gifts early, I’m having a nice surprise: My Posterlounge shop has a discount code, »LUCKHAUS2021«, with amazing 20% savings available for the whole month, on all articels, such as posters, prints, wall stickers, canvas, wood, foam, aluminum or acrylic prints in formats from 13 x 18 cm (from € 6.95 5.56) over 30 x 40 cm (from 9.95 7.96) to 60 x 80 cm (from € 22.95 18.36)! ➔
On Lily Lux’ website, winter starts early – with seasonal crafting sheets, lovingly illustrated wallpapers and greeting cards! Furthermore, if you speak (or learn) German, you might enjoy our #Winterglück on Facebook and Twitter! ➔
The simple, two-dimensional DIY advent calendar we made for Lily Lux a couple of years ago (including a detailed instruction how to use it with your own images) is available as a PDF for download! Above, you can see what the calendar looks like when it’s filled, and below we’re showing some other suggestions. We hope you enjoy crafting! ➔
My shops at Søciety6 [US] and RedBubble [EU/US], which I recently updated with new illustrations and infographics and which in addition to art prints, posters and cards also sell printed products like curtains, pillows, blankets, carpets, bed linen, mugs, trays, boards, wrapping paper, notebooks, stickers, jigsaw puzzles, magnets, cases, bags, shirts and a whole lot of other things, offer fabulous discounts again! On Redbubble, it is 20% to 60% with the code »WHYWAIT« until November 11th, and Søciety6 also offers 35% to 50% (without code) on a wide range of articles this week. ➔
There is something very strange in opening a newsletter and seeing your own illustration there, but after a moment of awkwardness, I’m very happy that my day and night shift illustration is featured by The Creative Finder today! ➔
Due to personal reasons, my sewing partner Reusable Mask Co Australia is closing their business on October 31st, so if you’d like to own one (or more) of their beautiful masks (recommended by Vogue!), you better order right away! I’m so thankful to Sarah for this amazing collaboration half around the globe, I still adore her masks and truly enjoyed seeing all her adventures and successes in mask making, and I wholeheartedly wish her all the best for the future! ➔
As part of my “Foxy goes Hiking” project, I’ve researched and illustrated a whole lot of the smaller animals of New England. When the abundance became confusing, I’ve turned them into another identification chart, and now the infographics is available at Redbubble and Søciety6, printed on posters, art prints, notebooks, postcards and mugs as pictured below, as well as bags, shirts, pillows, scarves, blankets, covers, stickers and plenty of other products! ➔
Little Foxy was one of my favorite projects this year! It all started with a friend enquiring me to draw a special art print for the birth of a friends’ daughter, and it involved extensive research (like, snooping the new mother’s blog for likes and interests :)), finding a new style (I’ve never drawn anthropomorphic animals before, and it was more fun than expected!), figuring out that New England’s wildlife is surprisingly different from European wildlife (American robins are actually thrushs!) and, somehow, drawing so many of these animals that they got their own wall chart! ➔
For an article named “The many faces of mask fashions”, The Occidental asked LA art students about their masks, and my sewing partner NagaKiri‘s adorable daughter Emily is showing three of her beautifully handcrafted Hybrid Masks (avialable via NagaKiri Studio on Etsy). Plus, she’s the cover girl! Thank you Kiri, for letting me know. ➔
Some maskers insert disposable filter materials (e.g. Filti) between the inner and outer layers of reusable cloth masks. For this reason, my Hybrid Mask has a filter opening! This offers the advantage of combining decent fit (through mask pattern) and filter efficiency (through disposable filters), but the disadvantage that filters are often complicated to insert, rarely cover the whole surface and easily slip. For me and my family, double masking, i.e. wearing FFP2 / KN95, surgical or self-stapled, same-pattern filter masks underneath, seems like a better option. Lately though, a lovely mask maker mentioned how complicated double masking is for kids, and I finally had an idea: Filter frames! ➔
We still miss our former everyday lives, but also enjoy the change of seasons – and used the first autumnal chill to upload fresh wallpapers, greeting cards and printable pages over at Lily Lux. Furthermore, we’ll post #Herbstglück on Facebook and Twitter again soon, so if you can read German, come visit us and brighten up your fall! ➔
Last January, when I wrote my post about Mask Science with the science behind masks, advantages and disadvantages of mask types, practical tests, tips for optimization and a note on why and how we double mask, I still hoped that the vaccine might make masks redundant in everyday life, and that this could be my last mask post. Right now, it looks like thanks to new variants, masks will stay with us for a while (…), and as many people are looking to upgrade their masks these days, I’d like to explain our double masking with the Hybrid Cloth Mask (aka Luckhaus Mask) in detail. ➔
We’re taking a little break for summer – and look forward to August, when we’ll continue fresh and rested, and when I can finally show you all the wonderful projects I’ve been working on but am not supposed to show yet!
