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Making facemasks

Posted by ihatediabetes @ihatediabetes, Mar 25, 2020

Hi everyone, I am spending time learning to sew and making facemasks for the hospitals. They asked for volunteers to make these due to shortage. I spent several days trying to hand-sew masks. It was so time consuming. So I bought a $99 sewing machine from Walmart and have been learning to use it by making facemasks. I still can't reload a bobbin so I bought preloaded bobbins. I haven't sewed since I was in home economics class in 8th grade. I plan to donate these 11 facemasks tomorrow at a local hospital. They have a drive-through lane for donations.

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mayofeb2020 | @mayofeb2020 | Mar 31, 2020

@gingerw ... Where do you get the pattern? Can I find it online? Thanks.

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1 reply
Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Mar 31, 2020
In reply to @mayofeb2020 "@gingerw ... Where do you get the pattern? Can I find it online? Thanks." + (show)
@mayofeb2020

@gingerw ... Where do you get the pattern? Can I find it online? Thanks.

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@mayofeb2020 There is a pattern used by Deaconess Hospital, https://www.deaconess.com/How-to-make-a-Face-Mask Or you can simply google "how to make a face mask" and get many hits.
Ginger

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Mentor
Becky, Volunteer Mentor | @becsbuddy | Apr 1, 2020
In reply to @colleenyoung "@gingerw and @ihatediabetes, what guidance have you found about reusing the cloth face masks? How long..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

@gingerw and @ihatediabetes, what guidance have you found about reusing the cloth face masks? How long can they be worn? How do you take them off safely? How should they be washed? How should they be stored after use but before they are washed?

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@colleenyoung I’ve been doing a lot of research on the masks. What I have found out is that our home made masks won’t prevent the virus, but they can help with social isolation. Signals people to stay 6’ away. Also, reminds you not to touch your face. It is impossible to find the right filters for the “to-code” masks, anyway.

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2 replies
Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Apr 1, 2020
In reply to @becsbuddy "@colleenyoung I’ve been doing a lot of research on the masks. What I have found out..." + (show)
@becsbuddy

@colleenyoung I’ve been doing a lot of research on the masks. What I have found out is that our home made masks won’t prevent the virus, but they can help with social isolation. Signals people to stay 6’ away. Also, reminds you not to touch your face. It is impossible to find the right filters for the “to-code” masks, anyway.

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@becsbuddy I figure anything is better than nothing. If you have a homemade mask and one of the "good" ones, you can put the homemade over it. Lengthen the lifespan of real one, and look fashionable at the same time. C'mon, you know there are people who want to look stylish while being in compliance to social isolation. The ones I make have a wide variety of fabric choices, but all are 100% heavy quilting cotton ;))
Ginger

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fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Apr 2, 2020
In reply to @gingerw "I have been sewing masks for a couple of weeks. Some have elastic, some have ties...." + (show)
@gingerw

I have been sewing masks for a couple of weeks. Some have elastic, some have ties. Everything except the elastic is cotton. I have a huge stash of quilting cotton being used. A local county group is requesting 1000 face masks a week, and the kits they are supplying ask for elastic if you have it, or anything if you don't! These are going to nursing homes, health workers. I will be taking a variety of masks to my dermatologist's office this week. I have given them to grocery store workers, the postman, or those who ask me if I have a spare one to gift them. I think this will answer @contentandwell's question.
Ginger

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Ginger, It is Great that you and so many others are making and donating masks to the many who are working to help keep the rest of us safe!

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Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Apr 2, 2020

I just came back from a quick, early morning trip to Walmart in my community - over half the people shopping in the store had on face masks (I had my homemade one) and several were wearing protective gloves. There were a few employees in masks as well, which the manager told me was their personal choice. Only one regular checkout was open, all else was self-check. An employee cleaned each self-check station with a fresh sanitizer wipe between customers, including counter, display & keypad. Covid-19 is spreading rapidly here, this was the first time I left my little community in over a week, and I was impressed to see how much more seriously it is being taken in that short time.
So we have a small stock of homemade masks on my patio, neighbors drop by to select one or two for their own protection. If the pile gets any smaller, we'll go back into production...
Sue

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1 reply
mayofeb2020 | @mayofeb2020 | Apr 2, 2020
In reply to @sueinmn "I just came back from a quick, early morning trip to Walmart in my community -..." + (show)
@sueinmn

I just came back from a quick, early morning trip to Walmart in my community - over half the people shopping in the store had on face masks (I had my homemade one) and several were wearing protective gloves. There were a few employees in masks as well, which the manager told me was their personal choice. Only one regular checkout was open, all else was self-check. An employee cleaned each self-check station with a fresh sanitizer wipe between customers, including counter, display & keypad. Covid-19 is spreading rapidly here, this was the first time I left my little community in over a week, and I was impressed to see how much more seriously it is being taken in that short time.
So we have a small stock of homemade masks on my patio, neighbors drop by to select one or two for their own protection. If the pile gets any smaller, we'll go back into production...
Sue

Jump to this post

It's very generous of you to make masks for your neighbors. I hope they have clean hands when they pick and choose. I have not venture outside my house except for my walk. I did take my car for a spin so the battery would work if I should need to go out. My neighbor went to a grocery store at 6 am during senior hour and there were only 5 customers in the store.

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1 reply
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Apr 5, 2020

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) just published an expanded version of their guidance on cloth face masks.

Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html

On this page, you will find information about:
– How to Wear a Cloth Face Covering
– Should cloth face coverings be washed or otherwise cleaned regularly? How regularly?
– How does one safely sterilize/clean a cloth face covering?
– How does one safely remove a used cloth face covering?
– Instructions on how to make a cloth mask

See additional information here:
– Recommendation Regarding the Use of Cloth Face Coverings, Especially in Areas of Significant Community-Based Transmission https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html
– Cloth Face Coverings: Questions and Answers https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-faq.html

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