While finding food and supplies at the grocery store has gotten a little better as this week goes on, there are some very important items that are still hard to come by. Because of this, nurses from all over are asking people to sew them masks because their supply is so low!
On Facebook, nurse Kristen Thompson wrote,
“I’m a nurse at a local hospital. We are CRITICALLY low on masks! According to the CDC, fabric masks are a crisis response option when all of our supplies have been exhausted.”
Kristen goes on to ask people that can sew if they can make 100% cotton, double layer, reusable/washable masks and send them to nurses. She says that anyone that wants to help make the masks can comment on her Facebook status and she will get them more information. The masks don’t have to be perfect so that’s great for people like me that have limited sewing capabilities!
Photo credit: Kristen Thompson
In another post on Facebook, Lesley Lastufka Davison asked people to do the same for nurses at a local hospital in Galveston, TX. She is a nurse also and is asking people to sew masks for nurses and for visitors since these masks can be washed and reused. Lesley has put together a Google Doc with more information, such as where the masks are going to go, patterns for how to make the masks and some FAQs about the masks themselves.
If you have the ability to sew and would like to make some of these masks for the nurses, here are some patterns that they have shared below:
Adult Reusable Medical Face MaskA.B. Mask – for a Nurse by a Nurse5 Free DIY Face Mask Tutorials Using FabricHow to Sew a Face Mask
Now is a great time to give back to those in healthcare that are working tirelessly and risking their lives every day for us!
Photo Credit Lesley Lastufka Davison
I would love to help !! I have nothing but time on my hands and could make
lots of masks. I live in Canada , are they doing this here to ?? I don’t have a
sewing machine but if someone would like to donate one to me or sell it to me
at a very good price I would be very happy to start making masks . Please let
me know if they do it here also…thanks… take care everyone !
Thank you for the article! Could you please encourage the volunteers to make this “ Hong king mask” developed by dr. K Kwong who is a chemist from Hong Kong? I’ve made many and they are very easy to make. The main difference is there is a pocket to insert a “filter”, which can be 2 layers of tissue or paper towel etc. He has a chart that details the filtration efficiency and flow rate. He found just fabric mask is equal to a n20 while the one with filters can be from 70-80 filtration rate, which makes it comparable to a surgical mask if used properly. I think that protect the doctors and nurses much better if they run out of n95 or surgical masks.
On Facebook, nurse Kristen Thompson wrote,
I’m In Sarasota Florida and I am starting to make mask and wondering where do I send them
I would love to help !! I have nothing but time on my hands and could make
lots of masks. I live in Canada , are they doing this here to ?? I don’t have a
sewing machine but if someone would like to donate one to me or sell it to me
at a very good price I would be very happy to start making masks . Please let
me know if they do it here also…thanks… take care everyone !
Thank you for the article! Could you please encourage the volunteers to make this “ Hong king mask” developed by dr. K Kwong who is a chemist from Hong Kong? I’ve made many and they are very easy to make. The main difference is there is a pocket to insert a “filter”, which can be 2 layers of tissue or paper towel etc. He has a chart that details the filtration efficiency and flow rate. He found just fabric mask is equal to a n20 while the one with filters can be from 70-80 filtration rate, which makes it comparable to a surgical mask if used properly. I think that protect the doctors and nurses much better if they run out of n95 or surgical masks.
I started making just the fabric masks but was told they are no good. I’m now making masks with a filter.
I would love to help but I don’t have a sewing machine and these old fingers don’t work so well. Is there anything I can do?
If we make these in the UK. Where do we send them too. Are they and use to help ?
Willing to help.
Making 100% cotton masks for facilities that need them.
Where do you send them
Send me face mask kits please
Hi, Shirley! There are printable patterns to make masks in the blog post (you just have to click on the links).I hope this helps!