I first met Serena Newmark when she posted a beautiful Hybrid Beard Mask (aka #luckhausmask) on Twitter, and we chatted about her pretty skull fabric! Later, Serena asked me if I’d give her an interview about my experiences as a mask pattern maker, and she turned out to be a PhD candidate at FU Berlin with a profound – and super interesting – knowledge about 19th century Prussian furniture in Texas! I feel honoured that Serena will present my Hybrid Mask in a workshop, »Clothing the Pandemic«, by ICOM International Committee for Museums and Collections of Costume, Fashion and Textile, as part of her lecture about »The Creation of an Online Art and Design Reference Library: information seeking and sharing among mask makers«, which takes place online on June 23rd at 3:10 PM CET. ➔
At first I thought I couldn’t trust my eyes, but Das Auge Werkschau is actually showing eight (!!!) of my project portfolios on their landing page as “Best Portfolios”! This is truly awesome, thank you very much! ➔
Together with tracker Stefanie Argow from HiddenTracks and Dr. Sarah Kiefer from Stadtwildtiere.de, the Citizen Science Project of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), I designed two notebooks and a gym bag, for their advertising and as an identification aid for wild animals whose tracks can be found in the city of Berlin. ➔
I’ve been working on my European Songbirds wall chart for several years, every now and then. It takes some effort to not just copy a photo, but to create a generalized cross-section from countless images – but that is exactly what helps with the identification! In addition to posters, notebooks, postcards and mugs as pictured above, there are bags, shirts, pillows, scarves, blankets, covers, stickers and many other products available on Redbubble and Søciety6 now. ➔
In the current “Welt der Wunder” magazine (6/21), there is an exciting interview with the tracker Stefanie Argow of Hidden Tracks, and they’re showing eight of the animal tracks Stefanie and I created together! ➔
Since my field guides for nature have been printed on products on RedBubble, I’ve been asked to offer German graphics too, and now they’re available as art prints, posters, postcards, pillows, blankets, bed linen, shower curtains, bath mats, mugs, water bottles, notebooks, stickers, magnets, cases, skins, bags, shirts and more amazing products! ➔
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. ➔
Right in time for the phenological inception of spring (at least those warm days feel like that!), we uploaded some fresh seasonal wallpapers and electronic greeting cards for you and your loved ones over at Lily Lux’ website! ➔
Nachdem ich schon seit einigen Jahren immer mal wieder mit der Fährtenleserin Stefanie Argow an bis ins kleinste Detail korrekten Trittsiegel-Grafiken arbeite und wir die mittlerweile auch für gemeinsame Kunden und Projekte nutzen, habe ich zuletzt unter www.irisluckhaus.de/hiddentracks eine ganz übersichtliche Verteilerseite angelegt!
