I want to start off by saying I hope you and yours are healthy and are staying safe. I admit, this is scary. I can only imagine how the health heroes feel going into work dealing first hand with the sick.
After seeing so many of my idols and influencers start making masks for the people on the front lines of coronavirus, I knew I had to step up.
I was a day behind everyone apparently, because all of the 1/8”-1/4” elastic was sold out. I was happy to see so many sewers come forth to help.
So I looked up a pattern and found one that didn’t require elastic. Latex free, tie-back. Far left in photo.
I contacted my best friend, Michael, who is a PA in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida to see if his facility needed any. (I know he is in a smaller town, and thought there would be less donators, I was right) He was, to my surprise, in need of them. They are running low on masks, like so many other health care facilities, and have resulted to homemade masks, if they can get them. He also mentioned how the elastic ones are much faster to put on—faster to make too, so I went back to my 1/2” elastic and starting rotary blading it in half. It worked, it may fray just a tad, but these are not meant to be worn for several days so I think it will last for the use intended.
Making them, finding fabric, pattern, cutting, sewing, ironing, took a lot longer than I thought it would. I worked from 8a-8p with just a few little food breaks and only came out with 28 handmade face masks.
I ran out of fabric, needs to be 100% cotton, and as a bridal designer, I do not have much cotton lying around. I know Joanns/Michaels are open, but I have been following orders and have been quarantined for 10 days now, and I have heard the fabric stores are packed and the employees do not want to be there during this uncertain time, so I used only what I had already available.
Joanns is supposed to be handing out free packets to seamstresses so they can continue making masks, but they keep running out of packs/supplies at my local Joanns, so I’m unable to get any.
I hope I helped and they get used!
Maybe I’ll get back some photos of the heroes using them! ;)
Update March 31
The staff at Treasure Coast Primary Care in Palm Beach Gardens, FL received them and loved them!
Face Mask Directions
If you are on instagram, and want to see the step by step directions on how I created these face masks, it’s on my insta story highlights, on my profile. www.instagram.com/desireemariedesign or https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17849652205965640/