Facial Masks - Coronavirus

[PayrollNerd]

Wish you lived closer .... we could use your talents here! They are so pretty, Payroll. If we have to wear a faee mask, these brighten the depressing mood a lot.

I took 7 masks into my nurses at the cancer center. Boy were they excited! They loved that the loop hung around their neck. They loved the fabrics because they were cheerful. The cancer center won’t let them wear them but they’re tickled pink to have one for the grocery store! It’s the little things in life.

I cut out 8 more today. As I was doing them my kid walks thru the room and says, my boss wants to know if you can make some for the 2 dog groomers when they’re able to come back? She’s going to get approval to pay you too. I said of course but they’ll be no charge. It makes me mad to see people trying to profit big time. It’s one thing to cover the cost of materials, if you can’t afford to donate 100%. I have so much fabric, I’ll never use it all. I’ll resort to home made bias tape once I run out.

 

[BUF]

I just happened to click on this thread. I am in awe of all of you!!
I was never a sewer, wish I was. I don’t even know what bias tape is!

 

[Tbone144]

I have successfully made and distributed about 65 masks, keeping 4 for my husband and I. Just got a request for 8 more from my mom for my little niece and nephews (5 and under). Going to have to figure out how to scale down the pattern for them. After sewing all last weekend I was ready to have a lazy weekend but not yet.

Got more bias tape ordered. I’m using Threadbearfabrics. I ordered it this morning and she already has it in the mail for me. She has fun fabrics and has always done well for me and she seems to have lots of bias tape. (Hope giving her a small shout out is okay).

 

[Deleted member 158085]

I have successfully made and distributed about 65 masks, keeping 4 for my husband and I. Just got a request for 8 more from my mom for my little niece and nephews (5 and under). Going to have to figure out how to scale down the pattern for them. After sewing all last weekend I was ready to have a lazy weekend but not yet.

Got more bias tape ordered. I’m using Threadbearfabrics. I ordered it this morning and she already has it in the mail for me. She has fun fabrics and has always done well for me and she seems to have lots of bias tape. (Hope giving her a small shout out is okay).

Here are some kids sizes. Child Size Face Mask | The Stitching Scientist

 

[Tbone144]

Here are some kids sizes. Child Size Face Mask | The Stitching Scientist

Thank you. I think that will work great!

 

[Tbone144]

The pleating took a little bit to figure out but it worked pretty well. Cried making the first one because I’m making masks for kids, not just any kids but family.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Prepping for my next batch. I did a bunch of cutting today. Colorful fronts and white lining. I’ll make the ties tomorrow from the bias tape I have left. I’ll need to switch to homemade at some point.

 

[acutename]

I think denim would be difficult to breathe thru personally. It’s already upper 80s here in FL. I think it would be too hot which would discourage people from wearing them. I found some cotton in greens and browns so I made 2 in that print.

as per some expert article denim is a good filter because it is tightly woven cotton (cannot find original article- this has a fabric chart on p. 4 Box) BUT it is hard to breath through. Having seen lots of fabrics, there are lighter and heavier denims. On the plus side, it is probably temperature controlled in the hospital- not sure what is considered the right temp for ICU/critical care. With pretty much all filters, you are fighting between ability to filter and breathability....

 

[acutename]

For personal use, people that don't sew could cut sleeves or pant legs at about 6 inches (measurement from bridge of nose to under chin), slide a string in each end of the tube. No sew mask. Just need sleeves the appropriate width.

I have a sport towel (slightly stretchy) that I have folded into a triangle (so double layered) and clipped behind my head with a binder clip. It is pretty comfy, readily conforms around my nose and is easy to wash. Obviously I am not in a hospital- just a store or quick trip to a depopulated office. Supposedly cotton filters better than synthetics, but this is nubby, easy to roll the outside in when you remove it and wash and dry for the next wear.
I have also binder clipped some neck gators around my nose and this works well for another no-sew option.

 

[acutename]

I’d love to see your designs! I’ve watched more videos of different styles. I have yet to see one that I feel fits as well as the style I’m making. I’m going to add a 3/4” x 3” channel just below the nose by stitching across horizontally. Then, wearers can insert a folded piece of aluminum foil or pipe cleaner. They can remove it before they wash it.

I went for treatment today. There were a lot of people wearing homemade masks. The cafe lady was rockin’ one with rhinestones. LOL! Everyone was remarking on mine. The way it fit, the style and the print. It’s the anchor print with 22” elastic. I also saw a few people with ill fitting masks that were the rectangular pleats but the strings were along the top and bottom, not on the sides. It made for very wide gaps at the cheeks and very little coverage of the nose.

are you just having the elastic go behind your neck and around the middle of the head- so no loops pulling on your ears and no ties to tie/untie? seems like a better way (until the elastic gets stretched out, but cross that bridge later).

 

[Deleted member 158085]

I have a sport towel (slightly stretchy) that I have folded into a triangle (so double layered) and clipped behind my head with a binder clip. It is pretty comfy, readily conforms around my nose and is easy to wash. Obviously I am not in a hospital- just a store or quick trip to a depopulated office. Supposedly cotton filters better than synthetics, but this is nubby, easy to roll the outside in when you remove it and wash and dry for the next wear.
I have also binder clipped some neck gators around my nose and this works well for another no-sew option.

I would be leery of fabric that stretches or is nubby. Sounds like it might not be a very tight weave. It may be better than a gator or bandana, though, which offer very little protection.

