Who is that masked man?

A very dear friend of the family came to our home to pick up a few things. He stayed outside on our deck. I could not find a mask so I put on my mothers clean depends over my head and nose. Worked ok, but probably looked like an idiot. Our friend started to laugh.
Do not have a sewing machine. Niece tried making a mask with a bandana, but was too short and came apart.

Me too, Mid. I’ve made lots of masks. Some went to the neighbors and I sent some with my husband to give to the manager at our Whole Goods to pass out to the customers.

We are in a hot spot. Our numbers and deaths have continued to rise so our governor is reminding everyone to wear a mask.

They really don’t take that long to assemble and I can cut them quickly with my rotary cutter and mat.

I am using fabric that I have. Anyone who sews has a surplus stash of fabric. These don’t take a lot of fabric. Such a great scrap buster project!

If I make any for the hospitals I will use H600 fabric. This can be ordered online and can be sterilized at the hospital. It’s the recommended fabric for hospitals.

MidKid, I hope you recover soon from your shingles. I have heard that is really uncomfortable and painful. So sorry.

I've made about 50 masks for my neighbors and have another 60 cut out.

Saw my doc yesterday as I have SHINGLES..(do NOT get me started!!) and I haven't been to twist from the sewing machine to the ironing board w/o excruciating pain--So I am glad that I got the first 'batch' made. Will finish the other 60 tomorrow.

My doc saw my mask and said it was brilliant, but to be aware that all these 'homemade masks' are meant to do, and all they NEED to be able to do is keep us from touching our faces all day long. AND it gives a feeling of control in a time when we feel we have none.

The ONLY masks that really work are the medical grade one, which the great unwashed cannot get. My DIL is a private practice Anesthesiologist and she had all of her surgical masks were 'taken'. Her type of anesthesiology is not considered 'necessary' and so she's on an unpaid leave--as are all her workers.

Make masks, by all means, but better still--WASH YOUR DANG HANDS.

And it's not going to go on forever. I'm realistic, but normal. Scared that this is going to last a lot longer and I will punch my DH in the face--right now, just trying not touch my face or scratch my shingles rash, It's a FT job!

Oh, and there's 1001 ways to make a mask that doesn't require sewing.

Why is everyone acting like this is going to go on and on? I refuse to believe it's the "new normal" - it's not NORMAL at all!

Where I live there aer a great many community groups, such as quilt guilds that are making masks.

Our daughter made hers (ours) out of cotton knit on one side, cotton flannel on the other. Above the nose is an opening where you insert a coffee filter. So it’s three layers. She used regular elastic.

Bookluvr,

It won't matter about cutting the sleeves or neck line because it is folded inwards and with the sleeves you just cut up to but not the seem!

Or you could just use the t-shirt the way it is:)

Save all those face masks to make your own bra when all this blows over. 🤣

There are tons of online resources now with instructions how to make mask. They aren’t hard to do. Make some for yourself and make a few to donate. 😊

Ok about the bands rubbing ears issue.... what can work is BANDANA / HEAD-BAND & 2 buttons & “file bands” (7” x 1/8” rubber bands, used for file folders & these tend to come in bright colors):
what you do is
1. put on the bandana or wrap around head band
2. mark where it hits right abt above the crest of your ear,
3. sew a button in that spot on either side (mid size or larger button, not a shirt size one)
4. use the button to secure the rubber band.
5. Voila! Mask secure and not rubbing your ears.

Lots of chefs & BOH crew are doing this as everybody has & is used to wearing bandannas for sweat catchers. You also see restaurant crew using bakers hats, these are more like skull caps, have a wide band all around. It fits right above your ears.

& as the file bands are way way longer than the usual rubber bands, you can put a lil knot in them to custom adjust it. Plus they are bright colors, so you can easily find it & ID whose mask is whose.

you can coordinate rubber band colors to go with your hairband & 😷 No reason why we cannot be stylish AND Covid concerned!

... not quite like a cowboy. The mask should secure under the chin as well as reach to the bridge of the nose.

Last night I folded up a bandana and used the no-sew rubber bands for the ears to secure it - this was just a informal practice run...

The main two issues for me were -

In getting it to the bridge of my nose, it tended to block my vision a bit. But, I’m thinking ironing the top pleat will help with that as well as wearing my glasses instead of my contacts. And -

I imagine that in a short time the rubber bands - or any elastic, really - will rub my ears raw. Should be easy to resolve if I can dig up any of my hair elastics as those are covered with material.

My hubby was reminding me that - of course these masks are in no way a guarantee but I figure even if it cut the chance of exposure by 1% - it’s worth it.

A scarf is just as good, like a cowboy and his bandana!
Just remember to cover your nose!

Shell,

What you described - the U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams showed in a video on making the mask. My sister forwarded it to me. Very simple. All you need is bandana, hand towel or a t-shirt and rubber bands.

FYI, if you cut your t-shirt and do not sew the cut edges up, eventually after a few wears or washing, the cut ragged edges will start curling up. I remembered cutting my t-shirt into half cuts and was too lazy to sew the bottom trim. After a while, the bottom started curling up...

https://www.wfsb.com/surgeon-general-shows-how-to-make-face-mask/video_72a6a8ea-bfb9-5bb1-860e-afcd6286401c.html

The police in Thailand are wearing miss kitty masks. hello kitty?

On the bicycling websites, there are 'thingy's' that slip over your head, sit around your neck, and can be pulled up to cover your nose and mouth. Comes in great patterns and colors too.

Avatar showing one pattern. About $5.99
amazon.com/dp/B086RRJ9N6

Rainmom,
Doomed here....whether I laugh, or whether I cry, that bathroom is still a bit far away.
And if I want to roflol, so worried I will never be able to get up again.

