Dress designer turns her hand to masks
A dress designer whose business has been hit by the coronavirus outbreak is putting her skills with a needle and thread to good use.
Catherine Cockburn, 47, who runs Magpie Moments from her home in Greenhills, is more used to making glamorous bridal wear, prom dresses and other occasion wear.
But with mass gatherings including weddings and communions cancelled for the time being Catherine, a dressmaker of more than 25 years, decided she wanted to do her bit in the massive swelling of goodwill gestures.
She with a band of volunteers, including maths student daughter, Victoria, have been using material to make face masks for members of the public and businesses with some also going to local carers and care homes.
Catherine has even made a short video giving a step-by-step guide on how to make them.
She told the News: “It is challenging times for all of us and the stress people are under is phenomenal.
“Weddings, probably proms and communions have had to be cancelled or put off until all this is over which is just heartbreaking for all involved.
“Obviously that meant I can’t do what I usually do and the last thing I wanted to do was to be sitting around here twiddling my thumbs.
“So, I decided I really wanted to do my bit to help.
“And what better than using my know how to make the masks.
“They aren’t difficult to do and I have managed to get a few people to help, safely of course, whether it’s cutting material or elastic – it gives me more time to put them together.
“All of it helps, and you don’t have to be an expert sewer – my daughter is more at home with a maths problem than a needle and thread but she is getting stuck in with me and has been great.”
Catherine and her trusty band of helpers have already made about 600 masks and are in the process of putting together another 400 or so.
And the feedback she has had from people who have taken them has been positive.
“We have given some to carers and to some care homes for staff and older residents,” she explained.
“If nothing else it helps stop people touching their face and provides a bit more reassurance.
“The feedback I have has from some carers is that it makes them and the older folk feel a lot better and protected during what is a difficult time.”
She went on : “All the NHS staff are doing a fantastic job and need and deserve all the support and protection available.
“But I sometimes think folk in the wider community are maybe forgotten about and if I can do even a little bit to help them I will.”
While she is using material she already has, suppliers have been helping out and folk have also been donating material they have had lying about.
“My suppliers have been great, they have already been helping the authorities by supplying material for scrubs and aprons and alike,” she added.
“And folk have messaged me saying, I am not a sewer and I have this material can you use it?
“I am also more than happy to take any donations of quilted, patterned material and just plain old cotton.”
The patterned material is so folk know which side of the mask has been at their face to prevent contamination as much as possible.
To get in touch to donate material or help out contact Catherine on 07462858864, go to her Facebook page Magpie Moments or email yourmagpiemoment@gmail.com