Living in this alternate reality that is a pandemic, I have been grateful to be safe but have also wanted to help win this fight against this virus and help to keep everyone else safe. I bet most of the guild feels the same!

The recent recommendations that everyone wear a cloth face covering gives our guild that opportunity. Everyone is scrambling to find face coverings and our guild is getting a lot of queries.

So far I (Elizabeth R.) made 20 for the Food Bank and 10 for family members. Christine H. got a request for 150 from Camp Roberts and Dora E. got a request for 300 for the city of Paso Robles.

Dora C has collected many higher quality masks for the hospital and I am seeing that many of you have made a bunch for various causes from nursing homes to mail carriers.

Great Job Everyone!

It is important to note that we are now not talking about face masks that block viruses. Instead we want everyone to wear a cloth covering while out in public so that they protect those around them. We just need to filter our breath so that we don’t put out a fine mist of droplets into the air that might potentially include nasty viruses in it. When everyone does that, it keeps us all safe. Face coverings breathe well and so are more comfortable to wear.

The CDC is currently recommending just two layers of cotton fabric with pleats. Their instructions omit the need for a sewing machine.

Below, we have an easy pattern with quilting shortcuts.

Our ACQG president and I have been discussing ways we could help meet this need for face coverings and the logistics involved. Here are the solutions we came up with:

The Great Elastic Shortage

I have a ton of Lycra fabric and cut crosswise it does not ravel and is a great replacement for elastic and is more comfortable on the ears. I am cutting it in 5/8th inch strips and will deliver it to Thora S. in Paso and Dora E. in Templeton. I will also keep some available on my porch in Atascadero. We will also have a container available to collect finished face coverings at those three homes when you are done.

These exchanges will be made without personal contact. You can pick up Lycra and some metal nose bands from a box on the porch and bring back the face coverings to the same place.

We will then wash all the finished face coverings before donating them to our community. Of course, I expect you will also be giving some of the coverings to family and friends.

Nose Bridge metal

There have been lots of suggestions for what to use for the nose bridge. You want a wire that holds its shape but that is bendable enough so you can shape it over your nose. A double piece of pipe cleaner or twist ties with the sharp edges folded over work well. A thin wire or even the coated metal ties used to hold up plants work well, too. Please be sure any coverings used are washable. You can also skip the nose bridge entirely.

Easy Face covering Pattern

Supplies per mask:

• (2) 7″x 9″ rectangles of fabric –two different fabrics
• (2) 6.5″ of Lycra or 7″ if you are using elastic
• (1) 3″ length of wire or folded pipe cleaner. –Optional

Rotary cutter and mat, Sewing machine with straight stitch and an iron are also needed

Cutting Directions:

• Cut a 7″ x 9″ rectangle out of two different fabrics. –If you plan to do a lot of masks it is a good idea to make a stack of rectangles at this point.
• Cut a 3¼” piece of wire and fold over the edges or fold a 6″ piece of pipe cleaner so the sharp edges meet in the middle
• Cut 2 Lycra strip (5/8″wide) 6½” long or if using elastic cut 7″ long. You can pick up those strips from our 3 stocked porches.

Sewing Directions

• Read all directions before starting, not all is intuitive.
• Place the two rectangles right sides together and start sewing a ¼” seam starting at what will be the bottom center of the finished mask, one of the 9″ seam edge.
• When you get to the corner, place the Lycra strip between the two fabrics with only a tip poking out of the seam. –fig.1

• Turn the corner and sew down the Lycra strip sandwiched between the two rectangles of fabric.
• Sew the 7″ seam, but stop 3/4″ before you get to the end and catch and insert the 2^nd end of the Lycra strip 3/4″ from the end to allow space to turn the corner and sew it down. -fig.2

• Turn the fabric again and sew this seam at ½” from the edge. –This bigger seam is to allow room to insert the nose bridge metal
• When you finish the top seam insert the second Lycra strip for the second ear loop on the second side as you did on the first.
• On the last bottom seam, sew the ¼” seam till you get to 2″ of your starting point. Sew off, -Leaving a gap to turn the mask.

• On the top wide seam, mark the center 3″ and sew a second seam 1/8th inch from the raw edge. This makes a channel for the pipe cleaner and can be sewn smaller if using wire.

• Insert the pipe cleaner or wire in the channel created. –No need to secure the ends, that happens later
• Turn mask right side out.
• Iron the mask.

• Iron three pleats into the mask. The first in the center, lengthwise.
• Then fold the top and bottom so that they don’t quite meet in the middle and make the next 2 creases there.
• Fold the pleats so that the mask is 3″ wide and press to set shape. Pin each pleat, if desired.
• Sew around the four edges of the mask as close to the seam as possible. On the top seam veer around the nose bridge metal to catch it in the seam
• Done!
• Stay well!