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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Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Apr 22, 2020

In reply to @lesflowers "I have a question to anyone making masks. What are you using for a metal nosepiece,..." + (show)

@lesflowers Hi, for occasional users, we don't use a noespiece.
For daily users, we use real pipecleaners from a smoke shop, made of white cotton type chenille with aluminum wires. They are shorter than the craft ones, and we bend the ends over on themselves about 1/2" to avoid poking the face. My cousin was using copper electrical wire stripped of its insulation and bent on the ends - fine gauge wored best.
Wire reinforced masks must be handwashed and air dried.
Also, for daily users, we leave the top open so a filter can be inserted if desired.
Sue

woogie | @woogie | Apr 25, 2020

In reply to @becsbuddy "@colleenyoung I’ve been doing a lot of research on the masks. What I have found out..." + (show)

I cannot even sew a button on properly. Don't laugh, it's true! I end up with the thread knotting, breaking, getting blood on what I'm trying to put the button on--OH, I am a mess. No way could I make a mask! Anyway, I did read this: you can take a new filter for a sweeper--one which is for HVAC--anyway, and sew this into the mask. I can't remember now. I have a problem with my memory! Perhaps you may research this??? God bless you! May we all stay sane and well during this time of isolation! I have hibernated since December. I was ill then this happened. I am very happy to have a computer. It's old but it works! I ordered it from QVC. Can you believe that and it is several years old.