Calavera Face Mask ITH – Free Machine Embroidery Design - 3 sizes

Calavera Sugar Skull Face Mask ITH is a free digital machine embroidery design for making a complete textile costume mask in the hoop. Large white teeth, a black skull nose, graphic outlines, green leaves, purple flowers, and bright yellow, pink, and burgundy details create a bold design for Halloween costumes, carnivals, themed parties, and Day of the Dead-inspired photo shoots. The ZIP archive includes one child size and two adult sizes. This listing contains files for an embroidery machine; no finished mask or materials are shipped. The finished item is a decorative costume accessory, not a medical mask or respirator.

Design Details

Sizes and Minimum Hoop Fields

Formats: .dst, .jef, .pec, .vip, .hus, .pes, .exp, .sew, .dat, vp3, xxx

How to Download and Stitch the Mask

1. Add the free design to the cart with paid products totaling at least $3 and complete checkout. The files in the order will then be available for download.
2. Unzip the archive and select the size that fits your machine's embroidery field. Do not resize the ITH file in embroidery software.
3. Hoop a fabric-like water-soluble stabilizer smoothly and prepare the outer fabric, lining, and elastic according to the PDF instruction.
4. Stitch the blocks in their original sequence and do not use automatic color sorting: repeated thread numbers and stops are part of the ITH assembly.
5. Add the fabric, lining, and elastic only at the stages shown in the instruction. Keep loose elastic ends away from the needle before each construction seam.
6. After stitching is complete, remove the mask from the stabilizer, dissolve the remaining stabilizer as directed by its manufacturer, and check the fit before making the final elastic adjustment.

INSTRUCTION

The button opens the step-by-step PDF for this exact mask. More compatible projects are available in the In the Hoop Face Masks category.

Madeira Classic Color Chart for All Three Sizes

All three original technical charts use the same palette: 8 Madeira Classic colors and 12 color changes. The numbers below are connected to specific parts of the mask. Do not combine repeated colors automatically because their position in the sequence matters.

The color swatches are an on-screen reference only; use the Madeira number from the original chart as the primary guide. For Isacord, Sulky, Brother, and other brands, use the thread color converter to find the nearest match, then compare it with a physical thread chart and test-stitch the palette.

More Face Masks from This Series

Sugar Skull Face Mask with Earrings – 2 Sizes

ITH Sugar Skull Face Mask with Earrings – 3 Sizes

In the Hoop Skull Face Mask – 4 Sizes

ITH Smiling Halloween Face Mask

Fabric, Stabilizer, Needle, and Thread

Fabric: begin with smooth cotton poplin or another stable woven fabric around 110–150 g/m² (3.2–4.4 oz/yd²) for the outer layer. A soft cotton of a similar or slightly lighter weight works for the lining against the face. Heavy twill combined with the dense fills will make the mask heavier and stiffer.

Stabilizer: a fabric-like water-soluble stabilizer, such as Gunold Solvy Fabric W40B, helps the mask remain soft and flexible after the stabilizer is removed. Hoop it taut and wrinkle-free. If one layer noticeably flexes under the dense design, test two layers on a fabric sample. Tear-away stabilizer supports the stitches but produces a firmer finished mask.

Needle and thread: for Madeira Classic Rayon 40, Madeira Polyneon 40, Isacord 40, or an equivalent 40-weight thread, begin with a new 75/11 embroidery needle. Polyester is more practical than rayon for an item that may be washed frequently. Treat conversions to other brands as nearest matches, not exact equivalents.

Elastic: soft round elastic about 3 mm (1/8") in diameter or flat elastic 4–6 mm (5/32–1/4") wide can reduce pressure behind the ears when its length is adjusted after a fitting. Follow the PDF instruction for the correct placement and attachment stage.

Practical Questions