Information about Sewing Masks in the time of COVID-19

*This page is being updated as needed – SCROLL DOWN for free patterns, VIDEOS and other info!*

Dear Big-Hearted Sewing Friends,

We are now living in a time where a protective face mask must be worn in public to stay safe, combined with social distancing and other health protocols like frequent hand washing. We are now understanding why Asian citizens wear masks in public…it is just common sense!

The majority of Americans now understand the importance of reducing transmission by wearing masks. Many states are under facemask mandates, including here in Colorado.

Many of our customers made hundreds or even thousands of facemasks to be donated to healthcare and other front line workers, then moved on to make masks for Navajo and Lakota reservations, Homeless populations and Low-Income communities. We have worked closely with the Boulder Emergency Taskforce to provide masks for local frontline workers. Now there are calls for masks for students and teachers as the school year approaches. Some of you who lost your jobs have supplemented your income by making masks to sell.

Neck Gaiter Face Masks are becoming more popular. The best are double-layer with an opening for inserting a filter such as Oly-Fun or other nonwoven. Cotton Jersey is used to make these stretchy tubes that are pulled over the face. New links below for easy Neck Gaiter instructions/patterns.

Another concern for the school year is for students playing wind instruments in Band. There are also links below for those needing specialty masks for students blowing on brass and woodwind instruments, and in some cases to also cover the musical instrument’s air exit point(s).

Sewing patterns for face masks:

DIY Face Mask Pattern Videos from Japan – Many Styles!

Valami Face Mask Pattern

How to Make Adult Mask with Ties – Deaconess

A.B. Mask – By a Nurse, for a Nurse

Fitted Mask with Adjustable Elastic – Video Tutorial

How to Make Your Own Face Mask – CNN

If You Really Must Use Elastic – READ THIS (Ties are Better!)

Save the Gaiters!

A small study prompted fears that neck gaiters could spread more virus droplets than they stop. But new research shows that those face coverings can protect just as well as other cloth masks.

Neck Gaiter Face Mask Patterns:

https://sweetredpoppy.com/how-to-make-a-neck-gaiter-face-mask-sewing-tutorial/

https://www.sewcanshe.com/blog/how-to-sew-a-gaiter-style-face-mask-for-men-or-women

Gaiter Face Mask Pattern – Easy, Fast, & Versatile!

  • 19″-19.5″ – Youth Small
  • 19.75″ – 20.25″ – Youth Medium
  • 20.75″-21.25″ – Youth Large
  • 21.5″-22″ – Adult Small
  • 22.5″-23″ – Adult Medium
  • 23.5″-24″ – Adult Large

Considerations for Masks with Windows (for Teachers)

https://makermask.org/key-considerations-for-window-masks/

Specialty Face Masks and Wind Instrument Masks for Students and Musicians:

http://www.unitedsound.org/mask – Several! great wind instrument mask ideas

Musician demonstrates several ideas for ‘masking’ instruments.

Teacher demonstrates flute mask to control air.

Consider others who need masks in your community:

First Responders – EMT, Ambulance, Police and Fire/Emergency workers.

Other Health Care Workers – Senior living facilities, Nursing Homes, Home Care workers.

Government Workers – We are coordinating with the governor’s office to supply those who are still working – making sure our state govt keeps running – including sending out tax refunds. Who is going to work keeping the lights on in your state?

UPS, FedEx and Postal Service delivery employees!

RTD, Lyft, Uber or Via Drivers. Meals on Wheels delivery.

Daycare workers, Foodbank volunteers. Grocery store and cashier staff.

Nursing home residents, homeless communities, prison communities.

Food Delivery Workers – Instacart, Restaurant Delivery Takeout Services.

Airport, government and construction staff required to stay open during shutdown. Law enforcement and security personnel.

Veterinarian staff, animal shelters and pet boarding services.

Here in the Boulder area we are a collection point, for healthcare workers and government workers who have to work during the pandemic. We are in touch with the governor’s office and Boulder Community Hospital for distribution.  You can email me at [email protected] and I can arrange to be a personal collection point on an evening or weekend if you can’t make it to our office during business hours. (Mon – Fri, 7:30 am to 6 pm)

Mask and PPE collection:

eQuilter.com – Boulder Colorado

6201 Spine Rd in Gunbarrel (1/2 block west of 63rd St)

Office Hours – 7:30 am to 6 pm – Monday through Friday

Phone: 303-527-0856

MASKS SAVE LIVES –

Universal mask-wearing is the most overlooked COVID-19 lifesaver

https://www.maskssavelives.org

https://masksnow.org/

Chart from Bob Huttinga PA – explaining how DIY face masks help:

 

High thread count cottons like BATIKS and HAND-DYES (and the PFD greige goods for batiks) are more effective than the standard 60×60 greige goods used for quilt cottons. High thread count fabrics in general are best – look for Premium Muslins and Solids with high thread counts. Light colors are preferred by healthcare workers so they can see when the masks are dirty.

Lining masks with flannel or nonwoven fabrics increases the filtering quality. Many mask-making groups are using Pellon Nonwovens (NON-fusible!) and products like Polypropylene (Oly-Fun) for filtering liners.

Excellent Face Mask Making Page from Moda:

https://my.modafabrics.com/inspiration-resources/making-face-masks

Elastic will break down in repeated hot/bleached washers/dryers, and many are allergic to the latex in the elastic.

Metal in the operating room is an electrical safety hazard. Metal in the operating room can spark and start a fire. 

If the mask is going to someone who will never wear it in an operating room, then it is ok to put in the wire or metal to shape around the nose. Different doctors and hospitals have strong opinions about this, often opposite.

