DIY Steampunk Halloween Mask

Here’s is the 2nd DIY Halloween mask I’ve created this year. It’s simple, yet time intensive to create. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Mask (I purchased mine from Party City for 99 cents)
• Reproduction Gears (I don’t recommend using actual gears since the weight of real gears will pull the mask away or down from your face because of the additional weight)
• Brads
• Needle & thread (matching the color of your mask)
• Embroidery needle
• Marker, fabric crayon, or chalk
• Scissors
• Tacky Glue (or any other all-purpose glue)
• An awl
• Cotton Cloth or felt (for backing your mask)
• Fabric Antique Spray (optional)
• Work surface (I have a portable thick wood piece that I use)

Steps:

1. Antique your mask (optional). I used an antique fabric spray. It dulled the newness of the mask nicely.
2. Untie your elastic head strap from your mask. Set elastic aside for later.
3. Spread your cloth (or felt) out flat on the table. Trace the outline of your mask & the eye holes with chalk or fabric crayon. Here’s what it should look like fully traced. Be sure to also mark where your holes are for re-attaching your elastic band.
4. Cut inside the lines you’ve created for yourself. Cutting inside the lines ensures that your cloth won’t stick out past your mask & be seen from the front.
5. Once you’ve finished cutting around the outside of your mask, it’s time to cut out the eyes. Begin by partially folding your mask and cutting slits in the middle of the space for the eyes.
6. After you’ve made these slits, it will be easier to maneuver your scissors to cut the holes for the eyes.
7. Place your cut cloth (or felt) piece on the back of your mask. Trim any fabric that hangs over your mask. Set aside.
8. Now you can begin placing your gears onto your mask. I like to figure out placement before permanently fixing the gears to the mask. Take a picture once you’re done so that you can easily remember your gear placement.
9. Once you’re happy with the placement of your gears–mark where you’ll need to place brads (or stitches) with a marker or piece of chalk. I suggest using a writing utensil that will either wash away or blend into your mask. (Please note that I have not done this & some of my markings do still show. I wanted this step to be clear and so I used a black sharpie instead of a silver one.)
10. Remove all gears from your mask. On your work surface, begin poking small holes using your awl on the places you’ve marked. Be sure that your holes are not too big. Here is the mask with all of its holes made.
11. Now you can start attaching your gears in place! Pull up your picture to help you recall placement. Affix each gear using a small brad. Load your brad first with the gear and then the mask. Push the brad firmly in place. Flip over your mask to the back side and pull apart the brad’s two prongs while holding the front of the brad firmly in place with your finger. You can also sew the brad onto your mask using a needle & matching thread. This is not as quick as using a brad, but for gears that cannot be affixed to your mask with a brad (i.e. a gear with a huge gap in the middle), this is the only method that works. Be sure to keep your stitches tiny & neat, tie sturdy knots on the back of your mask, and to place at least 2 stitches for each gear (on opposite side of each other to keep the gear from flapping around).
12. Once you’ve attached all of your gears, flip over your mask to the back side. Using tacky glue (or any all-purpose glue), spread an even amount of glue over all of your cloth (or felt) mask piece.
13. Press the cloth piece in place. Smooth out any air bubbles. Let the glue dry completely (approximately 10-15 minutes; and for felt, 15-20 minutes).
14. Grab your elastic that you set aside earlier. To re-attach it, thread it onto an embroidery needle & pull it through the existing hole. Be sure to pull the elastic from the front of the mask to the back.
15. Remove the elastic from the embroidery needle & knot it.
16. Repeat steps 14 & 15 for the other side.
17. Wear proudly! As always, Merry Making! I am also excited to announce that I will be teaching a class on how to make this very mask at the Schusterman-Benson Library on October 21st! Check out more details here! I am also co-organizing Swap-o-Rama-Rama again & this year it’s better than ever! We’re swapping & re-vamping Halloween costumes! RSVP on Facebook. Also tune in to Good Day Tulsa on Tuesday (Oct. 14th) between 9-10 am to hear more about our fun projects!