Latest face mask report from South Texas - When last I wrote, our small group had made 50 masks, and were running low on supplies. Last week, 3 chance connections sent us back into production. Since then, we had made and given away another 30 or more to people who live in our community because mask wearing in public is mandatory here, and sent some to friends and relatives around the country.

The latest story:
First, the local quilt Mom & Pop shop was allowed to operate as long as nobody else entered the store, so I was able to place a phone order for curbside pickup of an assortment of fabric.

Second, a "friend of a friend" posted that she knew someone willing to donate quantities of lingerie elastic for mask making and we quickly said "Yes, please!" That led to a large box of elastic being brought to my patio to be wound into hanks, sorted and delivered to 4 groups of sewers. We entertained several workers for a couple of hours - with neighbors watching from afar - as we untangled, cut, wound and batched...

Third, the school district where my summer home is located reported in a community involvement meeting that they had no masks for the workers providing care to the children of essential workers, kids coming to them every day after being exposed to medical, first responder, and retail worker parents at home.
So we went back into the mask-making business Friday and Saturday, with "Sue's Sweat Shop" (my brother's name for it) in full-fledged operation on my patio. At the end of the day, we had (again) depleted our fabric supply - we're down to hand-sized scraps. We have now made over 150 masks, and will be sending 50 of them out tomorrow to the first school that responded. They will be accompanied by wearing, removal and washing instructions.

It feels wonderful to be able to do something productive in this stressful time. We know homemade masks aren't perfect, but we worked hard on a design that it quick to make, easy to fit to a variety of faces, sturdy, and relatively comfortable to wear. We have refined the design to include a nose wire, open top for inserting a filter, and around-the head elastic (all-day wearers almost all find the ear loops too uncomfortable for full-time wear.)

Has anyone else found willing takers for masks? Where are you finding supplies?

Our factory is closing now as we prepare to return to our distant homes. It has been such a great experience that we will undoubtedly be looking for a new service project for next winter. And I have no doubt that I will be a "factory of one" producing more masks from my abundant supply of fabric when I get home.
Sue in MN

Jump to this post