Even if you’re not crafty at all.
It feels as though every day the advice changes about whether most Americans should be wearing face masks to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. At first, experts and officials cautioned against healthy people using them (thereby buying up the supply and keeping them out of the hands of health care workers, who need them the most), but in recent days that sentiment has reportedly begun to shift.
As German Lopez writes for Vox, “experts have increasingly acknowledged that public use of masks could help prevent the spread of Covid-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), previously resistant to encouraging mask use by the general public, is now reportedly considering it.”
It’s frustratingly confusing, particularly in the midst of a pandemic where official directives have been inconsistent or outright dangerous, but it has led to a spike in Americans taking matters into their own hands and donning masks regardless of guidance, according to the Washington Post. The practice was already widespread in many parts of Asia, which some experts say could be one reason that areas like Hong Kong and South Korea largely have the spread of the virus under control.
What remains clear is that no matter what, it’s of utmost importance that medical personnel, vulnerable populations, and people who actually have the virus are first in line when it comes to medical-grade personal protective equipment, or PPE. That’s why making your own — while it won’t come with nearly the same level of protection — could be a fine alternative and could reduce considerable strain on an already drastically overburdened supply chain.
I will not, here, write a cute and flip line about how you probably have a lot of time on your hands for craft projects now that you’re stuck inside, because maybe you have kids, or maybe you have a job that does not allow you to work from home, or a job that’s become infinitely more stressful now that you have to. I am literally a semi-professional crafter and even I can’t bring myself to stop panicking most days long enough to sit down and knit a couple of rows.
What I will do is answer some questions you might have about what goes into making a mask, even — especially! — if you yourself are not a crafter. If you have further questions or resources you’ve found helpful, email me and let me know; I’m [email protected], and chances are this guide will be updated frequently as more information becomes available.
So wait, am I definitely supposed to be wearing a mask? Even if I’m not sick or vulnerable?
You won’t be arrested or for sure infected if you don’t, but it’s not a bad idea to have some sort of face-covering on hand right now, particularly if you live in a dense area. As Lopez writes, the research is murky and inconclusive, but the main takeaway is that homemade masks are likely better than nothing: “Cloth masks … are much less effective than the modern alternatives, as a 2015 study in BMJ found. And they can be extra risky, since they can trap and hold virus-containing droplets that wearers can then breathe in. But they still, in general, offer more protection than no mask at all, several studies concluded.”
Essentially, what you’re shooting for here is not ironclad protection but rather a bolstered line of defense for both yourself and, notably, the people around you. As Lopez writes, “Coronavirus appears to mostly spread when germ-containing droplets make it into a person’s mouth, nose, or eyes. If you have a physical barrier in front of your mouth and nose, that’s simply less likely to happen. … While the evidence is thin on how much masks protect the wearer from coronavirus — since it’s unclear if the virus spreads much through airborne droplets — it’s true that the masks stop people from spreading their own droplets: When you breathe, talk, laugh, sigh, yawn, sneeze, or cough in public, you’re less likely to get droplets on a checkout machine, dining table, or anywhere else if you have a mask on. That could stop people, even those who are asymptomatic, from spreading infection.”
Making a mask is also not a bad idea, practically speaking, because the buy-in is quite low, and the odds of you already owning the materials you need to make one (or several) are quite high. You probably won’t need to go out and purchase something new, and if you do, there are plenty of contact-free or online options available.
Okay, tell me about those materials.
There aren’t yet official guidelines on what qualities homemade masks must have; we’re really operating on a something-is-better-than-nothing principle here, and that goes for your crafting skills and materials as well.
Jo-Ann Stores is furnishing free, pre-cut mask-making materials for donations to hospitals (more on that later), including curbside pickup. A tutorial they recommend, which comes from Froedtert Hospital & the Medical College of Wisconsin, suggests looking for 100 percent cotton, like denim or percale, and not stretchy or knit materials like a T-shirt, which could be too thin. Their rule of thumb is that if you fold the fabric in two layers, you shouldn’t be able to see through it, but should still be able to breathe through it.
Old clothes can be an excellent source for this. I recently cleaned out my closet (this might sound like a brag, but I assure you I did it in The Before Times and the bags of unwanted garments have been sitting in my hall for weeks) and have a couple pairs of ill-fitting jeans I’ll be using in order to make my own jace jask and probably a cache for my unwitting coworkers.