It’s been a year since I first started testing mask patterns, having no idea that this would lead to making my own and helping the helpers! It’s been quite a ride since, and I am so thankful for how mask makers make this dark time feel so much brighter. Yet, there are days when everyday life feels so far away… and then, there’s a new pattern challenge, a license enquiry, a kind donation, or someone who thanks me in a way that’s so touching – and all of a sudden, I’m sure we’re gonna be fine. Thank you so much, Jenn, for brightening my day with your beautiful mask! <3 ➔
In Germany, the wearing of medical masks, i.e. FFP2 or surgical masks, became mandatory yesterday. Since I don’t think anyone will check certifications in public, this means that everything except cloth masks is allowed. I’d like to explain how masks work, how filter and fit determine their efficiency, and why a cloth mask ban doesn’t really make much sense to me. Furthermore, I’d like to point out solutions for a more responsible, safe and sustainable use of medical masks. One of these solutions could be wearing a cloth cover over medical masks, or double masking. ➔
»One of the most popular patterns was developed by Iris Luckhaus, a German illustrator and sewist. Luckhaus, who was fed up with cloth masks fogging up her glasses, made a small change to the nosepiece of a standard cloth mask design that eliminated fogging. Her post went viral on the OSCMS Facebook group with incredible user engagement and over 300 shares. Since then, tens of thousands of her cloth masks have been made around the world.« ➔
We’d like to wish you very lovely, candle-lit and heartwarming holidays (and a merry Christmas, or whatever you may be celebrating!), and all the best for a truly happy, healthy and wonderful new year Twothousandtwentyone! ➔
I adore these stylish winter hybrid masks made of chunky Pendleton wool buffalo plaid, which my sewing partner Kiri Schultz from Seattle in the Pacific Northwest made! In her family, they are jokingly called “blankets for the face”, which I find at least as pretty as the fresh fir branches and cones in the picture. I bet these masks smell great! ➔
In celebration of the St Nick‘s day, Lily Lux uploaded some hibernal gifts! Furthermore, you can find our favourite recipes for advent bakery and crafting in our Lily Lux Notizbuch or in this blog, and of course more #Winterglück.
On Lily Lux’ website, winter starts early – with seasonal crafting sheets, lovingly illustrated wallpapers and greeting cards! Furthermore, if you speak (or learn) German, you might enjoy our #Winterglück on Facebook and Twitter! ➔
I have recently equipped my shops at Søciety6 [US] and RedBubble [EU + US] with fresh illustrations, field guides, infographics, patterns and some winter specials – and I was amazed at all the new products there! In addition to prints, posters and postcards, there are now also printed furniture, curtains, pillows, blankets, carpets, bed linen, shower curtains, bath mats, coffee mugs, water bottles, trays, boards, wrapping paper, notebooks, stickers, magnets, cases, skins, bags, picnic blankets, shirts and much more – and some of them now with my designs! ➔
I am so proud that Open Source Medical Supplies is showing my Mask Tying Techniques in a beautiful pictorial pictorial cloth mask guide! Thanks to Devon for connecting and to Sophia for the great design <3
The simple, two-dimensional DIY advent calendar we made for Lily Lux a couple of years ago (including a detailed instruction how to use it with your own images) is available as a PDF for download! Above, you can see what the calendar looks like when it’s filled, and below we’re showing some other suggestions. We hope you enjoy crafting! ➔
For those who want to redecorate their walls in November or to buy their Christmas gifts early, I’m having a nice surprise: My Posterlounge shop has a discount code, »LUCKHAUS2020«, with amazing 20% savings available for the whole month, on all articels, such as posters, prints, wall stickers, canvas, wood, foam, aluminum or acrylic prints in formats from 13 x 18 cm (from € 6.95 5.56) over 30 x 40 cm (from 9.95 7.96) to 60 x 80 cm (from € 22.95 18.36)! ➔
Bastei Lübbe is giving away books on Instagram – with a nicely designed quiz, for which I have provided my animal tracks graphics! Five copies of »Reading tracks – stories that the tracks of animals tell us« by Stefanie Argow and Ulrike Fokken with illustrations by Florian Frick and me will be raffled to those who answer correctly. Good luck! ➔
