Mask making
Tired. How else to describe it. Overwhelmed. The new normal is wearing on us and on our personas.
Wearing masks that hold in the humidity from our bodies. Wearing masks that become harder and harder to breathe through if we exert ourselves. When it’s hot and humid we don’t even need to exert ourselves for it to become more difficult to breathe. Breathe in, the mask sucks in against my face – perhaps my seal is TOO good? Perhaps my mask fits too well to my face?
So many options of them – which will be cooler in the heat? Which will stay in place when we talk instead of moving up and blocking my eyes? Which won’t cause my glasses to fog? Which are more flexible? Which will fit my face the best? Which will fit a “general face” the best when I make them for others?
What do I have already that can be adapted? Sewing a cotton filter and nose piece inside a colorful scarf? Attaching a scarf to a mask? Neck gaiters for the guys? Beak style since they are farther away from the nose and mouth and don’t move around on my face, or pleated styles which somehow seem more comforting.
Materials – rayon works as well as cotton when an extra layer is added or it’s doubled – tripled up, though I’ve always found that cotton is cooler. A smidgen of polyester in the cotton – will keep it looking crisper and nicer. Added filters – bulkier and heavier. Hold the fabric up to the light, can you see through it? The denser the weave, the more protection it will provide, but by the time you use multiple layers it provides the protection needed. BUT, synthetics are so much hotter than cotton. Summer fabrics are more comfortable, both in my clothes and masks. Brig is asking for cotton pleated masks now, with 1/8 in elastic ear loops (lingerie elastic), since the commercially made masks tend to be synthetics that fit close to his face and mouth and are more difficult to deal with in the Florida heat and humidity.
My mother and mother in law would be so disappointed in me. As I go through their old thread, finding the colors I need, I find spools where they so carefully ripped out seams and wound the thread around empty spools to use again. I rip out a seam and thrown the old thread away in frustration, not trying to take time to save it. If I would, it would be to thread a needle, not to sew a new seam like they would. But proud still, that I’m taking the bits and pieces left in their sewing materials and supplies to make masks rather than just buying masks.
Interesting tidbits – freezer paper can be ironed onto fabric and will stick to it – much easier when trying to hold a pattern to the fabric and doesn’t leave pin holes in the fabric. Adding loop holders to hold glasses and mask to each other. Decorating masks, so children are more likely to wear them.
Lessons learned – craft pipe cleaners don’t seem to hold up as well – old copper phone lines encased in plastic are next option since I can’t find the metal closures for coffee bags (anyone drink coffee and want to save them for me??) Masks don’t have to fit closely under the chin, the chance of droplets moving UP in the air, under the mask is so remote.
Oh, the things I have learned. The things I have left to learn.
A new adaptation. Adapt. Adapt. Always a new adaptation.
How to work with earrings? Masks pull at them as the mask goes on and off, or they pull the back off the earring and I lose it.
I’m not good at drawing out the patterns and changing them. Every time I try to modify the patterns, I fail and end up having to rip the stitches out. Better at following instructions. Follower, not leader, is my place in the making of masks.
Tired of the same masks, really not the same ones, BUT, since I tend to use the same material they seem the same. Splurge and buy some remnants that are more colorful. Something to make things seem more personable. Something to make me feel not quite so blah. I need to feel not blah, I need to feel like a real person who CARES what I wear and what I look like. I need to not be a blah.
Dale Weir
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