Combine Creativity With Pent-Up Energy To Create Custom Masks

By Laura Duffy, DyeStat Photographer

Allison Calek, a freshman runner at Appalachian State (and my daughter), has been using some of her at-home time during the pandemic to sew masks for health care workers.

The fabric was all found in a bin in her grandmother's basement. Her grandmother was a nurse and passed away two years ago.

Little did grandma know that collection we called “her very own episode of Hoarders” would actually come in handy and possibly help save some of the people she worked with every day.

We have always known runners were a special group!

So far, we have distributed about 40 to close family, nurses at Edwards Hospital (Naperville, Ill.) and friends that still have to work at essential businesses like grocery stores. The next batch is going to Good Samaritan hospital in Downers Grove.

It’s funny, we all know a first responder, health care worker, or essential worker so it makes the need even more real. It also makes it easier to get them in the actual hands of these people versus someone collecting them and distributing on their own.

Once we posted photos on Facebook the requests came pouring in.

Note - Although there are four layers of fabric, these are not Particulate Respirator Type N95 masks. They may offer some protection, but are not full proof against COVID-19.

Here is a brief step-by-step tutorial if you'd like to give this a try in your home:

Iron 100% cotton fabric to a fusible interfacing piece for an extra layer of protection.

Cut fabric into 6-inch by x 8-inch blocks.

Cut 1/4-inch elastic into 7-inch strips.

With right sides of the fabric together pin elastic inside to make ear loops.

 Sew 3/4 sides shut.

Turn inside out.

 Fold in the last side and sew shut. Gather the fabric to make pleats and sew down.