Saturday, March 21, 2020

Time to Sew for Hospitals? How to make a Face Mask?



I admit, I was thinking that after getting our food inventoried and more orders made, I was going to spend the day working on one of the many online quilting projects.  But now I'm going to get set up to make masks....

Targeted for San Diego, but unfortunately I think all areas now or soon will need these.

UCSD Hospital is completely out of masks, no joke. They are pleading for home-made masks. Scripps says they will be out in 3 weeks. Anyone who sews and has close weave cotton material is asked to fire up the old Singer. There is a tutorial on how to sew them on https://deaconess.com/How-to-make-a-Face-Mask If you have collected extra manufactured masks you don't really need, they need them badly. Either way I'll have a box on my front porch at XXXX Poway . These cotton masks will be washable and reusable.


The masks that you may have heard are coming from construction and 3-M will help but not not be anywhere near enough. Each health worker goes through many each day. I don't sew so I can't answer your questions but I think the CDC website may be able to.


Posted by a member of the:

San Diego Community Volunteers for Coronavirus Response

Facebook Group

How to make a Face Mask (there is a video to help make too)

What you will need

  • - Cotton fabric, a pretty print is best.
  • - Rope Elastic, beading cord elastic will work (you may also us 1/8” flat elastic)
  • - Cut the elastic 7” long and tie a knot at each end (DO NOT knot the ends of the flat)

You can make two sizes: Adult or Child

  1. Put right sides of cotton fabric together o Cut 9x6 (Adult) or 7.5 x 5 (Child) 
  2. Starting at the center of the bottom edge, sew to the first corner, stop. Sew the elastic with the edge out into the corner. A few stitches forward and back will hold this. 
  3. Sew to the next corner, stop, and bring the other end of the same elastic to the corner and sew a few stitches forward and back. 
  4. Now sew across that top of the mask to the next corner. Again put an elastic with the edge out. 
  5. Sew to the next corner and sew in the other end of the same elastic. 
  6. Sew across the bottom leaving about 1.5” to 2” open. Stop, cut the thread. Turn inside out. 
  7. Pin 3 tucks on each side of the mask. Make sure the tucks are the same direction 8. Sew around the edge of the mask twice. 
East Bay Heritage Quilters  posted these links:

Here are 4 patterns to choose from:

The Fu Face Mask has links to a how-to video and instructions and is made with “ribbon" and not elastic (something in short supply). 
Link for the pattern and video instructions: https://freesewing.org/docs/patterns/fu/
This Deaconess pattern is easy and can be made with elastic or ribbon.
Click on the link below to see the instructions and a video demo.

Another one: A.B. Mask -- for a Nurse by a Nurse is made with ties. It can fit over a N95 mask so it's a bit more complicated. Has pattern and step by step picture instructions.

And yet one more link to Kadiddlehopper for an easy pleated mask with elastic or ties.

If you get online and google "face mask patterns" you will find many more patterns.

-----

Note the date on this article - January!

The Atlantic

We Don’t Have Enough Masks

JANUARY 30, 2020

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/01/viral-masks/605761/

And then there is this from Times of San Diego
https://timesofsandiego.com/crime/2020/03/08/woman-wearing-a-surgical-mask-robs-kearny-mesa-7-eleven/



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