Question: Coronavirus & home sewn masks?

Is anyone actually seeing other people in the UK wearing masks on the street? I'm not, in my local area, but a friend says that she sees lots in the city centre where she lives.
 
Work in progress. Limiting factor at the moment is tape, but I’ve some more ordered from ebay.

Outer fabric is curtain weight; inner is weight of a bed sheet. Both materials pre-washed in a hot wash and tumble dried, so they are pre-shrunk and shouldn’t shrink further on washing.

I have tried wearing one of these for a time and they are good. The shaped nose stops them slipping down. Fairly minimal mask/face leakage. I’m pleased with how these are turning out.

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Simbindi said:
The new Miele vacuum bags have multiple layers, I would think that cutting up these bags would work well as homemade filters (but not a cheap option as the bags work out about £2 each). Nevertheless, a well fitting cotton mask (that can be washed at high temperature or soaked in bleach solution) with such a 'single use' filter, would be very useful for PWME when they really need protection if they have to go out in an exceptional circumstance.

https://www.espares.co.uk/search/ma254pt1566/vacuum-cleaners/bags/miele
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Keela Too said:
My concern about adding vacuum bags etc to home made fabric masks etc, is that the vacuum bags are less porous, and so the air is less likely to travel through the area of fabric where the vacuum bag impedes the air flow.

This effectively means the air must travel elsewhere. If there is less of the fabric available for the air to flow through (cos the vacuum bag impedes flow), so a greater air movement will be forced through the gaps between face and mask.

Thus although the vacuum bag cuts down viral particles that land on it, the actual airflow to the individual’s airways is less filtered than without the vacuum bag, because of the increased pressure on the face/mask gaps.

In the same way, one could say glass is 100% effective in blocking viral particles, but adding glass (or other impermeable plastic or whatever) to a mask, would not actually increase the mask’s effectiveness. It would just reduce the surface area of the mask through which air could flow.

It might be that an extra fabric layer right under the nose/mouth area would slow air flow in the biggest use area, and so divert air to other fabric areas. Which might be good.

But I worry that the thicker the mask, the greater the pressure on the gaps.
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Yes, I agree. Initially I used the "air clean" filter which comes with the vacuum bags* and this seemed relatively free flowing - I'm not sure how much it filtered out though!

I'm now planning to cut up a vacuum cleaner bag; I reckon I can get 5 strips from one bag. So I can use one and soak it in dilute bleach or otherwise kill any virus on it - heat it to 70 degrees centigrade? I can then re-use it; OK using a new one every time I go out is probably more sensible.

I'll see how porous a single layer of vacuum bag is; probably not as porous as the correct grade of face mask.

*
https://www.espares.co.uk/search/ma254pt1566/vacuum-cleaners/bags/miele
 
Having found a ppf3 mask in the garage, last used in October. I notice it’s got mould on the fabric. So I suspect the moist exhaled breath provides an ideal breading ground if left. I am suggesting keeping any used masks in the fridge or freezer in between bleach dunking to be worthwhile. It’s not the time to contract a respiratory infection by using contaminated single use 3M masks.
 
Trish said:
Nice photos, @Keela Too, but it looks like there's quite a gap along the top beween the in the section between the bridge of the nose and the cheek. Or is that an optical illusion?
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There is perhaps a small gap where you say, but it is not as big as there would be with the square, folded surgical masks. In truth this sort of mask is not aimed at replacing high spec masks. It can only ever be a crude barrier.

Yet, a crude barrier is still useful if it reduces the initial viral inoculation. So perhaps instead of receiving 1000’s of viral particles in a breath contaminated by a cough from a random infected individual, this mask might mean you only receive 10’s of viral particles.

Sure a proper respirator mask should protect you 100%, but cloth masks will never reach that level of protection. Neither do the surgical masks, yet they are still useful.

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One of the prototypes I made had a slot to insert an opened out paperclip over the nose. This is still an option to add
 
Adrian said:
I wonder if another value of a mask is stopping yourself touching your face or at least around your mouth.
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Although some have said that wearing a mask makes you touch your face more as you adjust it. On TWiV a couple of episodes ago, one of the TWiVers said that he sat next to a lady on the plane who was wearing a mask who kept pulling it down throughout the flight so that she could put peanuts in her mouth!

I suspect the main reason that we are being told not to wear them is because of the dwindling supplies of N95/PPF3 masks, and that paper or home-made masks are only likely to provide very limited protection (if at all). However, if you are wearing it as a courtesy to others (not passing on your own germs), that's another thing. And I can't see how that doesn't help limit spread - in addition to all other measures - washing hands, distancing etc.
 
Part of a cloth mask being effective, is that it stays in place well without regular adjusting. Also that it is comfortable. The elastic bands over the ears, I suspect will both need adjusting to stay in place, and also be less comfortable. The mask style I have made stays in place easily and is pretty comfortable considering what it is!
 
I am continuing to make more masks (and have posted some to a family member in England already).

The photo shows the basic pattern shape on an A4 piece of paper (for scale).

This is how I made my mask:

The template is one I adapted from another site (their pattern was too small ).

I cut two of the inner & two of the outer. (Template pattern includes seam allowance.)

Stitch each piece to its other half first (right side to right side) along the big front curve.

Snip cuts in the extra material along the curve of lining piece, so the lining doesn’t pucker the mask later.

Then stitch inner to outer (right sides together) along top and bottom, remembering to snip into the extra hem along the curve over the top of the cheeks.

Turn right side out. Over stitch the top and bottom. (The sides are still raw edges.)

Turn in the sides and hem, leaving a channel to thread the tape through.

And there you are.

PS I stitched seams using the edge of the sewing machine foot as a guide. So probably about 1cm or just less... I’m not always perfectly accurate.

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RuthT said:
Here’s an article about mask making, here for Heathcare Providers in the US (for people with secondary roles) with a pattern and a YouTube demo: I struggle to follow patterns ....
https://www.atlantichealth.org/pati...ies-covid-19/make-facemask-help-covid-19.html
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This is exactly the same mask but much clearer. Scroll to the bottom.

https://www.deaconess.com/How-to-make-a-Face-Mask

I'm going to add a straightened paper clip to shape the nose bit. I have a video of how to do that if anyone wants it.
 
Amw66 said:
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Very timely @Amw66 - thank you!

I got my fabric and elastic all ready to sew yesterday but my 40+ year old sewing machine suddenly gave up the ghost.

Not to be stymied by a machine, I sewed the mask by hand to see what I think:

I found the straightened paperclip over the nose isn't so practical because it's too stiff. A wire tie might be better.

I couldn't get the tightness of the elastic around my ears just right. I must have funny ears - or it could be my glasses interfering.

It's obvious to me now why these kind masks are of limited value. The air you breathe in takes the path of least resistance through gaps around the sides. I used a double layer of pillowcase fabric and found it almost impossible to breathe through once I had sealed the gaps.

Nevertheless, I think something is probably better than nothing. I don't own anything resembling a scarf but I've got plenty of teatowels and rubber bands to try out......
 
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