How would you be able to post to us if you did not stop crying?
Maybe laughing is better. yeh, it is.

Laugh or cry Sendhelp, laugh or
cry.

In typical times, I’ll take laughing any day of the week. In times like this - I’m afraid if I start crying, I'll never stop.

You can make a really special one out of a bra freqflyer~

It will take me some time to figure out the design and fashion statement I want to make. But no worries....I am not going anywhere.

However, there is no way I will be cutting up one of my expensive bras. They did away with wires centuries ago, and there is no molding those underwires into any shape but for what it was intended. So. I thought Igloo was joking too.

You all are so very funny you should be ashamed of making light of a serious issue. And wearing your bra on your head is serious!

Wait til I tell my hubs! He will be so happy to wear my bra on his head.....

Beatty - like I said, between the articles I read and the videos I watched, they probably totaled at least a dozen.

If there was a majority vote on fabric, it was probably for 100% cotton t-shirts. The old fashion style tea-towels were also high on the list. Not the terry cotton kitchen towels but that older version that typically is a white, tightly weaved cotton. When I picture them
in my head - they always seemed to have small wild flowers printed on them.

golden - I have to say, I wondered about the vacuum bags myself. The video I watched on YouTube - the guy actually said he was a doctor and that he had his wife and her friends making them for his hospital as they were frequently running out. Then he turned it over to the wife and she demo’d how to cut four per bag, etc. Who knows? But thanks for that warning as I’ll do some more research before I start hacking up my bags.

Maybe we should all wear spiderman masks. Or superman, cat woman........? Whatever you prefer. Maybe we should make our own superhero masks. Coronater!!! Here I am to save the day!

Sorry, I have a warped sense of humor.

Love the bra-mask and panties set lol. Now I know what to do with those bras I never wear.

I saw a video where a respiratory specialist says NOT to use vacuum bag filters. They have chemicals in them that you would be breathing and and are not good for your lungs.

Also saw in an article that silk does not do much - best is 3 layers of tight weave/knit fabric, cotton like t shirts or undershirts against your face as it doesn't irritate, a layer of another tight weave/knit material like kitchen towels, microfibre cloths, pillow cases, and an outer layer which could be polyester. They even suggested using an old bathing suit.

There are a couple of patterns (and probably more) for non sew masks, one using rubber bands and folding a bandana multiple times and one just cutting holes for your ears at the ends of rectangles of cloth (3 layers again). It's important that it fits tightly over your nose and under your chin.

Kitchen paper towels don't do much but autoshop blue towels are good. One design showed using coffee filter paper between layers.

Thank goodness I have a few masks here left in a box from R using masks for some job or other.

I think any barrier is probably better than none.

Just saw on the news how to make a mask out of rubber bands and just some old t-shirt or some rags around the house just make sure they are clean and soft.

1) cut sleeves off and neck line.
2) lay t-shirt flat down with the right side up.
3) fold top of t-shirt 2 folds. (Small folds)
4) fold bottom t-shirts 2 folds (small folds)
5) fold each side of t-shirt once(medium fold)
6) fold top and bottom once
7) take rubber bands and slide one on each side
8) now fold each side over the rubber bands
9) place mask on face and the rubber bands around your ears
10) if mask is to big to see then fold top and bottom of t-shirt again. Make adjustments as needed.

I think that is all the directions!
I am going to give it a try next week and see if it works!

GardenArtist, a welding mask? I am jealous.

Beatty, that link was so funny. My vote is the sneaker :)

Thanks for the comic relief in this time of uncertainty. I needed a laugh.

While I just love the idea of the matching bra-mask & undies 😅 I am a bit lazy to sew. I have been experimenting with a silk scarf doubled over & draped over lower face (Genie style) & tied onto my hair bun or clipped onto hair/hat. Sadly, it probably accomplished nothing more than a weird fashion statement.

Would silk or cotton protect even a tiny bit from a passerby's sneeze or cough?

Igloo is serious.

People are actually turning underwire bras in to masks! Its a good way to repurpose bras that don’t fit or are worn out.

Are you kidding, igloo?

I get my bras at Victoria’s Secret. Its the only place I can find pretty, well
fitting bras for my ample bosoms!
They run over $50 apiece.

Id rather sacrifice a roll of toilet paper first!

Although, I must admit the underwire nose grip is genius.

Well one could repurpose underwire bras.....
1. lay bra flat. Note: for some of us, this will be easier than for others.
2 snip off straps & rings (aka the “apex”), both from cups & back band. Set straps aside.
3. trim off wings to 1” from cups & triple fold.
4. carefully cut gore (aka the “bridge”) evenly in half. Fold to be even with wing side as close as possible. Set 1 cup aside.
5. on other cup, run a stitch to secure each fold.
6. attach strap to top and bottom of each fold.
7. place cup on face, underwire side across nose. Note where your bridge is. With pliers, mold wire to rest over your nose securely.
8. place mask on face & straps over ears. Use strap sliders to adjust.

wearing panties to coordinate with your 😷 is of course optional

I hope you can share my silliness.. my vote is for the lettuce mask 🤣

https://www.dezeen.com/2020/02/17/alternative-coronavirus-masks-max-siedentopf/

The reason that mandatory masks work in the countries that have adopted them is not because they protect YOU, it is because they protect others FROM you. The evidence is becoming undeniable that there are a big percentage of people - perhaps as much as 1 in 4 - who are only very mildly ill or totally asymptomatic yet carry and spread the virus. If those people are masked they are much less likely to shed the virus.