Of course, if you line any of those options with a blue shop cloth, I would feel a lot better about your safety.

 

[acutename]

Only got two done tonight after work. Each one takes 30 minutes with making the ties and not pushing myself. Hope my stuff (now over due) arrives soon. I’m out of shape for sewing this long. I walk the dogs 2 miles every day, row 30 minutes every other day but being at the sewing machine with my extra time is making me stiff an sore. May have to treat myself to a massage when this is all said and done. Wore one of my fabric creations into FedEx Kinkos and you would have thought I had two heads. Everyone sort of stopped and stared pretty sure if there was a record playing it would have scratched. One glove and a mask and I was apparently a freak show. Oh well, my thought was I don’t know where you people have been; who you have been around. Anyone else worn theirs in public? The guys at work were very grateful for theirs, now if they wear them or not, I don’t know.

now required in stores here... a lot of people have medical masks or N95s anyway- assume they had them for trade work or they have a condition and need them. in my neighborhood, walking dogs, etc. many people do not wear anything but it has gone from 0 to about 50% in the last week or so. CDC did do an about face (sic) saying no masks necessary and then masks helpful.

 

[acutename]

I would be leery of fabric that stretches or is nubby. Sounds like it might not be a very tight weave. It may be better than a gator or bandana, though, which offer very little protection.

Of course, if you line any of those options with a blue shop cloth, I would feel a lot better about your safety.

cannot get any shop cloths....everything that appears in the press disappears from stores. At this point, I am supposed to be protecting the world from my exhalations, not protecting myself I did order some better masks but they have not arrived. The exact area I live in is not too highly populated and the town does not have a lot of cases- have been monitoring that too- though it only takes one infected person I guess.

 

[acutename]

I wear mine even when doing the drive thru pantry which is now completely touchless. (You open your trunk, they drop stuff in, close your trunk, you drive off.) I wear it to my cancer treatment the entire time I’m there.

I don’t get many made each day either. Today I only made 1 from scratch because the nausea was so bad, I had to go lie down. As I felt good, I made the ties and threaded them thru the bodies. We have our first batch to donate tomorrow.

looks like professional seamstress work....

 

[acutename]

here is another article about the fabric testing:

https://www.designworldonline.com/c...heres-the-science-behind-mask-materials/ently breathable


the so called tea towels filter pretty well but are not eminently
breathable. I did try out some towels and scarves. the CDC said that for the general public, the idea of the mask is to protect others from
your coughs, sneezes, exhalations. people are now moving toward outright
protecting themselves which the do it yourself masks are not really supposed to be able to do.

 

[PayrollNerd]

are you just having the elastic go behind your neck and around the middle of the head- so no loops pulling on your ears and no ties to tie/untie? seems like a better way (until the elastic gets stretched out, but cross that bridge later).

I used 22” of elastic, all one piece tied in a knot so it’s adjustable. Good quality elastic won’t stretch out for a very long time as in years. Not sure if I posted the photo as it was worn but yes it keeps it off the ears. It also allows it to hang at your neck instead of removing it. I’ve heard the nurses talking about the ear elastic hurting their ears and of them falling off when they lean over. The ones with the continuous tie has the same benefits. I’ve washed both types with great success, ironed them dry to sterilize them.

 

[PayrollNerd]

as per some expert article denim is a good filter because it is tightly woven cotton (cannot find original article- this has a fabric chart on p. 4 Box) BUT it is hard to breath through. Having seen lots of fabrics, there are lighter and heavier denims. On the plus side, it is probably temperature controlled in the hospital- not sure what is considered the right temp for ICU/critical care. With pretty much all filters, you are fighting between ability to filter and breathability....

As a cancer patient in SWFL, it’s too dang hot to wear 3 layers of fabric. When they take my temp, it’s higher just wearing the mask. They make me wait for a minute after I slide the mask down, so they can get an accurate reading.

I’ve donated my masks to the oncology depts and told them to use a clean, unscented and dry baby wipe as a filter. It’s a best option and disposable.

 

[Deleted member 158085]

@PayrollNerd , can you show a pic of an example of the type you said that was gappy? You wrote that the elastic or ties were at the top and bottom on those and I’m having a hard time picturing that. I want to be sure any new patterns I try are not like this because it would be a waste of time and materials.

And I am trying other patterns because I don’t feel confident that I can get the type you and I are making to fit my co-worker without at least a half dozen tries. He is a very large man with a very large head. He’s also my bud, and my work partner, so it’s important I get him protected properly.

 

[PayrollNerd]

@PayrollNerd , can you show a pic of an example of the type you said that was gappy? You wrote that the elastic or ties were at the top and bottom on those and I’m having a hard time picturing that. I want to be sure any new patterns I try are not like this because it would be a waste of time and materials.

And I am trying other patterns because I don’t feel confident that I can get the type you and I are making to fit my co-worker without at least a half dozen tries. He is a very large man with a very large head. He’s also my bud, and my work partner, so it’s important I get him protected properly.

This is one of the better ones with ties on top and bottom. Most people I’ve seen wearing this style have big gaps on the side because you can’t pull the ties tight enough to fit well.

 

[JudgeJoe]

Prepping for my next batch. I did a bunch of cutting today. Colorful fronts and white lining. I’ll make the ties tomorrow from the bias tape I have left. I’ll need to switch to homemade at some point.

Gotta be some competition for those Scooby & flamingo ones- very cool!