COVID -19 SURVIVAL TIP – Homemade Face Masks
Testing out a homemade mask made out of a cotton dish towel with interfacing and another layer of different colored cotton so you know outside vs inside of the mask. Started with 6×9 fabric pieces. Used iron tape to secure twist tie on the bridge of nose folded over twice. Sewed edges together securing 6” elastic pieces which fit me but might be too snug for most men. Left the edge with twist tie open to allow for a pocket for additional tissue for filtering. Folded inside (blue fabric) top edge over with iron-on tape to give a finished look and no raveling. Been fighting with the tension on my machine which has slowed me up a bit. Mask felt secure and easy to breathe thru. PM me if you’re on Oahu and are in need of a mask. My resources are limited so I don’t know how many I can make for hospitals but will keep making them until my supplies run out or we’re back to normal. A neighbor gave me their elastic so I will resort to recycled ribbons next. I remember back when I was nursing, we only had tie-on masks. How else can a TV Doctor untie his mask at the top of his head and let it hang around his neck looking so dramatic.
After several mistakes having not sewn in a few years, finally got one finished using my 45 y.o Kenmore portable sewing machine. Cotton fabric cut into 6×9”, used 2 different colors so you can remember which side goes towards your face, ironed on interfacing on the inside, 6” elastic give or take as needed, left a pocket for extra tissues inside and used a twist tie at the bridge of the nose to fit your face. Will keep trying different patterns. Tips are from YouTube videos.
For all you hoarders, now is the time to dig through your junk and find those hospital masks you squirreled away.. or at least your ribbons, twist ties, fabric scraps & thread from your grandmother you couldn’t bear to get rid of. None of these are from my grandmother, I hoarded this all on my own. Can’t bear to waste things and being a crafter, I know I can put all of these things to good use and after a few years of these things piling up, I was right!!