Handwashed last night. Haven’t tested it yet.
I’m using 6x9 squares for the masks that I’m doing. I’m sewing two variations: (1) One that has a one 100% cotton square for the outside layer and a cotton flannel square for the inside layer with 36 inch long (2 inches wide) ties and (2) 2 squares of a 100% cotton fabric (no flannel) and using 2 eight inch elastics. I found the 6x9 size to fit well to me and my husband. The fabric ties take a long time to do since they need to be folded twice and then sewn then you have to sew them to the mask and that takes a long time to do. That is why I prefer the elastics. Hope this helps.
I don’t know if this is the case for other reservations, but here is a community to help out:
“They have mandated masks on the Navajo Reservation and are looking to help the elderly that are in need. Do any of my friends who sew want to mail some to Chinle?”
The address is:
Chinle Chapter Government
4600 Navajo Route 7
NN Bldg #4600
Chinle, AZ 86503
And the USPS address is
Chinle Chapter Government
Po Box 1809
Chinle AZ 86503
I 3d printed masks for my family. I researched fabrics for making the filter, and I think the best readily available is the cloth in a furnace filter. Specifically, one rated at MERV-13 or better. They are rated to catch particles from 1-3 microns, which is within the size range of the virus. Unlike vacuum bags, it’s much easier to breathe through that stuff.
A single furnace filter could probably make more than a dozen masks. If you are making fully cloth masks I’d get some of that and sandwich it in cotton material for comfort.
A straight cloth mask from woven cotton is maybe 50% effective. Unwoven cloth is what you really want. I think a mask with MERV-13 filter material sandwiched in could get you to 80-90%. Not quite N95, but close.
Hope it’s not too OT in this thread, but I was surprised to learn: you can still BUY masks! This company Brooklyn Textiles makes some nice products, not too pricey, stock on hand, shipped in 2 days. I don’t know how to judge a mask, but they seem a lot better than anything I could make.
I’m constantly seeing ads for different styles on Instagram. Frankly, since I do have at least a semblance of the necessary skills and materials to make my own, I’d rather not pay that much, but I can see where someone with zero sewing ability or equipment would find those usefu.
A friend gave me some plain fabric masks. I modified them by slitting apart the two layers on one side, and inserting a piece of hepa vacuum cleaner bag, to which I had stapled a twistie, to give the nose some shape.
I don’t think it filtered all that much air, I suspect I mostly breathed around it.
Then, following a suggestion from this article:
I cut a chunk from the top of the leg of some nylons, making a loop of stretchy fabric. I placed that over the front of the mask and the back of my head, to hold the mask closer to my face. Voila! Now breathing through the mask feels like breathing directly through the filter (which I tried, first.)
It’s fussy to put on, but I think this actually works, and isn’t just for show.
Joane Fabrics has a fairly simple, decent pattern.
For big heads, you need to use another half inch to an inch of elastic in each band.
Adding a dart for the nose, and possibly the chin gives you a much better fit; they also make the things self centering.
You can make a couple out of a 1500 thread count pillow case and some light duty interfacing.
Elastic (1/4") is hard to come by right now. To ensure speedy delivery, be sure to order the “stocked in USA”, or wherever you live, stuff. The stuff going through Shenzen/Hong Kong can take a month to get to your door.
I’ve wanted to try adapting a CPAP mask harness, but haven’t found time yet. That combo of velcro and elastic is intriguing.
It told me it didn’t take my first edit.
Anyway: Old spaghetti strap tops that have been sitting in the closet since 1999…
My wife has made some for me using old crew socks. Works really well.
I bought some masks from a woman in one of my online groups who was advertising them. She made them with two layers of cotton, with a dart for the nose, and the layers open on the sides so you can add your own filter.
My hacks for the mask are:
- Lock Laces(well, one lace) for the straps. They’re elastic, adjustable, plenty long, strap behind the head and can be re-used after you’re done wearing a mask as actual shoelaces. They appear to be shipping in regular time from Amazon, made and sold in the US.
- Folded up coffee filter inside the pouch for a filter. One can also use a cut-up furnace filter.
- These paper fasteners as suggested in another thread by Stranger On A Train as a nose clip to keep my glasses from fogging. I had my mom pin them inbetween the fabric on the nose dart so I can wash the mask without replacing the metal. But, they are self-adhesive so they will work without sewing (wouldn’t recommend).
I had to buy a box of 100 of those fasteners so if anyone wants one or two send me a PM and I’ll send you some. If you’re doing mask sewing, it might be a good idea to add these in to your project. I was able to walk in to Office Depot today and buy a box for $10.
I saw a lot of people when I was out basically wearing knitted scarves around their necks, and pulling them up over their face when passing people, then putting them down again after they have passed.
This strikes me as a really bad idea. First, a knitted scarf is porous, and probably isn’t going to stop much. Also, continually touching something that you are putting against your face seems like asking for trouble. So if anyone here is doing that, I’d give it a second thought.
Those are better for cold weather than filtering micron size virus gobs, Sam. You might gain a percent or two filtering, but must be hot as heck in spring weather. Down here, people are wearing bandit kerchiefs, open at the bottom
Other mask hacks I haven’t tried:
- Button headbands as “ear savers” - strap the mask to the button, not your ears.
- Using a piece from the Barrel of Monkeys game to strap your mask behind your head.
The best I can say about the masks I made is that they work okay. Mine are plain – I made 4, 2 using the CDC pattern and 2 that have pleats.
But one plan called for 1/4" elastic, which I didn’t have. I did have a package of 1/2" that I inherited from my mother-in-law. It was still stretchy, which is I think a testament to how well it was made – the fact that the one-yard package was priced $.35 leaves me to believe it was nowhere near new when my MIL died in 2001.
I experimented with the 1/2" elastic, but couldn’t get it to work. It occurred to me that the likelihood that I would even actually need 1/2’ elastic was minuscule, so I split it lengthwise into 2 1/4" lengths. If that ruined it, well, so what – it wasn’t doing me any good anyway.
Worked fine.
Pro Tip: Any pair of sweat pants or other elastic-waist pants can be used for the elastic. I took an old pair, ripped open the stitching, and pulled out a wide, long piece of elastic. I then used scissors to cut into 1/4" strips (a fabric cutter and straight edge would be neater, but scissors works.)
I got enough elastic out of one pair of sweats to make straps for six masks.