This mask with ties should fit the best for a healthcare worker. Any nurse will tell you that fit of a mask is very important, so you can keep your hands free.

The bindings and ties will contribute to a good mask fit. Hands are full and having to stop to adjust a slipping or gapping mask is awkward and unhygienic. 

Video: Sewing Facemask Ties Without Tools or Pressing

Video: SERGERS can make quick and easy ties!

Facebook video: European quilter, on how to make your own binding.

For all masks, please use clean, tightly-woven cotton fabric on both sides, and sew on a clean work surface. Please place CLEAN face masks in ziplock-style plastic bags for donation.

******************************************************

Dear Sewing Community: (from Andover Fabrics)

There is a critical shortage of face masks for health professionals and first-responders.  We have been asked to mobilize our community to do what we do best: sew.

To start making an impact, get your materials ready and click the link below:
https://freesewing.org/docs/patterns/fu/instructions/

*******************************************************

Notes from Dr Rita and Dr Chris:

I looked at many websites and liked this method best – especially when made with a tie cord instead of elastic (which is becoming hard to get). Also: the tie cord is adjustable therefore more comfortable.  She mentions and illustrates it on the YouTube tutorial below. I use floral wire for the nose piece.

Sew It – Cloth Surgical Face Mask Pattern: with Elastic and Wire.

https://members.sewitonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/How-To-Sew-A-Facemask-Instructions.pdf

LIST OF MASK PATTERNS AND INSTRUCTIONS:

More information and links offered from our friend Rachel Wallis:
https://docs.google.com/…/15Y2_5fFWuog_o4q3CjhpdfFC8LX…/edit

If you want to make masks, this group has a standard, vetted, tested, downloadable pattern, quality control standards, and regional distribution hubs. – Michael K.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/reliefcraftersofamerica/

Calling All People Who Sew And Make: You Can Help Make Masks For 2020 Healthcare Worker PPE Shortage:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tjmccue/2020/03/20/calling-all-people-who-sew-and-make-you-can-help-solve-2020-n95-type-mask-shortage

How to Make a Face Mask: from Deaconess

https://www.deaconess.com/How-to-make-a-Face-Mask

Fast production method of making masks from Iva in Czech Republic – watch video below!

Rouška – MaskAť žije řemeslo www.krejcijavad.cz pomáhat musíme, žádná výmluva.Stephen a Javad* Jukin Media Verified *Find this video and others like it by visiting https://www.jukinmedia.com/licensing/view/1111222For licensing / permission to use, please email licensing(at)jukinmedia(dot)com.

Posted by Stephen Folker on Friday, March 20, 2020

How to Sew a Bias Tape Surgical Face Mask with Flexible Nose – very detailed video from sweetredpoppy.com

https://sweetredpoppy.com/how-to-sew-a-bias-tape-surgical-face-mask-with-flexible-nose/?fbclid=IwAR0boOB3MTA4_hArilchX5x64F7LyQ7yvt-25CLHdTwFvdQp6TDEn4BXLJg

https://sweetredpoppy.com/how-to-sew-a-fitted-fabric-mask/

How to sew pleated easy mask with elastic, using clips:

How to make a Face Mask from Shruti in India. This is in Hindi but she uses English words and it is a very good visual tutorial. I’ve asked her to do an English version for this page!

Free Hospital Gown Patterns from Lazy Girl:

Free Hospital Gown Patterns, Plus Face Mask & Scrub Cap

Nurse’s Scrub Cap Pattern – Click HERE

Free Bouffant Surgical Cap Pattern from Doodabug:

https://doodabug.com/product/473/

DIY Scrub Cap from Medical Student

Reversible Scrub Cap Tutorial with Free Pattern and SVG

https://katiekadiddlehopper.blogspot.com/2019/07/reversible-scrub-cap-tutorial-with-free.html

UNC Health is accepting donations of masks sewn at home. Here are sewing instructions for the Face Mask Pattern:

https://makefacemasks.com/pdf/Facemask_pattern_and_guidelines_20200318_v2.pdf

Professional and Home-Made Face Masks Reduce Exposure to Respiratory Infections among the General Population
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2440799

Textile Chart showing effectiveness of different fabrics:

https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/best-materials-make-diy-face-mask-virus/

The Turban Project – scroll down for Adult Face Mask

https://turbanproject.com/patterns

Kid Giddy

https://kidgiddy.blogspot.com/2020/03/face-mask-tutorial.html

DIY Cloth Face Mask
https://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Cloth-Face-Mask

Face Mask Sewing Pattern
https://www.craftpassion.com/face-mask-sewing-pattern

100 Million Mask Challenge – mask-making tutorial video below:

https://www.providence.org/lp/100m-masks

How to make a Face Mask – Videos

https://youtu.be/fySsaOojEVM
https://youtu.be/phP9k3sxm3U
https://youtu.be/U1mwc295aWw
https://youtu.be/zoPSXaLKCNE
https://youtu.be/S9RWII2-5_4
https://youtu.be/VNvRl5AXt8I

More info about PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) from the CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/respirator-use-faq.html

COVID-19 is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation.
Get the latest public health information from CDC: https://www.coronavirus.gov .
Get the latest research from NIH: https://www.nih.gov/coronavirus.

And finally, if you made it all the way to the bottom of this page (!) here is Dr Elvis at the Mayo Clinic singing “Imagine”.

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eQuilter.com has the largest online selection of quilt fabrics and quilting accessories. Over 1000 new products per month, are introduced in the weekly e-newsletters. 2% of sales is given to charity. Located in Boulder, Colorado. Independently owned by husband and wife (aka Mom and Pop) Luana and Paul Rubin.
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