Hey Friends,

Recently the Center For Disease Control (CDC) has recommended that all people wear masks out in public to help prevent the spread of Covid-19. While there is a shortage of masks right now and surgical masks or N-95 respirators need to be reserved for healthcare workers, a few members of our church have shared plans of how to make your own fabric mask at home. This is recommended by some of the health professionals in our church community and is a great way to do something both fun and useful, especially for those who like to do crafty things. This is also a great way to love your neighbor. You can make them for others, including people from our church if you know that they need one.

Patterns
Mary Linquist has sent a pattern you can find HERE.
Laura Boonstra has shared a pattern you can find HERE.

Getting started…
If you own a sewing machine and have fabric, then you are all set. High-thread count fabric works the best; you want fabric with threads very close together. If you need anything to help you get started, Mary Linquist has offered help in the way of sewing machines, fabric for those that need it, or even help finding a mask that has already been made.

A note on cleaning the masks from Mary L.: “Take the mask off by untying the strings and drop it into a pan of soapy water. Dish soap is fine. The virus has an oily ring which is broken with soap. Then the virus is unprotected and dies. Swish the mask around in the water for a minute or two. Ring it out and lay it out to dry.  If you have an iron, iron the mask part for a minute. Put it by the door ready to be used the next time you go out.”