I am very happy to present an amazing new book here, for which I created the track illustrations in cooperation with the (co-) author and professional tracker Stefanie Argow. »Spuren lesen – Geschichten, die uns die Fährten der Tiere erzählen« tells in an exciting, instructive and often humorous way about the stories behind animal tracks. ➔
This year, everything is different, but we still enjoy the change of seasons – and used the first autumnal chill to upload fresh wallpapers, greeting cards and printable pages over at Lily Lux. Furthermore, we’ll likely post our #Herbstglück on Facebook and Twitter again soon, so if you can read German, come visit and brighten up your fall! ➔
Today, I would like to introduce you to my amazing sewing partners, who are making masks with my hybrid pattern and selling them in online shops, on Etsy or in retail stores. Each of them has a different approach to mask making, they offer unique fabrics and ways to apply my pattern – and I think all their masks are just stunningly beautiful! In the picture above, you can see some samples by Christina King, Reusable Mask Co Australia and Samook Designs. ➔
I have created a new work sheet for the classes of tracker Stefanie Argow, with whom I am continuously working on a detailed version of my animal tracks! They are already used by WWF, IZW and Posterlounge, and will soon be part of a book too! This year’s sheet shows wolf, fox, lynx, badger, marten, bear, rabbit, squirrel, deer and wild boar. ➔
My hybrid cloth mask is still getting around! It’s sewn by volunteers and partners near and far, and recommended all over the world. After my first recommendation and review collection in June, I’ve now gathered some more! ➔
I have created a mask hub for all mask links, so if you’d like to share one of my masks, you can just type the link www.irisluckhaus.de/masks instead of jumping to your browser and looking for the bookmark :)
My amazing sewing partner Reusable Masks Co Australia shot a lovely video with beautiful Carmen on how to dress up the Hybrid Cloth Mask with head ties, and another one on how to make ear loops! I could watch them all day long, and I thought they might be useful for my readers too. Great thanks to Sarah for letting me show them! ➔
Open Source Medical Supplies is my favourite international mask making group, as there are specialists from such a wide variety of fields, helping each other and the volunteers. I have been posting and discussing my hybrid mask pattern there, helped countless volunteers to sew it and was thankful to learn about material studies and neat sewing tricks! When John Kalil asked to intervíew me for their site, I jumped right in – and now, his article is online! ➔
Since I first published my pattern for sewing the Hybrid Cloth Mask, which fits gapless (even without nosepiece!) and reliably stays in place, I’ve been asked about adjustments for special shapes and needs. In this post, I introduce a selection of these customized Hybrid patterns, and every now and then (last March 8th, 2021), I add new ones! ➔
If you take a closer look, there are so many ways to attach a face mask to your ears or head! After looking into masks in great detail over the past couple of weeks and having all these little sketches for mask tying techniques on my desk, I finally drew an infographic that shows all the different ways to tie a cloth mask with ear bands or head ties. ➔
In the meantime, I’ve finished my identification chart on kitchen herbs that I started years ago (but never found time to edit), mainly because I wanted to know for myself what is what and because it’s so exciting to try and understand and draw the blueprint of plants! The chart is now available via Posterlounge [eBay], Redbubble and Søciety6. ➔
After drawing Tree Shapes, Leaves, Fruits and Shoots, I have put all these characteristics of the most common foliage trees into a single identification chart, which is helpful to get to know the tree species and identify them over all the seasons. The identification chart is available at Posterlounge (also via eBay!), Redbubble und Søciety6! ➔
After illustrating the Wildlife of New England last year, planning a color version of my black-and-white forest animals for a long time and recently working more often with and about urban wildlife, at some point it made sense to create an identification chart with wildlife close to settlements, i.e. wild animals that can actually be seen in the city and on walks! The illustration is finally finished and already available now at the Posterlounge (also via eBay!). ➔
I am very happy about my specimen copy of the opulent catalog for the exhibition »Modebilder – Kunstkleider« at the Berlinischen Galerie, for which my former costume history lecturer Dr. Gundula Wolter wrote a very exciting article about Vivienne Westwood’s fashion class at the Berlin University of the Arts, and where I found unexpectedly many and full-page pictures of the huntresses from my diploma collection »Jagdfieber«, which I created there! ➔
