By Deborah DeSilets
When you kiss, hug, breathe, or snore you release vapor droplets into the air. Doctors warn that the SARS Coronavirus 2 lives such vapor droplets and causes a COVID 19 disease in the Type II lung cells: a loved one will drown unable to breathe. COVID 19 is in the air vapor and masks worn must have several layers of materials and even a “vapor” shield.
A mask worn at this hour of crisis embraces our shared humanity: we wear one to show respect for others while we protect ourselves knowing. Together we will arise from this crisis. And making a mask helps. I wanted to write about making a mask from a man’s shirt because I “saw” how all the parts were there.
I made my mask by cutting up a nice cotton dress shirt in fabric that an be washed and reused; preferably one with a turn down collar with buttons to hold a “vapor” shield and a wide yoke –that fabric that serves as a mouth piece– and ribbons of fabric for ties. In about 10 minutes I cut up a mask. As a bonus: sleeves can make gloves!!! Other fabric can cover shoes. So here is how I got busy cutting and assembling my mask.
Prepare a clean table top to work on. Have handy scissors, a pen to write on fabric, a zip lock bag or a CLEAR SHEET DIVIDER, TWO SAFETY PINS and a 2” pipe cleaner or large paper clip for the nose.
To begin: Use a clean cotton men’s dress shirt 15-17” neck.
Cut off the sleeves; retain to make gloves.
CUT OUT YOKE and CUT COLLAR FROM SHIRT FRONT.
Use button to place the CENTER HOLE OF DIVIDER; Button in
Place safety pins under the collar attaching the DIVIDER ENDS to the COLLAR BAND. Make sure the pinpoint threads lining so the metal is hidden secure safety pin. SEE NOTE 2. ease of the neck at center. This is the nose bridge.
Take the paper clip, metal strip in plastic or pipe cleaner and put into the c
Cut of the COLLAR Button at front; Cut your banding in two and attach straps though the button holes. Make new slits in fabric to hold the COLLAR AND NECK IN PLACE.
Make two ribbons of fabric by cutting out the Button and the Button Holes. Attach to the YOKE. Make cut hole or sew in place. SEE NOTE 1.
The mask can be adjusted to fit your ears: CUT ANY OF THE COLLAR THAT IS in the way of tying.
NOTE 1: The YOKE COULD BE LONGER OR SHORTER TO YOUR PREFERENCE AS WELL.
NOTE 2: VAPOR BARRIER CAN BE PUT INSIDE THE YOKE LINING, CUT A SLIT IN THE YOKE At center up and down (short dimension) and insert a strip of cut divider.
TO MAKE GLOVES: You will put on the sleeve, button on the top of your wrist with sleeve extending over fingers; “see” how much sleeve fabric you need to cover your finger tips; pinch fabric at that spot and remove. Place your hand on the “sleeve” and draw your hand in with the fingers close and last mark touching where you inched the fabric. Sew around the hand print. Cut out.
To make shoes: use the left-over sleeve to make booties. SEW BOTTOM OF CURVE and attach a BAND to TIE.
