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Homemade Leather Mask

Working with leather is possible due to its durability and aesthetics. It is also a craft utilized as a craft for hundreds of years. Purchasing a leather mask is often costly, depending on what you wish to use it for. For beginning crafters, one of the easiest masks to make is a sleep mask. The leather takes the simple item and gives it a different look. You can purchase the materials at a local craft or fabric store, and only need a basic working knowledge of how to use a sewing machine for this craft project.

Before you Sew
- Print the sleeping mask pattern or free-hand one of your own. Measure your face from temple to temple, and from the middle of your forehead to the bridge of your nose and adapt the pattern to your own measurements. Note that it's already cut for the nose shape.
Sewing the Mask
- Be certain that you're using leather that is already cured and ready for sewing. If you prefer, use faux leather from the store. You will need less than 1/2 a yard of leather, as well as 1/2 a yard of cotton, felt or other material to use for lining. Place the pattern, or the adapted pattern, onto your leather and cut out the mask. Note the two holes on each side near the temples. This is for the elastic and is added later. Do the same for the lining. Pin the two pieces together using several straight pins. Switch your machine to "topstitch." For an added flair, use a metallic thread. Topstitch around the entire mask, so that the two pieces are sewn together. Topstitch around the two holes using hand stitching, or machine if you're especially savvy with a sewing machine. Cut the black elastic to match the width of your head. Allow an extra two inches for tying the knots. Insert the elastic on each end and tie them off. Sew through the elastic knots with a basic straight stitch so that the knots do not come undone.
Adapting the Mask for Mardi Gras
- On your pattern, free-hand two eye-holes. Place the cut out pattern to your face and draw the eyes, then cut them out. To make a Mardi Gras mask, complete the same basic design for the sleep mask, making sure to edge the eye-holes with ribbon so that they do not look unfinished. To edge the eye-holes with ribbon, just glue the ribbon to the holes, with a strong fabric craft glue, cutting away the excess. Add feathers to the mask to give it a festive look.
Further adapt a Leather Mask for Mardi Gras
- There are many ways to make Mardi Gras masks
  
  Buy and decorate a mask wand, topping it with ribbon, beads, flowers, or feathers by gluing with a strong craft glue. Change your mask pattern to add two inches of extra fabric on your dominant hand side. If you are left handed, put the excess fabric on the left. Since you are adding materials to the leather mask, stitch around the eye holes and the perimeter of the mask with a basic stitch. Fold over the extra fabric and insert the mask wand, stitching it to the mask so that you can hold up the mask with one hand instead of wearing it with elastic. Line up glittery beads, or faux gemstones and glue them around the eye-holes and the mask itself. Glue the shaft of the feather to the back of the mask so that the feathers stick up near the forehead. Green and purple are two predominant colors of Mardi Gras, but any bold color will make your leather mask memorable.

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