After a couple of years, in which I learned a great deal about trees – partly thanks to my client, the Niedersächsische Landesforsten – I recently completely revised and lovingly corrected the details of my tree leaves, so that every tiny line is finally right (I hope :))! The revised identification chart is now available at Posterlounge (also via eBay!). ➔
As new variants and increasing incidences appear, while at the same time mask mandates for public indoor spaces are lifted (…), mask upgrades and mask optimisation are once more discussed widely – and more often than not, the topic is oversimplified. Therefore, I would like to summarize our various DIY approaches to making masks safer and more efficient for the new challenges we’re all facing these days! For further information, you’ll find links in the text. ➔
Right in time for the phenological inception of spring (at least the sun these days feels like that!), we uploaded some fresh seasonal wallpapers and electronic greeting cards for you and your loved ones over at Lily Lux’ website! ➔
I’m so happy that my Animal Tracks Pin was featured on the Pinterest “Today” page on February 24th! Unfortunately, I missed it, but I think it’s all the more great that these lovely people of Pinterest told me about it. Thank you! ➔
After the Hybrid Pleated Mask, Hybrid Custom Masks and the Hybrid Boxy Mask, I created a Hybrid Mask Frame – as an alternative for all those who cannot breathe well with Double Masks, yet don’t find a gaplessly fitting, slip-free respirator or surgical mask. Due to a reverse pleat, this Mask Frame fits perfectly – even without nose wire! ➔
Design historian Serena Newmark, whom I first met when she showed some beautiful Hybrid Masks on Twitter (#luckhausmask) and lateron introduced my pattern to the workshop »Clothing the Pandemic« by ICOM [International Committee for Museums and Collections of Costume, Fashion and Textile] as part of a lecture on the exchange of information between makers, has now written a great article about me and my Hybrid Mask for the ICOM blog! ➔
We’d like to wish you very lovely, candle-lit and heartwarming holidays (and a merry Christmas, or whatever you may be celebrating!), and all the best for a truly happy, healthy and wonderful new year Twothousandtwentytwo! ➔
In addition to the illustrated instructions for sewing my brand new, not only gaplessly and slip-free fitting, but also very spacious Hybrid Boxy Mask, I have now created a highly detailed step-by-step picture tutorial for beginners! ➔
Now that I’ve gone through all the possibilities to customize my original Hybrid Mask for a wide range of face shapes, needs and preferences, I finally created a new cloth mask pattern with an open chin dart (or twisted pleat). Similar to 3D, Boxy, Origami, Japanese or Octagon shapes, which form a square box, the Hybrid Boxy Mask forms a triangular box which does not touch the mouth or nosetip and offers plenty of space for breathing, speaking or singing. ➔
For those who want to redecorate their walls in November or to buy their Christmas gifts early, I’m having a nice surprise: My Posterlounge shop has a discount code, »LUCKHAUS2021«, with amazing 20% savings available for the whole month, on all articels, such as posters, prints, wall stickers, canvas, wood, foam, aluminum or acrylic prints in formats from 13 x 18 cm (from € 6.95 5.56) over 30 x 40 cm (from 9.95 7.96) to 60 x 80 cm (from € 22.95 18.36)! ➔
On Lily Lux’ website, winter starts early – with seasonal crafting sheets, lovingly illustrated wallpapers and greeting cards! Furthermore, if you speak (or learn) German, you might enjoy our #Winterglück on Facebook and Twitter! ➔
The simple, two-dimensional DIY advent calendar we made for Lily Lux a couple of years ago (including a detailed instruction how to use it with your own images) is available as a PDF for download! Above, you can see what the calendar looks like when it’s filled, and below we’re showing some other suggestions. We hope you enjoy crafting! ➔
My shops at Søciety6 [US] and RedBubble [EU/US], which I recently updated with new illustrations and infographics and which in addition to art prints, posters and cards also sell printed products like curtains, pillows, blankets, carpets, bed linen, mugs, trays, boards, wrapping paper, notebooks, stickers, jigsaw puzzles, magnets, cases, bags, shirts and a whole lot of other things, offer fabulous discounts again! On Redbubble, it is 20% to 60% with the code »WHYWAIT« until November 11th, and Søciety6 also offers 35% to 50% (without code) on a wide range of articles this week. ➔
