Sewing Angels - Face Masks
Thursday, May 14, 2020
The sewing angels still doing great work producing much needed face masks for the NHS, Care Home workers and keyworkers. There is a local intiative coordinating requests for masks in the Kingston area and distributing them. If you are able to make masks for this initiative, please let us know at info@bragstreet.org
Instructions
| 1. Outer fabric size is 26cm x 20 cm - one piece. We use cotton or polyester cotton (old sheets, duvet covers etc ideal). |  |
| 2. Fabric lining size 19cm x 13cm - two pieces (same type of material). |  |
| 3. We are adding a channel of material to the top of the mask (sewn onto the inside of the mask) to allow for the insertion of a nose wire. Do this once the lining has been sewn to the main fabric, before the pleats are created. |  |
| For the channel either use some form of tape about 17cm long (turned in 0.5cm each end and sewn) or cut a piece of fabric 17cm x 5cm, turn in and sew 0.5cm each end, iron a crease along the middle of the long side, then fold the long raw edges towards the centre fold and iron again to create a piece of binding. Pin the tape/binding on the lining side of what will be the top inside of the mask, then sew along each edge of the tape/binding. This will create a channel for the nose wire. You can use garden wire, jewelry wire, florestry wire or anything similar. Removal before washing is highly recommended. | |
| 4. Rather than using elastic, we are using t-shirt yarn (you can cut strips of old t-shirts approx 2cm wide) . Minimum length of the ties needs to be about 55cm. You can of course use elastic if you prefer - feedback is simply that t-shirt yarn is more comfortable if worn for prolonged periods. |  |
| 5. Insert a filter of your choice into the mask, for example a for example a folded piece of kitchen roll. |  |
| Masks should be washed at 60 degrees. Remove the filter and nose wire first. | |
| NB: when creating the pleats ensure that they fold downwards from the top of the mask. | |
