Camden Clark Medical Center announced on March 25th that they are accepting donations of cloth masks. Their site has more information about homemade cloth masks, including frequently asked questions, their preferred face mask pattern, a video detailing the construction, and the drop off locations for completed masks.

On March 30th, Memorial Health System announced they are approved to accept PPE, including N-95 masks and handmade cloth masks with elastic or ties. The coordinator for MMH’s Volunteer Services, Cindy Hall, was happy to speak with me about mask donations (N95s and homemade cloth masks). She reported to have been consulting with the Infection Control department for guidance. The homemade cloth masks being accepted should be 2 layers of fabric with either elastic loops (if available) or fabric ties; no specific pattern was suggested. Cindy also shared that she has volunteers making masks from surgical-grade materials. As of the morning of Tuesday, March 31st, the donated masks were approved for use by the pharmacy department.

I sewed one of these masks following the pattern shared by Camden Clark Medical Center and created a photo tutorial for the assembly.

Materials

  • Woven cotton fabric, such as quilting cotton
  • Narrow elastic, rope or flat, up to 1/4 inch wide (if unavailable, substitutions may include hair ties or fabric ties)

Prepare Fabric and Elastic

For adults, cut to 9 inches wide by 6 inches high, 2 per mask. For children, 7.5 inches wide by 5 inches high, 2 per mask. Cut elastic 7 inches long, 2 per mask.

Assembly

Place one fabric rectangle right side up on work surface. Place elastic over the fabric, aligning cut ends of each elastic at the corners of the short ends. The elastic loops will face the center of the fabric. Pin or clip in place. Place second fabric rectangle right sides together over this assembly, maintaining the positioning of the elastic loops.

Sew around the perimeter of the fabric, leaving about 2 inches unsewn. The stitching line is shown as a dotted line below.

Turn the mask right side out through the opening.

Form 2 or 3 pleats along both short ends of the mask. The pleats should fold in the same direction.

Stitch around the entire edge of the mask, closing the opening the mask was turned through and fastening the pleats in place, red dotted line below.

The mask is complete!

Please note:

We cannot make any guarantees as to the efficacy of these masks. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that homemade masks be used for patient source containment, and only as a last resort for healthcare providers when approved personal protective equipment is unavailable. You can read more about the author’s thoughts on the subject, here. We encourage you to only make masks if you have the necessary supplies on hand. We do not encourage or condone leaving your home for non-essential travel or to purchase additional supplies, as this would be contradictory to Ohio and West Virginia’s Stay at Home orders.

That said, Loni will have donated, precut fabric available for those interested in taking on the task of sewing masks available for pickup at the Original Pizza Place on Second Street in Marietta, OH starting Friday, March 27th. If you are in town to pick up a pizza for dinner, you can also take home fabric to make a mask to donate. The Original Pizza Place is following all mandated and recommended safety and sanitary precautions and offering carryout and delivery service.
Loni Jakubowski
Loni Jakubowski
Author

While I grew up with a sewing machine in my childhood home, my passion for sewing more recently sparked in 2013 when I bought my first sewing machine. A creative outlet during early parenthood of making simple baby and children’s items quickly escalated into much more. I now focus my attention on sewing almost all my own clothing (and occasionally items for my family and friends). I also enjoy testing patterns for indie designers and sewing samples. I openly admit to having an extensive fabric stash. My personal home sewing studio is the partially finished attic of our 19th century home, overlooking the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers. It features the original hardwood floor (now painted teal), barn wood walls, and four sewing machines. My other passions include indulging in coffee, beer, and spicy food; and collecting small, flat-faced dogs.

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