There is something very strange in opening a newsletter and seeing your own illustration there, but after a moment of awkwardness, I’m very happy that my day and night shift illustration is featured by The Creative Finder today! ➔
Due to personal reasons, my sewing partner Reusable Mask Co Australia is closing their business on October 31st, so if you’d like to own one (or more) of their beautiful masks (recommended by Vogue!), you better order right away! I’m so thankful to Sarah for this amazing collaboration half around the globe, I still adore her masks and truly enjoyed seeing all her adventures and successes in mask making, and I wholeheartedly wish her all the best for the future! ➔
As part of my “Foxy goes Hiking” project, I’ve researched and illustrated a whole lot of the smaller animals of New England. When the abundance became confusing, I’ve turned them into another identification chart, and now the infographics is available at Redbubble and Søciety6, printed on posters, art prints, notebooks, postcards and mugs as pictured below, as well as bags, shirts, pillows, scarves, blankets, covers, stickers and plenty of other products! ➔
Little Foxy was one of my favorite projects this year! It all started with a friend enquiring me to draw a special art print for the birth of a friends’ daughter, and it involved extensive research (like, snooping the new mother’s blog for likes and interests :)), finding a new style (I’ve never drawn anthropomorphic animals before, and it was more fun than expected!), figuring out that New England’s wildlife is surprisingly different from European wildlife (American robins are actually thrushs!) and, somehow, drawing so many of these animals that they got their own wall chart! ➔
For an article named “The many faces of mask fashions”, The Occidental asked LA art students about their masks, and my sewing partner NagaKiri‘s adorable daughter Emily is showing three of her beautifully handcrafted Hybrid Masks (avialable via NagaKiri Studio on Etsy). Plus, she’s the cover girl! Thank you Kiri, for letting me know. ➔
Some maskers insert disposable filter materials (e.g. Filti) between the inner and outer layers of reusable cloth masks. For this reason, my Hybrid Mask has a filter opening! This offers the advantage of combining decent fit (through mask pattern) and filter efficiency (through disposable filters), but the disadvantage that filters are often complicated to insert, rarely cover the whole surface and easily slip. For me and my family, double masking, i.e. wearing FFP2 / KN95, surgical or self-stapled, same-pattern filter masks underneath, seems like a better option. Lately though, a lovely mask maker mentioned how complicated double masking is for kids, and I finally had an idea: Filter frames! ➔
We still miss our former everyday lives, but also enjoy the change of seasons – and used the first autumnal chill to upload fresh wallpapers, greeting cards and printable pages over at Lily Lux. Furthermore, we’ll post #Herbstglück on Facebook and Twitter again soon, so if you can read German, come visit us and brighten up your fall! ➔
Last January, when I wrote my post about Mask Science with the science behind masks, advantages and disadvantages of mask types, practical tests, tips for optimization and a note on why and how we double mask, I still hoped that the vaccine might make masks redundant in everyday life, and that this could be my last mask post. Right now, it looks like thanks to new variants, masks will stay with us for a while (…), and as many people are looking to upgrade their masks these days, I’d like to explain our double masking with the Hybrid Cloth Mask (aka Luckhaus Mask) in detail. ➔
We’re taking a little break for summer – and look forward to August, when we’ll continue fresh and rested, and when I can finally show you all the wonderful projects I’ve been working on but am not supposed to show yet!
I first met Serena Newmark when she posted a beautiful Hybrid Beard Mask (aka #luckhausmask) on Twitter, and we chatted about her pretty skull fabric! Later, Serena asked me if I’d give her an interview about my experiences as a mask pattern maker, and she turned out to be a PhD candidate at FU Berlin with a profound – and super interesting – knowledge about 19th century Prussian furniture in Texas! I feel honoured that Serena will present my Hybrid Mask in a workshop, »Clothing the Pandemic«, by ICOM International Committee for Museums and Collections of Costume, Fashion and Textile, as part of her lecture about »The Creation of an Online Art and Design Reference Library: information seeking and sharing among mask makers«, which takes place online on June 23rd at 3:10 PM CET. ➔