Some of the no-sew tutorials won’t even require cutting up fabric; in those cases, handkerchiefs, cloth napkins, or scarves and bandanas could be utilized.
I’m okay at sewing, or at least have enough time on my hands to give it a try. Where can I find instructions?
There’s a useful step-by-step guide to homemade masks in the New York Times, which can be made either by hand or with a sewing machine. They’ve also got a somewhat more involved one that includes a printable template for cutting out the right size fabric.
I found this machine sewing tutorial by blogger Sarah Maker to be pretty intuitive, especially because of the clear (and oddly calming) video accompanying the written-through steps; her version comprises two layers of fabric with a pocket for additional disposable inserts. It’s definitely on the higher end of the beginner crafting spectrum, though, so approach it accordingly — if you aren’t comfortable machine sewing seams and basic pleats, this will probably stress you out.
Please don’t say anything about “sewing” to me. Are there less DIY-intensive versions?
Deeply reasonable! Yes, there are, to a point. One thing to keep in mind is fit and proper wear — the likelihood that a homemade mask won’t fit you as securely is higher than with a medical-grade one, which will reduce its effectiveness, and something you’ve sewn to fit yourself will in turn probably be more snug than a piece of fabric you wrap around your face.
That said, you may in fact just need to wrap a piece of fabric around your face. In its guidance to people who are sick, the CDC recommends wearing a face mask around other people, but notes that “you may need to improvise a face mask using a scarf or bandana.” Again, this guidance hasn’t yet been extended to people who are healthy, but it’s probably a fair extrapolation to make if it does.
If you’re looking for something halfway between those two poles, this tutorial from an online Japanese arts and crafts educator called Japanese Creations demonstrates how to make a no-sew mask using a handkerchief (or scarf or cloth napkin or other piece of fabric) and hair ties. If you don’t have hair ties, they suggest cutting the cuffs off of old socks or nylon tights, which is a technique you could use for any of the above tutorials as well.
N.B. The music from the accompanying video is so soothing and yet triumphant that I’ve kept it on in the background basically the whole time I’ve been working on this article.
How should I care for my homemade mask?
You should launder your mask or face covering, if possible, in between each use. Some further guidance from Lopez’s article: “Wash your hands before and after taking off a mask — before to avoid getting anything on your face and mask, and after to get rid of anything that was on your mask. Don’t fidget with your mask while it’s on. If possible, throw away masks after using them. And if you can’t throw a mask away, make sure to thoroughly disinfect it with ultraviolet light sterilizers — not something most people have around — or, if using a cloth product, soap and water.”
Does wearing a homemade mask mean I can ease up on following social distancing guidance?
No it does not!!! If you’re able, you should absolutely be flattening the curve by staying home, washing your hands frequently, and avoiding other people. This is, again, a very last-ditch line of defense and is no excuse to FROLIC or MINGLE.
Where can I donate masks I’ve sewn?
It will vary widely by medical institution; some hospitals are currently accepting handmade donations to bolster dwindling supplies of medical-grade masks while others aren’t, and those policies might shift over time. It’s best to reach out to a medical facility or intermediary directly before simply dropping off a sackful of masks.
To that end, the Sewing and Craft Alliance has put together a continuously updating database, called WeNeedMasks.org, of institutions requesting supplies. While it might make the most sense and feel the most personally fulfilling to make masks for a hospital in your area, many of these are also accepting donations by mail.
“We are happy to be able to provide this connection,” the site’s FAQ page reads, “but will be happier when we can safely say that we’re closing it down because proper personal protection equipment is readily available to all healthcare workers again.”
The most triumph-of-the-human-spirit-y I’ve felt since the beginning of this pandemic was when I first read Rebecca Jennings’ piece for The Goods about crafters stepping up to donate handmade masks and other PPE to hospitals. It’s not a solution to the shortage by any means; some DIY groups, which have gathered on Facebook and across the internet, are making mask liners to prolong the lives of n95 respirators, while others are scrambling to adhere to ever-changing directives on what hospitals need. Still, as an ICU nurse who helps facilitate one of these groups said, “It’s the best we can do for now.”
She’s right, and that goes for the act of making a mask, too. It feels really, really good to create something, just to feel like you have some small measure of control in the face of confusion and fear. It feels even better when that something might provide you, or someone you love, or a complete stranger, with a small measure of security.
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Author: Alanna Okun
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