Area quilters become volunteer mask makers
Like many quilters, Sue Wagner, president of the Calico Cut Ups Quilt Guild, has a fabric stash. Some of her fabric happened to be the kind of tightly woven cotton that is recommended for homemade face masks. When she found an online tutorial giving directions for masks, she got to work. So far, she’s made about 300.
With a membership of 120, Wagner believes most of the Calico Cut Ups are making masks for family and friends. About 20 members are working together to make masks to donate to doctor’s offices, nursing homes, and the Children’s Shelter. Even Gravette Hospital is using about 50 homemade masks each week, as well as the more conventional surgical masks.
“At first they said they wouldn’t take them, but then they got desperate,” she said about the medical professionals who are now using the homemade masks.
There are several styles of homemade masks in use. Some have a pocket where a filter can be inserted.
Some of the recipients have asked her to add a nose piece that keeps the mask tight against the face. At first, the quilters sewed pipe cleaners into the top of the mask, she said, but then everyone sold out of pipe cleaners. Some people have been using twist ties like the ones that close trash bags. She’s heard of people using small strips of rolled up aluminum foil.
They also ran out of elastic quickly. Most of the mask patterns use a short piece of elastic around the ears. Since elastic is hard to find in stores, Wagner and her fellow quilters started looking for an alternative. Luckily one member of the group is a seamstress who actually makes her own bathing suits. The stretchy fabric in a bathing suit can be cut
into thin strips and used around the ears. Wagner said it’s actually more comfortable than having a thin piece of elastic around the ears.
“It’s much smoother on your ears. It’s so silky, we like it better,” she said.
In order to get supplies to other quilters, Wagner has set up a meeting place in Allen’s parking lot at 4 p.m. on Friday afternoons. Quilters can come and drop off finished masks and pick up supplies with a minimum of contact with each other. There are also kits available with the fabric pre-cut so only the sewing is needed.
Last week the group had produced over 1,500 masks, including two dozen in answer to an emergency call from the Children’s Shelter. The plan is to keep making them as long as there is a need.