At first I thought I couldn’t trust my eyes, but Das Auge Werkschau is actually showing eight (!!!) of my project portfolios on their landing page as “Best Portfolios”! This is truly awesome, thank you very much! ➔
Together with tracker Stefanie Argow from HiddenTracks and Dr. Sarah Kiefer from Stadtwildtiere.de, the Citizen Science Project of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), I designed two notebooks and a gym bag, for their advertising and as an identification aid for wild animals whose tracks can be found in the city of Berlin. ➔
I’ve been working on my European Songbirds wall chart for several years, every now and then. It takes some effort to not just copy a photo, but to create a generalized cross-section from countless images – but that is exactly what helps with the identification! In addition to posters, notebooks, postcards and mugs as pictured above, there are bags, shirts, pillows, scarves, blankets, covers, stickers and many other products available on Redbubble and Søciety6 now. ➔
In the current “Welt der Wunder” magazine (6/21), there is an exciting interview with the tracker Stefanie Argow of Hidden Tracks, and they’re showing eight of the animal tracks Stefanie and I created together! ➔
Since my field guides for nature have been printed on products on RedBubble, I’ve been asked to offer German graphics too, and now they’re available as art prints, posters, postcards, pillows, blankets, bed linen, shower curtains, bath mats, mugs, water bottles, notebooks, stickers, magnets, cases, skins, bags, shirts and more amazing products! ➔
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. ➔
Right in time for the phenological inception of spring (at least those warm days feel like that!), we uploaded some fresh seasonal wallpapers and electronic greeting cards for you and your loved ones over at Lily Lux’ website! ➔
Nachdem ich schon seit einigen Jahren immer mal wieder mit der Fährtenleserin Stefanie Argow an bis ins kleinste Detail korrekten Trittsiegel-Grafiken arbeite und wir die mittlerweile auch für gemeinsame Kunden und Projekte nutzen, habe ich zuletzt unter www.irisluckhaus.de/hiddentracks eine ganz übersichtliche Verteilerseite angelegt!
It’s been a year since I first started testing mask patterns, having no idea that this would lead to making my own and helping the helpers! It’s been quite a ride since, and I am so thankful for how mask makers make this dark time feel so much brighter. Yet, there are days when everyday life feels so far away… and then, there’s a new pattern challenge, a license enquiry, a kind donation, or someone who thanks me in a way that’s so touching – and all of a sudden, I’m sure we’re gonna be fine. Thank you so much, Jenn, for brightening my day with your beautiful mask! <3 ➔
In Germany, the wearing of medical masks, i.e. FFP2 or surgical masks, became mandatory yesterday. Since I don’t think anyone will check certifications in public, this means that everything except cloth masks is allowed. I’d like to explain how masks work, how filter and fit determine their efficiency, and why a cloth mask ban doesn’t really make much sense to me. Furthermore, I’d like to point out solutions for a more responsible, safe and sustainable use of medical masks. One of these solutions could be wearing a cloth cover over medical masks, or double masking. ➔
»One of the most popular patterns was developed by Iris Luckhaus, a German illustrator and sewist. Luckhaus, who was fed up with cloth masks fogging up her glasses, made a small change to the nosepiece of a standard cloth mask design that eliminated fogging. Her post went viral on the OSCMS Facebook group with incredible user engagement and over 300 shares. Since then, tens of thousands of her cloth masks have been made around the world.« ➔
We’d like to wish you very lovely, candle-lit and heartwarming holidays (and a merry Christmas, or whatever you may be celebrating!), and all the best for a truly happy, healthy and wonderful new year Twothousandtwentyone! ➔
I adore these stylish winter hybrid masks made of chunky Pendleton wool buffalo plaid, which my sewing partner Kiri Schultz from Seattle in the Pacific Northwest made! In her family, they are jokingly called “blankets for the face”, which I find at least as pretty as the fresh fir branches and cones in the picture. I bet these masks smell great! ➔
In celebration of the St Nick‘s day, Lily Lux uploaded some hibernal gifts! Furthermore, you can find our favourite recipes for advent bakery and crafting in our Lily Lux Notizbuch or in this blog, and of course more #Winterglück.
