As hospitals and health care facilities across the country are running dangerously low on essential supplies, the CDC has declared that handmade masks are acceptable and can provide healthcare workers with an additional layer of protection. If you’ve got some time and some basic sewing skills, you can make reusable fabric masks to help protect local healthcare professionals using basic cotton fabric and elastic you may already have on hand.
According to Wade Miquelon, President & CEO at Joann Stores, “Crafters across the nation have jumped in to help and are sewing hundreds of thousands of protective masks, gowns and other essential items each day.”
Through their “Make to Give” program, Joann has donated fabric for more than 1.5 million masks through stores nationwide.
“I am incredibly proud to be part of this giving craft community, where our Team Members and customers can make such a meaningful impact during this pandemic,” Miquelon shared.
Since the program’s inception, Joann’s has donated or sold 620,461 yards of cotton for this effort. If you’ve got basic sewing skills, you can join the effort to help protect your friends and neighbors in the healthcare field during this difficult time. To aid in these efforts, Joann stores have compiled online resources to provide crafters with access to the latest tutorials and guides to help you help others.
For those without access to online tutorials, Vanderbilt University Medical Center has provided detailed instructions on how to make masks in two sizes. They suggest using a tight-weave cotton fabric (i.e. quilting cotton) that hasn’t been used previously, and suggest washing fabric prior to beginning the project. The project requires rope elastic, beading cord elastic, ¼” or 1/8 ” flat elastic. One adult mask requires two (2) 9”x6” pieces tight-weave cotton and two 7” pieces of 1/4 inch elastic. Therefore, one yard of 44” wide fabric yields 12-15 masks. You need 7.5 yards of elastic for 25 masks (14 inches per mask). Some makers have added non-woven interfacing inside to help with permeability to virus.
Once your materials have been compiled, you’re ready to begin. Put the right sides of cotton fabric together, and be sure any fabric design is placed horizontally. Cut 9”x6” pieces. Starting at the center of the bottom edge, sew to the first corner, then stop. Sew the elastic with the edge out into the corner. A few stitches forward and back will hold this. Sew to the next corner, stop, and bring the other end of the same elastic to the corner and sew a few stitches forward and back. Now sew across that top of the mask to the next corner. Again, put in elastic with the edge out. Sew to the next corner and sew in the other end of the same elastic. Sew across the bottom leaving about 1.5” to 2” open. Stop and cut the thread. Turn inside out. Pin three tucks on each side of the mask. Make sure the tucks are the same direction. Sew around the edge of the mask twice.
Completed masks can be donated your local healthcare facility or at the Portage County Emergency Management Association (Justice Center, 8240 Infirmary Road in Ravenna).
For more information, or to access free patterns and tutorials, visit: joann.com/make-to-give-response.
