Make Masks! Washable, re-useable, filtered

UPDATED Saturday 4 April, 2020—

Meds Need Masks

Covid-19 got you down? Need to do something useful? Make a mask! Make LOTS of masks!

Accordion Mask

There’s lots of discussion swirling around the “do I need to wear a mask” question. There are two competing mask options, and they’re used for different purposes:

Fitted Mask with mold-able wire on bridge-of-nose
  1. Accordion masks (above right) are disposable–these are the ones that ERs have in the waiting room for US, regular folks, so that if we are sick and we cough or sneeze we (as much as possible) keep it to ourselves. They’re better than nothing, but they’re nowhere close to N95 masks.These are great to make and give to food delivery folks who sustain you, for family members, for hanging out in waiting rooms, basically for anyone who isn’t likely to be bombarded by the virus. (This one wins for Most Clever Construction Method in my book.)
  2. Fitted masks (above left) are NOT disposable–these are the home-made masks that are able to come very close to the protection offered by N95 masks IF certain rules are followed (see below). These are great to make for donations to hospitals for the staff.

The Safest Mask you can Make

  • If you work in a hospital/medical environment you need a fitted mask that can filter VERY SMALL particles (smaller than .1 micron for you spinners);
    • Woven fabric alone will NOT filter out particles that small;
    • non-woven/bonded interfacing* WILL filter out a lot of particles that small;
    • compiling information from this comparison test and this study, it appears that a best-case DIY fitted mask would be built from:
      • 1 layer knit cotton/blend (t-shirt material: filters 70-74% of 1-.02 micron particles)
      • 1 layer tightly woven cotton (e.g., high-thread-count bed sheet or cotton fabric: filters 57-62% of 1-.02 micron particles)
      • 1 layer HEPA filter (from air conditioner filter or vacuum filterl: filters 86-95% of 1-.02 micron particles) cut to fit inside mask layers as the filter needs to be removable for cleaning purposes.
  • Masks must have three additional factors to be useful for medical staff:
    • they must be able to breathe for long periods of time–so heavy fabric/heavy interfacing will not work
    • the mask needs to have some way to mold it’s shape to the bridge of the nose to form a tight seal (18 gauge craft wire will work–but loop the ends to avoid sharp edges and give you a loop to use when stitching it into place);
    • the mask needs to be adjustable–elastic sounds great, but after 20+ hours elastics can make the backs of doctor and nurses’ ears bleed. Make ties – better chance for a better seal.***

What to use if you want to make and donate masks

First, find out if there’s somewhere near you in need of masks. There’s a database already growing here with an interactive map of medical sites in need here.

There are three videos from The Fabric Patch sewing shop – the 2nd and 3rd are the most valuable. They learned as they went and answered a lot of questions along the way. In order of creation:

Super useful information about how small Covid-19 virus is, however, this study also makes it clear that T-shirt material is better than woven fabric – however, it’s better used as the inside lining so the form will hold it’s shape via outside fabric stiffness.
When she says “disposable” she really means the mask goes home with the person who wore it – not necessarily thrown out, just not used/re-sterilized by medical professionals.

There is a tiny Kindle book that has pattern and sewing instructions for the formed face mask that you’ll see in the third video. I’ve been sewing with that pattern and I’m very pleased. (The entire kindle book is also a video tutorial which was VERY helpful for constructing the inner slot/filter pocket.)

There are other videos and other patterns. These are the ones I liked best out of what I came across. If you have more info or other links that would help, please add them below.

Here’s the best what to use for a filter info I could find along with this material challenge write-up and this study (used by the folks who hosted the material challenge).

PLEASE make tags for your masks

We don’t want anyone to have to guess what a mask is made of or to worry that the mask is or is not going to provide them the protection they need. Mine say:

  • pre-washed, all-cotton knit fabric for shell (filters 70-74% of 1-.02 micron materials)
  • pre-washed, all-cotton woven fabric for lining (filters 57-62% of 1-.02 micron materials)
  • pre-washed, bonded, polyester filter (filters 65-68% of 1-.02 micron materials)
    • OR HEPA vacuum filter (remove for cleaning; filters 86-95% of 1-.02 micron materials)
  • made in allergen-free home by washed & healthy hands
  • filter is removable, mask is washable & also fits PM2.5 N95 Activated Carbon Filter
  • Made for you by Heather Ordover, phone, email

My curbside shopping list that Joann’s tossed into the backseat of my car as I slowed down and drove by:

***UPDATE ON ELASTICS: a nurse friend just requested that if we make masks with buttons for Medical staff, we also make these:

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Mother, author, speaker, podcaster, painter, knitter, idea magnet...not necessarily in that order...

2 Comments on “Make Masks! Washable, re-useable, filtered

  1. I read that washing any electrostatic fabric greatly decreases it’s effectiveness.

  2. OOoh thank you! -And share your link, please, Mary James! I only found this.
    I definitely wouldn’t wash the HEPA vacuum-filter inserts (though I’m still looking for instructions on how to disinfect them safely–other than a UV-box) but the woven cotton, the knit cotton, and the interfacing can all be washed because their filtration has more to do with their composition (both how their fibers are spun or pressed and the fabric’s construction). Please add whatever else you find here. Things are changing (quickly) and I’d like to keep this as up to date as possible.