On Lily Lux’ website, winter starts early – with seasonal crafting sheets, lovingly illustrated wallpapers and greeting cards! Furthermore, if you speak (or learn) German, you might enjoy our #Winterglück on Facebook and Twitter! ➔
I have recently equipped my shops at Søciety6 [US] and RedBubble [EU + US] with fresh illustrations, field guides, infographics, patterns and some winter specials – and I was amazed at all the new products there! In addition to prints, posters and postcards, there are now also printed furniture, curtains, pillows, blankets, carpets, bed linen, shower curtains, bath mats, coffee mugs, water bottles, trays, boards, wrapping paper, notebooks, stickers, magnets, cases, skins, bags, picnic blankets, shirts and much more – and some of them now with my designs! ➔
I am so proud that Open Source Medical Supplies is showing my Mask Tying Techniques in a beautiful pictorial pictorial cloth mask guide! Thanks to Devon for connecting and to Sophia for the great design <3
The simple, two-dimensional DIY advent calendar we made for Lily Lux a couple of years ago (including a detailed instruction how to use it with your own images) is available as a PDF for download! Above, you can see what the calendar looks like when it’s filled, and below we’re showing some other suggestions. We hope you enjoy crafting! ➔
For those who want to redecorate their walls in November or to buy their Christmas gifts early, I’m having a nice surprise: My Posterlounge shop has a discount code, »LUCKHAUS2020«, with amazing 20% savings available for the whole month, on all articels, such as posters, prints, wall stickers, canvas, wood, foam, aluminum or acrylic prints in formats from 13 x 18 cm (from € 6.95 5.56) over 30 x 40 cm (from 9.95 7.96) to 60 x 80 cm (from € 22.95 18.36)! ➔
Bastei Lübbe is giving away books on Instagram – with a nicely designed quiz, for which I have provided my animal tracks graphics! Five copies of »Reading tracks – stories that the tracks of animals tell us« by Stefanie Argow and Ulrike Fokken with illustrations by Florian Frick and me will be raffled to those who answer correctly. Good luck! ➔
I am very happy to present an amazing new book here, for which I created the track illustrations in cooperation with the (co-) author and professional tracker Stefanie Argow. »Spuren lesen – Geschichten, die uns die Fährten der Tiere erzählen« tells in an exciting, instructive and often humorous way about the stories behind animal tracks. ➔
This year, everything is different, but we still enjoy the change of seasons – and used the first autumnal chill to upload fresh wallpapers, greeting cards and printable pages over at Lily Lux. Furthermore, we’ll likely post our #Herbstglück on Facebook and Twitter again soon, so if you can read German, come visit and brighten up your fall! ➔
Today, I would like to introduce you to my amazing sewing partners, who are making masks with my hybrid pattern and selling them in online shops, on Etsy or in retail stores. Each of them has a different approach to mask making, they offer unique fabrics and ways to apply my pattern – and I think all their masks are just stunningly beautiful! In the picture above, you can see some samples by Christina King, Reusable Mask Co Australia and Samook Designs. ➔
I have created a new work sheet for the classes of tracker Stefanie Argow, with whom I am continuously working on a detailed version of my animal tracks! They are already used by WWF, IZW and Posterlounge, and will soon be part of a book too! This year’s sheet shows wolf, fox, lynx, badger, marten, bear, rabbit, squirrel, deer and wild boar. ➔
My hybrid cloth mask is still getting around! It’s sewn by volunteers and partners near and far, and recommended all over the world. After my first recommendation and review collection in June, I’ve now gathered some more! ➔
I have created a mask hub for all mask links, so if you’d like to share one of my masks, you can just type the link www.irisluckhaus.de/masks instead of jumping to your browser and looking for the bookmark :)
My amazing sewing partner Reusable Masks Co Australia shot a lovely video with beautiful Carmen on how to dress up the Hybrid Cloth Mask with head ties, and another one on how to make ear loops! I could watch them all day long, and I thought they might be useful for my readers too. Great thanks to Sarah for letting me show them! ➔
Open Source Medical Supplies is my favourite international mask making group, as there are specialists from such a wide variety of fields, helping each other and the volunteers. I have been posting and discussing my hybrid mask pattern there, helped countless volunteers to sew it and was thankful to learn about material studies and neat sewing tricks! When John Kalil asked to intervíew me for their site, I jumped right in – and now, his article is online! ➔
Since I first published my pattern for sewing the Hybrid Cloth Mask, which fits gapless (even without nosepiece!) and reliably stays in place, I’ve been asked about adjustments for special shapes and needs. In this post, I introduce a selection of these customized Hybrid patterns, and every now and then (last March 8th, 2021), I add new ones! ➔
If you take a closer look, there are so many ways to attach a face mask to your ears or head! After looking into masks in great detail over the past couple of weeks and having all these little sketches for mask tying techniques on my desk, I finally drew an infographic that shows all the different ways to tie a cloth mask with ear bands or head ties. ➔
