Face masks for everyone!

Home made masks are not as effective as surgical masks, but home made masks are better than nothing (even if only to stop you touching your face).

I would be happy to make you some face masks, but unfortunately I have a shortage of suitable cotton fabric. So here's how it will work.

I will make you a cotton face mask in exchange for fabric and a donation to an organisation of your choice.

Step 1: Obtain fabric

Head over to Evanston Stitchworks or Vogue Fabrics and purchase one unit of your preferred fabric. The fabric must be a tightly woven cotton - so no linen, voile, gauze, velvet etc. Both these stores have curbside pick up or delivery, and are accessible for me.

Alternatively, you can sacrifice a cotton t-shirt, tea towel or pillowcase to the covid gods.

Before you start, check in with me to see if I still have capacity for making more masks. Likely I will, but I also have to work and eat too.

Step 2: Make a donation

Make a donation of $5 minimum to an organisation of your choice. Stuck on who to donate to? Here are some ideas:

• The Evanston Stitchworks fundraiser for N95 mask kits. Evanston Stitchworks are raising money to cover the cost of providing free kits to people who want to make masks for hospitals.

• Purchase a meal for someone in need through the Soul and Smoke fundraiser - they are feeding the Evanston Emergency Department workers as well as anyone else who has been hard hit by the shutdown.

• Donate to Women Employed, who campaign continuously for legislated sick leave and unemployment benefits for all workers in Illinois - because it shouldn't take a pandemic to make the state government and employers realise how important these things are.

What do I get out of it?

Apart from hours of fun sewing, I get to use the left over fabric to make extra masks or surgical caps to donate to people in need. You can check out this list of organisations in Illinois that have requested donations of home made masks but I'm also happy to give free masks to anyone you know who is immuno-compromised or really needs it.

What do you get out of it?

Here are the mask options I can make you. All masks will cover your nose and your chin and will be made out of at least two layers of cotton. Because of the worldwide shortage of elastic, masks will come with cotton ties that you can use to tie the mask behind your ears or around your head. The plus side of this is that the mask will survive being washed in hot water and being tumbled dried hot - this would otherwise be murder on elastic.

All of these masks will look post apocalyptic. There's no getting around that.

You can also ask for customisations, but be aware that if you ask me to embroider a dragon on your mask, you will receive your mask for Christmas in 2021.

Option 1: The face hugger

This mask hugs the curve of your face. Because it is so form fitting, you will need to tell me if your face is small (like me, an average sized Asian woman), medium (like my husband, an average sized Asian man) or large. This mask is best if you want to mimic the president of Slovakia's fashion style.

Option 2: The face cupper

This mask sits flush at the chin and nose bridge but stands away from the face at the middle, which makes it easier to breathe. This mask comes in only one size - and to be honest it fits my husband (medium size face) better.

Option 2: The surgical mask

This mask is the standard mask that hospitals are requesting be made for them. It includes two layers of cotton, plus an additional pocket so filter material can be added. Not depicted in the prototype is an additional tube at the top so that a nose wire can be added. The non-cotton parts are removable so the mask can be repeatedly autoclaved. This mask is one size fits all.

After I make the mask

Once the mask is done, I will wash it in the hot water cycle of my laundry, and put it through the tumble dryer on hot (if I have enough laundry quarters). For additional safety, you should also do the same after receiving the mask and in between each use. I can't guarantee that washing and wearing the mask will prevent you from getting sick, but it's likely that something bad will happen if you don't wash your mask.

The mask will be packaged in a sterile brand new ziplock bag and left in either my lobby or yours, depending on what is most convenient.

That is all. Happy fabric shopping :D