Tottie the Pug Mask

After the media whirlwind of Tottie's Halloween costume, I joked to my coworkers that I was going to be Tottie for Halloween. After thinking about it a little bit, I decided that it actually wasn't a half bad idea! I used some felt to create this Tottie the pug mask! You can download a free .pdf pattern for the mask here.

To create your own Tottie the Pug mask for Halloween, or a dress up accessory for the kiddies, you will need:

Scissors
fabric glue (you can also hand sew the pieces if you prefer
felt in at least 3 colors (I chose an oatmeal color, dark brown and black)
piece of elastic (you could substitute string to tie it on, but elastic is preferred)
the printed out pattern pieces

Start by printing out your pattern and cutting out all of the pieces carefully. Next, trace each piece onto the appropriate colored felt and cut them out (or pin the paper pieces directly to the felt and cut around them). I wanted my pug to look as much like Tottie as possible so I used the oatmeal color for the main face cutout, the black for her nose, and the dark brown for all of the other pieces. If you want to make a pug that is special to you, pick out felt colors that resemble your own pug!

After your pieces are cut out, arrange them onto the main face portion of the mask. Once you are satisfied with the placement, use fabric glue to glue them in place (or sew them on if you prefer). Last, attach your elastic band (one end attached to each side of the mask). I usually hold my mask up to my face (or the face of whoever will be wearing the mask) and see where the elastic will best match up with their ears so I know where to attack my elastic so it will be comfortable. I also trim my elastic so it doesn't require tons of stretching to fit around my head, if it stretches too much it will wear out quickly and the elastic will need to be replaced well before your mask has been worn out.

A few tips: If you are making a mask you intend to keep a longer period of time, you may want to cut out 2 pieces of the mask base (main face) portion of the mask and sew them together with a tiny bit of stuffing. This will give your mask a sturdier base to attach your other pieces to. Sewing your pieces together rather than using glue will also make a more permanent attachment that is longer lasting (and using a blanket stitch along edges can smooth them out and make them look neater if your cutting left something to be desired).

Enjoy your new pug mask!