All about New Year's masks

Carnival mask - an integral attribute of the New Year celebration. It is quite easy to make an unusual accessory for both adults and children on your own.

Dress up in carnival costumes for the New Year - a tradition that has existed for more than a dozen years. Even among the Slavs on Christmastide, it was customary to wear masks and outlandish costumes, for example, bears, goats and cows, kikimors and waterfishes. The outfits of representatives of different social groups were also popular, for example, a girl could transform into a wise old man, and a young guy into a well-to-do lady. Each costume and each festive mask had its own deep meaning. In 1722, Peter I held the first New Year's masquerade ball. At the same time, New Year's masks were even called a mandatory attribute, because without them, they could not be allowed on the holiday.

The variety of beautiful masks for children and adults is limited only by your own imagination. All of them can be done made of paper or cardboard, but models made of felt are much more attractive. The simplest carnival mask covers only the eyes of a person and does not require any specific components. Having cut out the base according to the template, you can decorate it with sparkles, beads and other decor. Masks depicting an animal are always relevant. - a symbol of the coming year. Versatile, they are suitable for both boys and girls.It should be added that when designing such "naturalistic" accessories, one should not strive for maximum repetition of the original - it is much better if they are simply funny.

In any case, the mask should be smart and match the costume. To make a mask, you can use:

• paper;
• felt;
• plastic plates;
• papier mache;
• the cloth;
• polymer clay.

Giving preference to children's felt accessories, at home you will be able to create a very cute mouse face with your own hands. It is quick and convenient to work with soft material, and therefore it will also be pleasant to make a craft. For needlework, you will need sheets of felt in gray and pink shades, as well as threads in black, gray and pink. You cannot do without a narrow satin ribbon of any color to match, with the help of which the mask will be put on. All actions will be easy to perform with scissors, a needle and a simple pencil.

1. The manufacture of a mask begins with the fact that a template of the finished design with all the details is drawn on paper. The pattern is outlined on gray felt and cut out using regular scissors.
2. The nose and the middle of the ears are created from pink felt, which are then sewn to the gray blank with pink threads. It is recommended to use regular stitches for work.
3. The mustache and eyebrows of a mouse can simply be embroidered with black thread, moving "back with a needle".
4. The satin ribbon is cut in half, after which the edges are processed with a lighter so that the threads do not creep. The strings are sewn onto the mask with gray threads just below the mouse ears.
5. To complete the work, you can emphasize the outline of the entire mask with black stitches.

The following video demonstrates the above process of creating a mouse mask.

Standard carnival mask, which is suitable for both adults and children, you can also construct from felt. In addition to the sheets for the base, you will need a ribbon or elastic band to form strings and a glue gun with rods. Small rhinestones, feathers, sequins and sparkles are suitable as decor.

1. At the preparatory stage, a pattern is drawn on the cardboard. Since the mask is made for adults, it is enough that it just slightly covers the eye area.
2. The felt itself can be chosen either in black or in a shade to match the festive outfit. Having transferred the template to the main material of the work, it is necessary to cut out the mask with scissors.
3. The perimeter of the decoration is made using sequin braid. The area around the eyes is processed with the same tape or decorated with sequins set on glue. Several bright feathers are glued to the top of the mask.
4. The joints are additionally masked with rhinestones or colorful semi-beads. If the accessory for the New Year's carnival lacks color, then you can randomly cover the felt surface with beads, sequins or rhinestones.
5. Upon completion of the work, the strings are sewn to the mask.

Openwork will look luxurious felt mask. To create it, you only need a material of a suitable shade and a braid of the same color used for the ties.

1. A template is created from plain white paper, which is then redrawn onto felt. Further, the openwork mask must be cut out, but since it has a large number of holes of different shapes, it is better to do this with the help of well-sharpened nail scissors.
2. Satin ties are either glued or sewn onto the finished mask. As a rule, fifty-centimeter fragments of a thin ribbon are enough for this, the edges of which are scorched to prevent the threads from spreading.

The baby Christmas costume may also require mask-cap from the same felt. For example, it could be image of a bear, on the basis of which other animals are then created.To work from materials, you will need several felt sheets: 3 pieces of a dark brown shade, 1 light brown and 1 black. The eye sockets of the mask are constructed of white felt, although you can also use simple mother-of-pearl beads. To fix individual elements, you will need either glue or a needle and thread of the appropriate shade.

1. The work begins with the fact that a template in the form of a semicircle is created on a sheet of plain A4 paper.
2. Taking the pattern as a basis, you will need to cut out two dark brown blanks, that is, the front and back of the cap.
3. At the bottom of the workpiece, half a circle is drawn, the maximum height of which is 4 centimeters. This step will improve the fit of the mask on the head.
4. Separate templates are cut out for the small details of the bear's face. Using them, it is necessary to cut out details of light brown, dark brown and black shades.
5. Small pieces are either glued or sewn to the front of the mask. The ears are laid between the front and back, after which both halves of the structure are connected.
6. The center of the eyes is decorated with either white felt or beads.

You can find out how to make a carnival mask with your own hands below.